| Achaeans | Greeks; specifically, the people of Achaea in northeastern Greece |
| Aeaea | island home of Circe, the enchantress |
| Agamemnon | commander of the Greeks during the Trojan War |
| Alcinous | King of Phaeacia |
| Apollo | in Greek mythology, god of poetry, music, and prophesy |
| Argo | the ship manned by Jason and his crew of Greek heroes on their quest for the Golden Fleece |
| Athena | Greek goddess of wisdom, crafts, and war; also called Pallas Athena |
| Calypso | beautiful sea nymph, who kept Odysseus on her island for seven years |
| Charybdis | a whirlpool in the Straits of Messina, personified as a female monster |
| Cicones | a people living on the southwestern coast of Thrace, who were attacked by Odysseus' men on their way home from Troy |
| Circe | beautiful witch-goddess who transformed Odysseus' men into beasts |
| Cronus | in Greek mythology, a Titan and ruler of the universe until he was overthrown by his son, Zeus |
| Cyclops | member of a race of one-eyed giants. The Cyclopers were said to have lived as shepherds on the island of Sicily |
| Eumaeus | a swineherd, an old and loyal servant to Odysseus |
| Eurycleia | Penelope's servant and Odysseus' old nurse |
| Eurylochus | one of Odysseus' crew |
| Eurymachus | one of Penelope's suitors, an Ithacan noble |
| Eurynome | Penelope's housekeeper |
| Helios | in early Greek mythology, the sun god |
| Ithaca | Odysseus' home, an island off the western coast of Greece |
| Laertes | Odysseus' father |
| Laestrygonians | race of man-eating giants |
| Odysseus | King of Ithaca and hero of The Odyssey. The Latin version of his name is Ulysses |
| Penelope | Odysseus' wife |
| Phaeacia | an island kingdom inhabited by seafarers and traders |
| Polyphemus | a Cyclops, son of Poseidon |
| Poseidon | Greek god of the sea; indentical with the Roman god Neptune |
| Scylla | a dangerous rock in the Straits of Messina, personified as a female monster with six heads who devoured passing sailors |
| Sirens | sea nymphs who lured sailors to destruction with their songs |
| Telemachus | son of Odysseus and Penelope |
| Zeus | ruler of the gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus. He is sometimes called Zeus Cronion, meaning the "son of Cronus" |
