Who is circes father in the odyssey

During the dinner, Circe comes in secret to bring Prometheus some ambrosia to restore him. Prometheus tells her about humanity, and so begins her fascination with humans. He visits Circe again and again, and she falls in love with him. But Circe is forbidden from marrying a mortal.

She turns him into a god, and he becomes strong yet arrogant. After the other gods and nymphs learn of her powers, Circe is exiled to a faraway island called Aiaia. On Aiaia, Circe strengthens her witchcraft abilities. She learns how to use many plants and herbs, and she is at peace with her solitude. After she is sent into exile, Hermes begins to visit her on Aiaia, telling her tales of the outside world and observing her life on the island.

They quickly become lovers, but Circe admits that she has no strong feelings towards him—he is brilliant and knowledgeable, but is also cunning and self-serving, just like the other gods and nymphs Circe despises.

Eventually, Daedalus, a mortal inventor, lands on Aiaia, sent by her cruel sister Pasiphae. Circe goes with him to Crete, where she helps Pasiphae give birth to a hideous monster, half-man, half-bull, known as the Minotaur. They resolve to build a giant maze in the cellar to keep the monster contained, and she gives it a magic draft to subdue it for most of the year. During her time on Crete, Circe argues with her sister and has an affair with Daedalus. She returns to her island soon afterwards, disquieted.

After some time has passed, two travelers land on Aiaia and ask for katharsis, spiritual cleansing from a terrible deed. Circe is uneasy, but performs the deed. Circe and Medea argue, and then Medea leaves with Jason. Pasiphae, Circe's sister and Queen of Crete, seated with her monstrous child, the Minotaur.

She has several children with him, including Ariadne and Phaedra, and also contrives to become pregnant by a sacred white bull, giving birth to the Minotaur.

An Oceanid, one of the nymph daughters of Oceanos. The mother of Circe and wife to Helios. In later stories, she was associated with witchcraft herself. A Titan god who disobeyed Zeus to help mortals, giving them fire and, in some stories, teaching them the arts of civilization as well. Zeus punished him by chaining him to a crag in the Caucasus Mountains, where an eagle came every day to tear out and eat his liver, which then regenerated overnight. She drove a chariot of silvery horses across the night sky, and her husband was the beautiful shepherd Endymion, a mortal enchanted to eternal, ageless sleep.

Like her husband, she was initially associated with fresh-water but was later depicted as a goddess of the sea. God of light, music, prophecy, and medicine.

Apollo was the son of Zeus and the twin brother of Artemis, and a champion of the Trojans in the Trojan War. Goddess of the hunt, a daughter of Zeus and sister to Apollo.

In the Odyssey , she is named as the killer of the princess Ariadne. Athena, armed, holding a spear. Kylix, ca. The powerful goddess of wisdom, weaving, and war arts. She was a fierce supporter of Greeks in the Trojan War, and a particular guardian of the wily Odysseus. She appears often in both the Iliad and the Odyssey. A son of Zeus, the god of wine, revelry, and ecstasy. He commanded Theseus to abandon the princess Ariadne, wanting her for his own wife.

Goddess of childbearing who helped mothers in their labors, and also had the power to prevent a child from being born. Son of Zeus and the nymph Maia, messenger of the gods as well as god of travelers and trickery, commerce, and boundaries.

He also led the souls of the dead to the underworld. Zeus Jupiter brandishing a thunderbolt. Jupiter Smyrna, ca. King of gods and men, ruler of all the world from this throne on Mount Olympus. He initiated the war against the Titans to take vengeance on his father, Kronos, and eventually to overthrow him.

Earth Science. Social Science. Political Science. Literature Guides. Popular Textbooks. Madeline Miller. Publication Date:. Section 2. Section 3. Section 4. Discussion Questions. Summary and Analysis. Circe Characters Circe Title character and famed witch in Greek mythology. Helios God of the Sun, a Titan and the father of Circe.

Telegonus Mortal son of Circe and Odysseus , whom Circe births and raises alone. Scylla Beautiful sea nymph whom Circe transforms into the terrifying six-headed, twelve-legged monster of Greek mythology. Glaucos Poor young mortal fisherman whom Circe falls in love with and transforms into a god in her first act of pharmakeia, in hopes that they can marry. Daedalus Great craftsman of Crete and first mortal lover of Circe after they deliver the Minotaur and then contrive to keep the flesh-eating creature contained.

Homer portrays her as sometimes flighty and excitable but also clever and steadfastly true to her husband. Daughter of Zeus and goddess of wisdom, purposeful battle, and the womanly arts. Athena assists Odysseus and Telemachus with divine powers throughout the epic, and she speaks up for them in the councils of the gods on Mount Olympus.

She often appears in disguise as Mentor, an old friend of Odysseus. The beautiful nymph who falls in love with Odysseus when he lands on her island-home of Ogygia. Calypso holds him prisoner there for seven years until Hermes, the messenger god, persuades her to let him go. God of the sea. He despises Odysseus for blinding his son, the Cyclops Polyphemus, and constantly hampers his journey home. Ironically, Poseidon is the patron of the seafaring Phaeacians, who ultimately help to return Odysseus to Ithaca.

King of gods and men, who mediates the disputes of the gods on Mount Olympus. He sometimes helps Odysseus or permits Athena to do the same. Antinous leads the campaign to have Telemachus killed.

Unlike the other suitors, he is never portrayed sympathetically, and he is the first to die when Odysseus returns. A manipulative, deceitful suitor. Amphinomus sometimes speaks up for Odysseus and Telemachus, but he is killed like the rest of the suitors in the final fight.

The loyal shepherd who, along with the cowherd Philoetius, helps Odysseus reclaim his throne after his return to Ithaca. Even though he does not know that the vagabond who appears at his hut is Odysseus, Eumaeus gives the man food and shelter. The aged and loyal servant who nursed Odysseus and Telemachus when they were babies. Eurycleia is well informed about palace intrigues and serves as confidante to her masters. The brother of Melantho.

Like her brother, Melantho abuses the beggar in the palace, not knowing that the man is Odysseus. She is having an affair with Eurymachus.

One of the Cyclops uncivilized one-eyed giants whose island Odysseus comes to soon after leaving Troy.