The characters of the Iliad

The main and minor characters of the Iliad are gods, demigods, and mortals from Greek mythology who were more or less prominent participants in the Trojan War . They include Achilles , Hector , Agamemnon , Paris , Helen of Troy , Hera , Artemis , and a few others.

The Iliad . Origin and characters

The Iliad describes different legends and myths dating from the twelfth century BC and is one of the literary classics of all time. Its name comes from the Greek name for the city of Troy, Ilium. Although its exact origin is unknown, it is attributed to the poet Homer, who lived in Ancient Greece around the 8th century BC. In its twenty-four songs, this epic basically narrates the wrath of Achilles, the clashes between the Greeks and the Trojans, and the development of the already famous Trojan War. 

Main characters of the Iliad

In the Iliad there are several main characters:

• Achilles . He is the main character and one of the most important heroes of the Trojan war. He was the leader of the Greek troops known as the Myrmidons . He was characterized by being invincible and extraordinarily fast. The only weak part of his body was his heel, and in it he received the poisoned arrow that Paris launched and that caused his death. One of his most famous feats was the victory in a single battle against the Trojan hero Hector, whom he ended up killing. His anger was such that he dragged the corpse of his enemy with the cart for several days.

• Hector . Crown Prince of Troy, son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba. He was a skilled horse tamer. He was in command of the Trojan War and was defeated and killed by Achilles.

• Paris . Also called Alexander, brother of Hector and, like him, prince of Troy. He stood out for his beauty, and had the favor of the gods. During his visit to Menelaus, king of Sparta, he fell in love with the king’s wife, Helen, who reciprocated him. That relationship originated the war between the Greeks and Trojans. He shot the arrow that mortally wounded Achilles.

• Helen of Troy . Wife of Menelaus. Her beauty was legendary throughout Greece, so she had many admirers. She was considered the daughter of Zeus. She was kidnapped by Paris and taken to Troy.

• agamemnon . Brother of Menelaus and king of Mycenae. He sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia to gain favorable winds for his fleet.

• Menelaus . King of Sparta, brother of Agamemnon, husband of Helen of Troy and betrayed by her and Paris.

• Odysseus or Ulysses . King of the island of Ithaca, husband of Penelope and one of the most important Greek heroes. He was a key figure in the Trojan War. He obtained the weapons of Achilles, the arrows of Heracles and took control of the Palladium of Troy, thus obtaining a wide advantage in the war favorable to the Greeks. In addition, he had the idea of ​​building the wooden horse (the Trojan Horse) in which Greek soldiers hid after the faked surrender of the troops and which would ultimately defeat Troy.

Secondary characters from the Iliad

Some of the secondary characters that also have an important role in the Iliad are:

• briseis . Woman kidnapped by Achilles. When the Greeks force him to free her from her, Achilles is enraged and withdraws from the war, thus giving the Trojans the upper hand. 
• Patroclus . Friend and messenger of Achilles. Hector kills him and Achilles decides to go back to war to avenge his death.
• Andromache . She is the wife of Hector and daughter of the king of Theba Hipoplacia. After the Trojan War she became the concubine of Achilles’ son Neoptolemus.
• Ajax the Great . Cousin of Achilles and brave Greek warrior. He was distinguished by his great stature. He had two confrontations with Héctor in which he was about to kill him.
• Ajax the Lesser . He was in command of the Locris troops and was one of the warriors hiding on the Trojan Horse. He abused Cassandra and therefore aroused the fury of Athena and Poseidon, who wrecked his ship.
• Thetis . Sea nymph and daughter of King Nereus. She was the mother of Achilles, and according to legend, she was the one who made Achilles invulnerable, except for his heel, thanks to the fact that he submerged him in the River Styx.
• calcas . Grandson of Apollo who possessed the gift of divination. One of his predictions was that the Trojan War would last ten years. Furthermore, he suggested to Agamemnon that he sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia.
• nestor . King of Pylos, Greek sage and strategist.

Other prominent characters from the Iliad

Other minor characters and epic places are also mentioned in the epic poems of the Iliad:

• Diomedes . Greek hero who contributed eighty ships to the Trojan War. He pressured Agamemnon to sacrifice his daughter as a tribute to the goddess Artemis.
• Hermes . Messenger of the gods. Although he was an ally of the Greeks, he helped King Priam recover the body of his son Hector.
• Phoenix . Along with the centaur Chiron, he tutored Achilles. During the war he was also his adviser.
• Priam . King of Troy and father of Hector, Paris and Cassandra.
• Zeus . Supreme God of Olympus and father of several deities: Aphrodite, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Persephone, Dionysus, Perseus , Heracles, Helena and Minos, among others.
• hecuba . Queen of Troy, mother of Hector, Paris and Cassandra. After the Trojan War she became a slave to the Achaeans.
• Hades . God of the underworld and brother of Zeus, Hera and Poseidon.
• Xanthus or Scamander . river of Troy, whose protector was the god Scamander.

Greek gods and demigods of the Iliad

In addition to mortal characters, the various myths and legends mentioned in the Iliad involve gods and demigods acting as allies or enemies of the Trojans and Greeks:

• Sarpedon . Son of Zeus and an ally of the Trojans during the Trojan War. He participated in the murder of Patroclus.
• Aphrodite . Greek goddess of love, beauty and sensuality. She is the wife of Hephaestus and lover of Ares. She saved Paris when Menelaus tried to assassinate him.
• Hera . Sister and wife of Zeus and goddess of women, family and marriage. She was an enemy of the Trojans.
• Aeneas . Son of Aphrodite and hero of the Trojan War. The Roman poet Virgil made him the protagonist of the Aeneid , an epic poem that recounts his exploits and the origins of Rome.
• poseidon . God of the sea, storms and earthquakes, ally of the Greeks.
• hephaestus . Son of Hera and Greek god of fire and blacksmithing.
• ares . God of war and lover of the goddess Aphrodite.
• Apollo . Son of Zeus and twin brother of Artemis. He was the god of diseases and plagues, as well as healing and beauty. He supported the Trojans.
• artemis . She is the daughter of Zeus and goddess of the hunt, wild animals and maidens. She was allied with the Trojans.
• athena . Goddess of war, wisdom and strategy. She was an ally of the Greeks.
• irises . Messenger goddess of the Iliad .

Bibliography

• Homer. The Odyssey . (2016). Spain. Gredos.
• Homer. The Iliad. (2014). Spain. ‎E-artnow.
• Clayton, M. Greek Mythology: A Captivating Introduction to the Myths of the Greek Gods, Goddesses, Heroes, and Monsters . (2020). Spain. B08GG2RMMT.
• Moncayo, J. (2019, November 29). Greek mythology: under the influence of Olympus . The vanguard. Available at: https://www.lavanguardia.com/historiayvida/historia-antigua/20170207/47312661446/mitologia-griega-bajo-el-influjo-del-olimpo.html