Characters in Helen of Troy
CHARACTERS
MORTALS:
AGAMEMNON
The leader of the Achaean expedition to Troy, he was the King of Mycenae. On his return from Troy he was murdered by his wife Clytemnestra, and her lover Aegisthus. The lover was the son of Thyestes, the brother and enemy of Atreus, Agamemnon's father. When Odysseus voyages to Hades he meets with Agamemnon's ghost.
ALCINOUS
The King of the Phaeacians and husband of Arete, who had a daughter called Nausicaa. Nausicaa helps Odysseus when he first arrives in their land. The King is a gracious ruler and is instrumental in assisting Odysseus in returning to Ithaca.
ANTINOUS
He is the leader of the suitors that besiege Penelope, and the other suitors copy his cruelty and greed. He mistreats Odysseus when disguised as a beggar on his return to Ithaca. He is unashamed of his behavior and is a totally evil man. He is the first to be killed by Odysseus. He is aided by Eurymachus, another important suitor.
EUMAEUS
Odysseus' faithful swine-herd who plays an important part in assisting Odysseus to regain power, he is a caring man who offers hospitality to Odysseus when he is disguised as a beggar.
EURYCLEIA
She is a devoted old nurse of Odysseus and Penelope and is first to recognize her master on his return.
HELEN
Helen was the daughter of Leda and Zeus and she became the wife of King Menelaus of Sparta, Agamemnon's brother. Being the daughter of Zeus, she was immortal. Zeus mated with Leda in the guise of a swan and Helen was hatched from and egg and brought up as a member of the royal family of Sparta. Menelaus and Helen were initially very happy, but Paris the heir of King Priam of Troy visited Sparta and with the help of Aphrodite the goddess of love, gained Helen's affection. Stealing part of Menelaus' treasury, the pair eloped. Agamemnon assembled a great army to aid his brother, and they held siege to the city of Troy for ten years. Helen's beauty was unsurpassed and hence the saying, The face that launched a thousand ships'.
MORTALS:
AGAMEMNON
The leader of the Achaean expedition to Troy, he was the King of Mycenae. On his return from Troy he was murdered by his wife Clytemnestra, and her lover Aegisthus. The lover was the son of Thyestes, the brother and enemy of Atreus, Agamemnon's father. When Odysseus voyages to Hades he meets with Agamemnon's ghost.
ALCINOUS
The King of the Phaeacians and husband of Arete, who had a daughter called Nausicaa. Nausicaa helps Odysseus when he first arrives in their land. The King is a gracious ruler and is instrumental in assisting Odysseus in returning to Ithaca.
ANTINOUS
He is the leader of the suitors that besiege Penelope, and the other suitors copy his cruelty and greed. He mistreats Odysseus when disguised as a beggar on his return to Ithaca. He is unashamed of his behavior and is a totally evil man. He is the first to be killed by Odysseus. He is aided by Eurymachus, another important suitor.
EUMAEUS
Odysseus' faithful swine-herd who plays an important part in assisting Odysseus to regain power, he is a caring man who offers hospitality to Odysseus when he is disguised as a beggar.
EURYCLEIA
She is a devoted old nurse of Odysseus and Penelope and is first to recognize her master on his return.
HELEN
Helen was the daughter of Leda and Zeus and she became the wife of King Menelaus of Sparta, Agamemnon's brother. Being the daughter of Zeus, she was immortal. Zeus mated with Leda in the guise of a swan and Helen was hatched from and egg and brought up as a member of the royal family of Sparta. Menelaus and Helen were initially very happy, but Paris the heir of King Priam of Troy visited Sparta and with the help of Aphrodite the goddess of love, gained Helen's affection. Stealing part of Menelaus' treasury, the pair eloped. Agamemnon assembled a great army to aid his brother, and they held siege to the city of Troy for ten years. Helen's beauty was unsurpassed and hence the saying, The face that launched a thousand ships'.