Odysseus

Family: Greek · Role: leader · First appears: The Catalogues of Women and Eoiae · Fragments 61–80

In The Catalogues of Women and Eoiae, Odysseus, son of Laertes, sought Helen as a wife. In The Cypria, he feigned madness to avoid joining the expedition, but was exposed when Telemachus was seized for punishment. Later, Diomedes and Odysseus caused Palamedes’ death while he was fishing.

In The Telegony, Odysseus went to Thesprotis and married Callidice, queen of the Thesprotians. He had a son, Polypoetes, with her; after Callidice died, Polypoetes succeeded to the kingdom. Odysseus also had Telegonus by Calypso, and Telemachus and Acusilaus by Penelope.

At Ithaca, Odysseus defended his country and was unwittingly killed by Telegonus. “on learning his mistake,” Telegonus carried Odysseus’s body, Penelope, and Telemachus to his mother’s island, where Circe made them immortal.

Relationship record

Life events

• Odysseus is detected feigning madness when Telemachus is seized for punishment.(The Cypria · Part 1 · 📍 Hellas)
  • With: Telemachus
  • “detecting Odysseus when he pretends to be mad, not wishing to join the expedition, by seizing his son Telemachus for punishment”
• Palamedes drowned while fishing, and Diomedes and Odysseus caused his death.(The Cypria · Part 2)
  • With: Palamedes Diomedes
  • “Palamedes was drowned when he had gone out fishing, and that it was Diomedes and Odysseus who caused his death.”
• Odysseus marries Callidice, queen of the Thesprotians.(The Telegony · 📍 Thesprotis)
  • With: Callidice
  • “then goes to Thesprotis where he marries Callidice, queen of the Thesprotians.”
• Telegonus unwittingly kills Odysseus while defending his country.(The Telegony · 📍 Ithaca)
  • With: Telegonus
  • “Odysseus comes out to defend his country, but is killed by his son unwittingly.”
• Telegonus transports Odysseus’s body, Penelope, and Telemachus to his mother’s island.(The Telegony)
  • With: Telegonus Penelope Telemachus
  • “Telegonus, on learning his mistake, transports his father’s body with Penelope and Telemachus to his mother’s island”
• Circe makes Odysseus, Penelope, Telemachus, and Telegonus immortal.(The Telegony)
  • With: Circe Penelope Telemachus Telegonus
  • “where Circe makes them immortal”

The Catalogues of Women and Eoiae · Fragments 61–80

• admired: Helen “From Ithaca the sacred might of Odysseus, Laertes son, who knew many-fashioned wiles, sought her to wife.”

The Cypria · Part 1

• child: Telemachus “by seizing his son Telemachus for punishment at the suggestion of Palamedes.”

The Telegony

• married with Callidice “then goes to Thesprotis where he marries Callidice, queen of the Thesprotians.”
• child: Polypoetes “After the death of Callidice Polypoetes, the son of Odysseus, succeeds to the kingdom”
• child: Telegonus “Odysseus had by Calypso a son Telegonus or Teledamus”
• child: Telemachus “and by Penelope Telemachus and Acusilaus.”
• child: Acusilaus “and by Penelope Telemachus and Acusilaus.”

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Extracted from the original text of Hesiod and Homerica. Made with Rho MD.