The Odyssey The Odyssey’s Map of Bonds
Who the poem binds to whom: 172 ties between the eighty-nine names of the cast — married, fathered, served, blinded, hunted, housed. The site draws them as a map you can walk; below they are simply written out.
All characters · All places
Every bond in the poem172
Penelope wife of Odysseus — twenty years faithful Icarius father of Penelope — the marriage the suitors invoke Telemachus son of Odysseus — born just before he sailed Penelope mother of Telemachus — her only son, long shielded Laertes father of Odysseus — aged, grieving, living apart Anticleia mother of Odysseus — died waiting for him Anticleia wife of Laertes — his queen, dead before him Odysseus king of Ithaca — absent ruler, home unrecognized Penelope queen of Ithaca — stakes her hand on the contest Laertes dwells in Ithaca — his orchard, away from town The Suitors dwell in Ithaca — camped in the hall they eat Eurycleia nurse of Odysseus — cared for him from infancy Eurycleia nurse of Telemachus — helped him slip away by night Eurycleia aids Odysseus — keeps the scar a secret Eurynomè servant of Penelope — dresses her, readies the bed Eumaeus servant of Odysseus — tends his swine for years unpaid Eumaeus loyal to Odysseus — learns the truth, delivers the bow Eumaeus aids Odysseus — fights beside him, guards the door Eumaeus dwells in Eumaeus's lodge — the steading he built himself Philoetius servant of Odysseus — keeps his cattle on the mainland Philoetius loyal to Odysseus — mourns him, vows to fight for him Melanthius aids The Suitors — smuggles them arms and armour Melanthius enemy of Odysseus — kicks and curses the beggar Eumaeus captor of Melanthius — hoists him to the roof-beam Argus loyal to Odysseus — knows him, dies content Mentor loyal to Odysseus — entrusted with his household Athena guise of Mentor — borrows his shape and voice Odysseus guest of Eumaeus — stays on, testing his hospitality Odysseus deceives Eumaeus — spins a false Cretan history Telemachus visits Eumaeus's lodge — where he finds his father The Suitors suitors of Penelope — devour his wealth courting her The Suitors enemies of Telemachus — conspire to kill him Antinoüs suitor of Penelope — directs the contest's order Antinoüs enemy of Telemachus — plots to ambush and kill him Antinoüs persecutes Odysseus — hurls a footstool at him Eurymachus suitor of Penelope — offers the richest bridal gifts Eurymachus persecutes Odysseus — mocks him, throws a stool Penelope defies Antinoüs — rebukes him before the hall Penelope deceives The Suitors — the shroud unwoven each night Telemachus defies The Suitors — rebukes their unruly uproar Odysseus slays Antinoüs — first arrow, through the throat Odysseus slays Eurymachus — arrow through the breast, into the liver Odysseus slays The Suitors — cuts them down in his own hall The Suitors dwell in Hades — join the shades in the asphodel Odysseus deceives Penelope — tests her as a Cretan stranger Athena patron of Odysseus — steadies his nerve, crowns him with beauty Athena aids Odysseus — calms the winds, disguises him Athena patron of Telemachus — watches over his journey unseen Athena aids Penelope — grants her a deathless beauty Athena patron of Nausicaä — sends the dream about the washing Athena daughter of Zeus — petitions him as 'Our Father' Zeus dwells in Olympus — presides over the council there Zeus patron of Odysseus — decrees he shall reign in peace Zeus persecutes Odysseus — wrecks the ship with a thunderbolt Zeus aids Telemachus — sends fighting eagles as a sign Poseidon persecutes Odysseus — still angered over his blinded son Poseidon father of Polyphemus — hears the Cyclops' curse Poseidon persecutes Phaeacians — turns their ship to stone Hermes aids Odysseus — gives moly, explains the spell Hermes visits Calypso — delivers Zeus' command to free him Helios persecutes Odysseus — demands Zeus avenge his herd Thrinacia home of Helios — pasture of his sacred cattle Odysseus visits Troy — ten years at the siege Polyphemus captor of Odysseus — traps the party in his cave Polyphemus dwells in Cyclops-land — his cave above the goat-slopes Odysseus blinds Polyphemus — bores out his single eye Odysseus deceives Polyphemus — gives his name as 'Noman' Odysseus visits Lotus-land — reaches their coast on the tenth day The Lotus-eaters hosts of Odysseus — give the lotus; his scouts forget home The Lotus-eaters dwell in Lotus-land — the coast of the drug-flower Aeolus host of Odysseus — hosts him a month, gives the winds Aeolus dwells in The Aeolian Isle — the brass-walled floating isle The Laestrigons enemies of Odysseus — smash eleven of twelve ships The Laestrigons dwell in Laestrigonia — the cliff-ringed harbour they hold Circè deceives Odysseus — drugs his cup; moly foils it Circè loves Odysseus — shares her bed after the oath Circè warns Odysseus — names Sirens, strait, and cattle Circè dwells in Aeaea — her hall in the woods Odysseus visits Hades — crosses Océanus to question the dead Tiresias warns Odysseus — foretells the wrath, the cattle, the suitors Tiresias dwells in Hades — keeps his mind among the shades Anticleia dwells in Hades — slips three times through his arms Agamemnon dwells in Hades — still telling of his murder Achilles dwells in Hades — first among the unhappy dead Achilles companion of Odysseus — old comrade from Troy Agamemnon warns Odysseus — counsels distrust, praises Penelope Agamemnon husband of Clytemnestra — murdered on his homecoming Clytemnestra slays Agamemnon — conspires in her husband's death Menelaus brother of Agamemnon — storm-driven, home too late The Sirens deceives Odysseus — song promises all knowledge Scylla enemy of Odysseus — snatches six of his crew Charybdis persecutes Odysseus — sucks down his raft; he clings to the fig tree Calypso captor of Odysseus — holds him weeping on her isle Calypso loves Odysseus — offers him immortality to stay Calypso aids Odysseus — helps him build and stock a raft Calypso dwells in Ogygia — her cave, apart from the gods Odysseus visits Scheria — washes ashore on their coast Nausicaä aids Odysseus — feeds, clothes, and guides the castaway Nausicaä daughter of Alcinoüs — princess of the Phaeacians Arete mother of Nausicaä — the mother Nausicaä bids him entreat Alcinoüs king of Scheria — rules the seafaring people Alcinoüs host of Odysseus — feasts him, then ships him home Arete queen of Scheria — settles disputes, wins reverence Arete wife of Alcinoüs — honoured as if a goddess Arete aids Odysseus — urges the court to be generous Phaeacians dwell in Scheria — far off, and favoured by gods Odysseus visits Cave of the Naiads — hides the Phaeacian treasure there Nestor king of Pylos — aged ruler of sandy Pylos Nestor host of Telemachus — welcomes him to the Pylian feast Menelaus king of Sparta — master of the richest hall Menelaus host of Telemachus — feasts him, loads his chariot Helen wife of Menelaus — beside him again, giving gifts Helen queen of Sparta — mistress of the hall once more Telemachus visits Pylos — first stop in his search Telemachus visits Sparta — second stop in his search Agamemnon king of The Achaians — commander of the whole host The Achaians enemies of Troy — ten years under its walls Helios brother of Eos — dawn and sun, children of one Titan Apollo son of Zeus — the archer among Zeus’ children Apollo dwells in Olympus — feasts among the deathless Apollo brother of Artemis — twin archers of Leto Hera wife of Zeus — queen consort of heaven Hera dwells in Olympus — throned beside the Thunderer Artemis daughter of Zeus — huntress of the golden arrows Ares son of Zeus — war itself, little loved Ares loves Aphrodite — the affair the gods laughed at Hephaestus husband of Aphrodite — married to the faithless goddess Hephaestus captor of Ares — the invisible net Hephaestus dwells in Olympus — smith of the gods’ houses Aphrodite wife of Hephaestus — wed to the lame smith Persephone queen of Hades — dread mistress of the shades Aegisthus loves Clytemnestra — won her while the king fought Aegisthus slays Agamemnon — at the homecoming feast Orestes son of Agamemnon — the avenger the poem cites Orestes slays Aegisthus — the revenge held up to Telemachus Autolycus father of Anticleia — her wolf-cunning father Autolycus host of Odysseus — the boar hunt, the scar Eurylochus companion of Odysseus — kinsman and second-in-command Eurylochus defies Odysseus — goads the crew to the cattle Irus servant of The Suitors — runs their errands for scraps Irus defies Odysseus — one punch settles it Demodocus dwells in Scheria — blind bard of the court Phemius servant of Odysseus — sings in the hall under duress Phemius dwells in Ithaca — the island’s own bard Medon servant of Odysseus — herald of the household Medon warns Penelope — word of the ambush at sea Dolius servant of Laertes — keeps the old man’s orchard Dolius father of Melanthius — the traitor son Peisistratus son of Nestor — youngest at his table Peisistratus companion of Telemachus — the road to Sparta and back Theoclymenus guest of Telemachus — taken aboard at Pylos Theoclymenus warns The Suitors — sees them shrouded in night Halitherses warns The Suitors — reads the eagles over the assembly Halitherses loyal to Odysseus — old friend of the house Elpenor companion of Odysseus — youngest of the crew Elpenor dwells in Hades — first shade to meet him Eupeithes father of Antinoüs — the first man slain Laertes slays Eupeithes — one cast of the old king’s spear Piraeus companion of Telemachus — trusted with guest and treasure Piraeus host of Theoclymenus — lodges the fugitive seer Ajax dwells in Hades — the shade that stands apart Ajax defies Odysseus — the unforgiven armor of Achilles Proteus warns Menelaus — the way home, and the news Menelaus captor of Proteus — held through every shape Ino Leucothea aids Odysseus — her veil through the wreck Ino Leucothea defies Poseidon — undoes a little of his storm Agamemnon king of Argos — his realm over the water Menelaus visits Crete — half his storm-split fleet, ashore there Menelaus visits Egypt — five ships, seven years of gathering Helen visits Egypt — her calming drug comes from there Dulichium home of The Suitors — fifty-two of the wooers Samos home of The Suitors — twenty-four more of them