Genealogies

The four family lines that structure the poems: the House of Atreus (Agamemnon and Menelaus), the House of Aeacus (Achilles), the House of Troy (Priam and the Dardanid kings), and the Olympian gods. Every member below comes from this edition’s character apparatus; dashed connectors are identifications the Homeric poems themselves don’t make — links added by later tradition.

connector: attested in Homer connector: later tradition, not Homer chip: named, not a character in this edition linked card: spouse/partner (dotted = not a character in this edition)

House of Atreus

TantalusΤάνταλοςLegendary king; eternally punished in Hades, forebear of the Atreid line.
- PelopsΠέλοψSon of Tantalus; his scepter passes down to found the Atreid dynasty.
  - AtreusἈτρεύςKing of Mycenae; father of Agamemnon and Menelaus.
    - AgamemnonἈγαμέμνωνKing of Mycenae; commander of the Achaean host at Troy.
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      ClytemnestraΚλυταιμνήστρη
      - OrestesὈρέστηςAgamemnon's son; avenges his father by killing Aegisthus and Clytemnestra.
    - MenelausΜενέλαοςKing of Sparta; Helen's husband, whose abduction causes the war.
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      HelenἙλένη
      - HermioneἙρμιόνηOnly child of Menelaus and Helen.
  - ThyestesΘυέστηςAtreus's brother; his line produces Aegisthus.
    - AegisthusΑἴγισθοςSeduces Clytemnestra and murders Agamemnon on his return from Troy.

TantalusΤάνταλοςLegendary king; eternally punished in Hades, forebear of the Atreid line.
- PelopsΠέλοψSon of Tantalus; his scepter passes down to found the Atreid dynasty.
  father: Tantalus (link from later tradition, not Homer)
  - AtreusἈτρεύςKing of Mycenae; father of Agamemnon and Menelaus.
    father: Pelops
    - AgamemnonἈγαμέμνωνKing of Mycenae; commander of the Achaean host at Troy.
      father: Atreus
      - OrestesὈρέστηςAgamemnon's son; avenges his father by killing Aegisthus and Clytemnestra.
        father: Agamemnonmother: Clytemnestra
    - MenelausΜενέλαοςKing of Sparta; Helen's husband, whose abduction causes the war.
      father: Atreus
      - HermioneἙρμιόνηOnly child of Menelaus and Helen.
        father: Menelausmother: Helen
  - ThyestesΘυέστηςAtreus's brother; his line produces Aegisthus.
    father: Pelops
    - AegisthusΑἴγισθοςSeduces Clytemnestra and murders Agamemnon on his return from Troy.
      father: Thyestes

House of Aeacus

AeacusΑἰακόςForebear of the Aeacid line (Peleus, Telamon, and their sons).
- PeleusΠηλεύςKing of the Myrmidons at Phthia; Achilles' father.
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  ThetisΘέτις
  - AchillesἈχιλλεύςForemost Achaean warrior; his wrath structures the Iliad's plot.
- TelamonΤελαμώνKing of Salamis; father of the greater Ajax and Teucer.
  - Ajax (son of Telamon)Αἴας ΤελαμώνιοςTelamonian king; the Achaeans' great defensive fighter, second only to Achilles.
  - TeucerΤεῦκροςHalf-brother of the greater Ajax; the Achaeans' best archer at Troy.

AeacusΑἰακόςForebear of the Aeacid line (Peleus, Telamon, and their sons).
father: Zeusmother: Aegina (link from later tradition, not Homer)
- PeleusΠηλεύςKing of the Myrmidons at Phthia; Achilles' father.
  father: Aeacus
  - AchillesἈχιλλεύςForemost Achaean warrior; his wrath structures the Iliad's plot.
    father: Peleusmother: Thetis
- TelamonΤελαμώνKing of Salamis; father of the greater Ajax and Teucer.
  father: Aeacus
  - Ajax (son of Telamon)Αἴας ΤελαμώνιοςTelamonian king; the Achaeans' great defensive fighter, second only to Achilles.
    father: Telamon
  - TeucerΤεῦκροςHalf-brother of the greater Ajax; the Achaeans' best archer at Troy.
    father: Telamon

House of Troy (Dardanids)

Astyanax Ἀστυάναξ

Hector Ἕκτωρ

Paris (Alexander) Ἀλέξανδρος

Deiphobus Δηΐφοβος

Helenus Ἕλενος

Cassandra Κασσάνδρα

Polites Πολίτης

Polydorus Πολύδωρος

Laodice Λαοδίκη

Priam Πρίαμος

Memnon Μέμνων

Tithonus Τιθωνός

Laomedon Λαομέδων

Ilus Ἶλος

Aeneas Αἰνείας

Anchises Ἀγχίσης

Capys Κάπυς

Assaracus Ἀσσάρακος

Ganymede Γανυμήδης

Tros Τρώς

Erichthonius Ἐριχθόνιος

Dardanus Δάρδανος

DardanusΔάρδανοςFounder of the Trojan royal line, forebear of Priam and Aeneas.
- ErichthoniusἘριχθόνιοςSecond king of the Dardanid line, noted for vast herds.
  - TrosΤρώςEponymous king from whom 'Troy' and 'Trojans' take their name.
    - IlusἾλοςFounder of Ilium (Troy proper); Laomedon's father.
      - LaomedonΛαομέδωνKing of Troy; Priam's father, notorious for cheating the gods.
        PriamΠρίαμοςAged king of Troy; father of fifty sons including Hector and Paris.
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        HecubaἙκάβη
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        Laothoe
        HectorἝκτωρTroy's foremost warrior and defender; eldest son of Priam.
        +
        AndromacheἈνδρομάχη
        AstyanaxἈστυάναξInfant son of Hector and Andromache.
        Paris (Alexander)ἈλέξανδροςTrojan prince whose abduction of Helen causes the war.
        DeiphobusΔηΐφοβοςTrojan prince, prominent warrior after Hector's death.
        HelenusἝλενοςTrojan prince and seer, Priam's son.
        CassandraΚασσάνδραPriam's daughter; in Homer, simply the fairest of his daughters.
        PolitesΠολίτηςTrojan prince; a scout for the Trojans.
        PolydorusΠολύδωροςYoungest son of Priam; killed by Achilles despite Priam's ban.
        LaodiceΛαοδίκηTrojan princess; called fairest of Priam's daughters.
        TithonusΤιθωνόςTrojan prince; brother of Priam, taken by Eos as consort.
        +
        EosἨώς
        MemnonΜέμνωνEthiopian king; ally of Troy, son of the dawn goddess Eos.
    - AssaracusἈσσάρακοςYounger son of Tros; ancestor of the Anchises-Aeneas branch.
      - CapysΚάπυςTrojan of the Assaracus branch; Anchises's father.
        AnchisesἈγχίσηςTrojan of the Dardanid line; father of Aeneas by Aphrodite.
        +
        AphroditeἈφροδίτη
        AeneasΑἰνείαςTrojan prince of the junior Dardanid branch; son of Aphrodite.
    - GanymedeΓανυμήδηςYoungest son of Tros; carried off to be Zeus's cupbearer.

DardanusΔάρδανοςFounder of the Trojan royal line, forebear of Priam and Aeneas.
father: Zeusmother: Electra (link from later tradition, not Homer)
- ErichthoniusἘριχθόνιοςSecond king of the Dardanid line, noted for vast herds.
  father: Dardanus
  - TrosΤρώςEponymous king from whom 'Troy' and 'Trojans' take their name.
    father: Erichthonius
    - IlusἾλοςFounder of Ilium (Troy proper); Laomedon's father.
      father: Tros
      - LaomedonΛαομέδωνKing of Troy; Priam's father, notorious for cheating the gods.
        father: Ilus
        PriamΠρίαμοςAged king of Troy; father of fifty sons including Hector and Paris.
        father: Laomedon
        HectorἝκτωρTroy's foremost warrior and defender; eldest son of Priam.
        father: Priammother: Hecuba
        AstyanaxἈστυάναξInfant son of Hector and Andromache.
        father: Hectormother: Andromache
        Paris (Alexander)ἈλέξανδροςTrojan prince whose abduction of Helen causes the war.
        father: Priammother: Hecuba
        DeiphobusΔηΐφοβοςTrojan prince, prominent warrior after Hector's death.
        father: Priammother: Hecuba
        HelenusἝλενοςTrojan prince and seer, Priam's son.
        father: Priammother: Hecuba
        CassandraΚασσάνδραPriam's daughter; in Homer, simply the fairest of his daughters.
        father: Priammother: Hecuba
        PolitesΠολίτηςTrojan prince; a scout for the Trojans.
        father: Priammother: Hecuba
        PolydorusΠολύδωροςYoungest son of Priam; killed by Achilles despite Priam's ban.
        father: Priammother: Laothoe
        LaodiceΛαοδίκηTrojan princess; called fairest of Priam's daughters.
        father: Priammother: Hecuba
        TithonusΤιθωνόςTrojan prince; brother of Priam, taken by Eos as consort.
        father: Laomedon
        MemnonΜέμνωνEthiopian king; ally of Troy, son of the dawn goddess Eos.
        father: Tithonusmother: Eos
    - AssaracusἈσσάρακοςYounger son of Tros; ancestor of the Anchises-Aeneas branch.
      father: Tros
      - CapysΚάπυςTrojan of the Assaracus branch; Anchises's father.
        father: Assaracus
        AnchisesἈγχίσηςTrojan of the Dardanid line; father of Aeneas by Aphrodite.
        father: Capys
        AeneasΑἰνείαςTrojan prince of the junior Dardanid branch; son of Aphrodite.
        father: Anchisesmother: Aphrodite
    - GanymedeΓανυμήδηςYoungest son of Tros; carried off to be Zeus's cupbearer.
      father: Tros

The Olympians

ZeusΖεύςKing of the gods; arbiter of fate, oversees the war.
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Laodamia
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LetoΛητώ
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HeraἭρη
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DioneΔιώνη
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Maia
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Leda
- SarpedonΣαρπηδώνLycian king; leads Troy's allies, foremost after Hector.
- AthenaἈθήνηGoddess of wisdom and war-craft; Odysseus's steadfast patron.
- ApolloἈπόλλωνGod of plague, prophecy, and music; Troy's most active divine patron.
- ArtemisἌρτεμιςGoddess of the hunt; Apollo's twin, a minor but recurring presence.
- AresἌρηςGod of war; fights for Troy, wounded by Diomedes.
- AphroditeἈφροδίτηGoddess of love; protects Paris and her mortal son Aeneas.
- HephaestusἭφαιστοςSmith-god; forges Achilles' new armor at Thetis's request.
- HermesἙρμῆςMessenger god; guides Priam safely to Achilles' tent.
- HelenἙλένηWife of Menelaus, abducted by Paris; the war's proximate cause.
HeraἭρηZeus's wife and sister; fiercely partisan for the Achaeans.
PoseidonΠοσειδῶνGod of the sea and earthquakes; secretly aids the Achaeans.
HadesἈΐδηςGod of the underworld; rarely active, but constantly referenced.

ZeusΖεύςKing of the gods; arbiter of fate, oversees the war.
father: Cronusmother: Rhea
- SarpedonΣαρπηδώνLycian king; leads Troy's allies, foremost after Hector.
  father: Zeusmother: Laodamia
- AthenaἈθήνηGoddess of wisdom and war-craft; Odysseus's steadfast patron.
  father: Zeus
- ApolloἈπόλλωνGod of plague, prophecy, and music; Troy's most active divine patron.
  father: Zeusmother: Leto
- ArtemisἌρτεμιςGoddess of the hunt; Apollo's twin, a minor but recurring presence.
  father: Zeusmother: Leto
- AresἌρηςGod of war; fights for Troy, wounded by Diomedes.
  father: Zeusmother: Hera
- AphroditeἈφροδίτηGoddess of love; protects Paris and her mortal son Aeneas.
  father: Zeusmother: Dione
- HephaestusἭφαιστοςSmith-god; forges Achilles' new armor at Thetis's request.
  father: Zeusmother: Hera
- HermesἙρμῆςMessenger god; guides Priam safely to Achilles' tent.
  father: Zeusmother: Maia
- HelenἙλένηWife of Menelaus, abducted by Paris; the war's proximate cause.
  father: Zeusmother: Leda
HeraἭρηZeus's wife and sister; fiercely partisan for the Achaeans.
father: Cronusmother: Rhea
PoseidonΠοσειδῶνGod of the sea and earthquakes; secretly aids the Achaeans.
father: Cronusmother: Rhea
HadesἈΐδηςGod of the underworld; rarely active, but constantly referenced.
father: Cronusmother: Rhea