Characters of The Iliad

The Achaians (the Greeks)

Achilles – central character; greatest warrior; pride as greatest weaknessAgamemnon – indecisive but well-meaning King of Mycenae; commander-in-chief of the expedition against Troy; brother of MenelaosAias – son of Telamon ; known for great strength and courage (also known as Ajax in some books)Aias the Lesser – great warrior but is conceited and insolent Antilochos –Nestor’s sonAutomedon – charioteer of AchillesDiomedes – well-known for courtesy and braveryHelen – married to Menelaos but ran away with Paris; the most beautiful woman on earth but is also selfishKalchas – fortune teller for the AchaiansMenelaos – husband of Helen; brother of AgamemnonMyrmidons – soldiers of AchillesNestor – old, wise counselorOdysseus – cleverest Achaian, apart from being a great warriorPatroklos – close friend of Achilles; his constant companion

The Trojans and their Allies

Andromache – Hector’s wife; loyal and obedientAeneas – Aphrodite’s son; braveAntenor – nobleman who advises the return of Helen to the AchaiansAstyanax – son of Hektor and AndromacheChryseis – daughter of Chryses, the priest of ApolloDolon – Trojan nobleman captured by Odysseus and DiomedesGlaukos – prince and renowned warriorHekuba – wife of Priam;Hektor’s motherHektor – prince of Troy; son of Priam and Hekuba; commander of all Trojan forces; responsibleHelenos – son of Priam and Hekuba; prince of TroyCassandra – daughter of Priam and Hekuba; Hektor and Paris’s sisterPandaros – good fighter and treacherous manParis – prince of Troy; son of Priam and Hekuba; believed to have been the cause of the ruin of TroyPoulydamas – a military strategistPriam – king of Troy; man of great courage and integrity

The Gods and Goddesses

*Aphrodite – daughter of Zeus; goddess of love; mother of Aeneas; fought on the Trojan side*Apollo – son of Zeus; god of poetry, prophecy, and music*Ares – son of Zeus and Hera; god of war; loves Aphrodite and fought on the Trojan side although made promises to Hera and Athena that he would support the Achaians*Artemis – daughter of Zeus; goddess of chastity and hunting**Athena – daughter of Zeus; goddess of wisdom**Hera – sister and wife of Zeus; determined to see the defeat of Troy**Hermes – representative of the gods and ‘carries’ the dead souls to Hades**Poseidon – younger brother of Zeus and the god of the sea; has a grudge against Troy and supports the Achaians**Thetis – mother of Achilles; supports her son against Agamemnon but is not directly involved in the warDione –mother of AphroditeHades – ruler of the UnderworldIris – messenger of the gods Zeus – supreme god and king of Olympus; although supposed to be neutral, he is sympathetic towards the Trojans, particularly Hektor and Priam,a nd he supports Achilles against Agamemnon

*fought on the Trojan side**fought on the Achaian side