The Iliad

Character Guide

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Achilles (Peleus' son, swift-footed Achilles)

The greatest Greek warrior at Troy, son of the mortal Peleus and the sea-goddess Thetis, whose wrath at Agamemnon drives him to withdraw from battle.

Agamemnon (Atrides, King of Mycenae)

Commander-in-chief of the Greek forces besieging Troy, whose seizure of Achilles' war-prize Briseis sparks the poem's central quarrel.

Hector (Hector of the glancing helm)

Troy's foremost warrior and prince, son of King Priam, who leads the Trojan defense of the city.

Patroclus (Menoetius' son)

Achilles' beloved companion and fellow warrior among the Myrmidons, deeply devoted to him.

Ajax (Ajax Telamon, Ajax the Greater)

A massive, stalwart Greek champion known for his defensive strength and huge tower-shield, second only to Achilles in battle prowess.

Odysseus (Ulysses)

A cunning and eloquent Greek leader and councillor, valued for his wisdom and diplomacy among the chiefs.

Nestor (the old man of Pylos)

The eldest and most experienced Greek king, whose lengthy counsel and past exploits earn him respect among younger warriors.

Priam

The aged King of Troy, father to Hector, Paris, and many other sons, presiding over the besieged city.

Helen (fair-hair'd Helen)

The wife of Menelaus whose presence in Troy, alongside Paris, is the underlying cause of the war.

Paris (Alexander, godlike Paris)

A Trojan prince and Hector's brother, whose actions toward Helen set the war in motion; he fights with less renown than Hector.

Menelaus (Atreus' son)

King of Sparta and Agamemnon's brother, whose grievance over Helen underlies the entire conflict.

Diomedes

A bold young Greek chieftain who fights fiercely on the battlefield, at times even engaging the gods themselves.

Zeus (Jove, the Cloud-compeller, Saturn's son)

King of the gods, whose will ultimately governs the course of the war and who periodically restrains or permits divine interference.

Thetis

A sea-goddess and Achilles' mother, who intercedes with Zeus on her son's behalf regarding his grievance.

Glossary

Hecatomb

A large ritual sacrifice, traditionally of a hundred oxen, offered to a god to gain favor or avert wrath.

Myrmidons

The elite warrior contingent led by Achilles, drawn from his homeland of Phthia.

Ægis (Aegis)

A dazzling, tassel-fringed divine shield or emblem, wielded by gods like Zeus or Apollo, that spreads terror among mortals.

Greaves

Armor plates worn on the lower legs (shins) by warriors, often described as fastened with silver clasps.

Scaean Gate

The main western gate of Troy, a key location for battles, farewells, and duels in the poem.

Cloud-compeller

A recurring epithet for Zeus, referring to his mastery over storms and sky.

Far-destroyer / Far-darter

Epithets for the god Apollo, referencing his power with the bow and his role in causing plague or death from a distance.

Kleos (glory/renown)

Though not always named outright, this is the central heroic concept driving the poem — the immortal fame won through great deeds, especially in battle, that outlasts a warrior's short life.

Tripod

A three-legged bronze vessel or stand, often given as a valuable prize or gift in rituals and games.

Wrath (menis)

The specific, almost sacred anger of Achilles that the poem opens with and that structures its entire plot.

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