Yesterday, I listed some of the interesting figures in the Odyssey of Homer. Now on to an introduction to some of the characters in Homer’s other epic, the Iliad.
Main Characters:
Achilles – He was one of the Greek heroes of the Trojan war. Achilles was son of the sea nymph Thetis and King Peleus.
Agamemnon – King of Mycenae who fought on the side of the Greeks.
Ajax – This Greek warrior was second only to Achilles in prowess during the Trojan war.
Diomedes – A great Greek warrior who fought against the Trojans.
Hector – Trojan prince who fought against the Greek hero Achilles.
Helen – Helen was the wife of Menelaus. She was abducted by Paris, and this event contributed to the start of the Trojan War
Menelaus – He was the brother of Agamemnon, as well as the ruler of Sparta.
Paris –
Patroclus – This friend of Achilles played a key role in the Trojan War.
Minor Characters:
Andromache – The wife of Hector.
Briseis – She was a captive of the hero Achilles during the Trojan War.
Cassandra – A daughter of King Priam.
Clytemnestra – The wife of Agamemnon.
Laocoon – A priest. He was famous for advising his fellow Trojans not to accept the gift of the Wooden Horse from the Greeks.
Neoptolemus – The son of Achilles. He participated in the Trojan War.
Nestor- He is portrayed as a wise old man in the Iliad.
There are certainly gods and goddesses who make an appearance in the Iliad as well.