The Iliad Characters
Epic of Gilgamesh Characters
Antigone Characters
100

Calchas

Powerful seer who reveals why Apollo sent the plague upon the Achaeans

100

Enkidu 

hero and friend with Gilgamesh. Dies from a cursed  illness, punished for by the gods who believed Gilgamesh and Enkidu should be punished for their transgressions after killing the bull of Heaven.  Shares dark vision of the underworld before dying, and leaves Gilgamesh heartbroken


100

Eurydice

Haemon's mom and Creon's wife who cut her own throat after hearing her son's death

200

Achilles

Thetis 

the Achaean's most valuable warrior (stole Briseis)

sea-nymph (Achilles' mom) and makes appeal to Zeus to punish the Achaeans 

200

Humbaba

Ishtar

monster who Gilgamesh and Enkidu kill with assistance from Shamash (the sun god)

goddess of love who lusts for Gilgamesh (he spurns her however, and she asks her father Anu - god of the sky - to punish him)

200

The Chorus 

Choragus 

describe and comment on play

leader of the choir

300

Agamemnon

Zeus

commander-in-cheif of Achaean's army (claims Chrysies as his prize)

Greek god who is reluctant to help the Trojans (since Hera favours the Greeks) but finally agrees

300

Siduri

Urshanabi

tavern keeper who Gilgamesh tells about his quest, she says that seeking eternal life is worthless and that he should be satisfied with the pleasures of this world.

ferryman who takes Gigamesh on boat journey through the Waters of Death to Utnapishtim

300

Haemon

King Creon

Antigones betrothed (and also cousin...EW!) who stabs himself after Antigone is sent to her death

King of Thebes, whose pride leads to his downfall (leads to the death of his niece, son and wife)

400

Chryses

Hera

Priest who serves Apollo (Chryseis dad) first begs Agamemnon to return his daughter and then prays to Apollo

Greek goddess who is livid that Zeus is helping the Trojans, but her son convinces her not to plunge the gods into conflict over the mortals

400

Utnapishtim

Ea

Mesopotamian Noah (after floods, gods granted him immortal life) who Gilgamesh is trying to find. 

god who warned Utnapishtim against flood and told him to build a boat 

400

Oedipus 

Eteocles and Polynices 

Antigone and Ismene's dad 


Antigone and Ismene's brothers who killed each other in duel over ruling over Thebes, making Creon king. Creon decided for Eteoclesto be buried with honour, but not Polynices. 

500

Apollo

Athena

Greek god who sends plague on Greek camp (after Chryses prays to him) 

Greek goddess sent by Hera to prevent a dual between Achilles and Agamemnon


500

Gilgamesh

main character from Uruk who sets off on a quest to seek immortality after his friend (Enkidu) dies cus he can't stop thinking about his own death

Utnapishtim challenges him to stay awake for a week to gain immortality, but he falls asleep. Utnapishtim takes pity and tells him where to find plant that restores youth, but Gilgamesh loosed it to a serpent. 

He returns to Uruk empty-handed, but has reconciled at last to his mortality.

500

Antigone

Ismene

Main character, who buries her brother (Polynices) against King Creon's orders because she believes it's right and honourable. Hangs herself after being immured.

Sister to Antigone, who begs her sister not to bury Polynices