Most-Mentioned Characters in the Iliad

Can you name the characters who are mentioned the most frequently in "The Iliad" by Homer?
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: August 6, 2020
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First submittedAugust 6, 2020
Times taken15,403
Average score46.7%
Rating4.66
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Description
Character
480
Hero of Troy
Hector
468
King of the gods
Zeus
423
Wrathful Greek hero
Achilles
206
Name shared by two different Greek heros
Ajax
194
King of Mycenae
Agamemnon
184
King of Troy
Priam
172
Best friend of the wrathful hero
Patroclus
159
Goddess of wisdom
Athena
148
King of Sparta
Menelaus
140
God of light
Apollo
135
Father of the king of Mycenae
Atreus
135
Father of the wrathful hero
Peleus
123
Builder of the Trojan Horse
Odysseus
119
Queen of the gods
Hera
114
God of war
Ares
99
King of Argos
Diomedes
96
Father of the above
Tydeus
93
King of Pylos
Nestor
86
Trojan hero who later traveled to Italy
Aeneas
84
King of the titans
Cronus
76
Leader of the armies of Crete
Idomeneus
68
Beauty contest judge who killed the wrathful hero
Paris
64
God of the sea
Poseidon
61
Hero who owned the helmet of Amyntor
Meriones
59
Prince of Pylos
Antilochus
49
Son of Zeus who fought for Troy
Sarpedon
47
God of the underworld
Hades
46
Father of a Greek hero who had been one of Jason's argonauts
Telamon
45
Sea nymph who was the mother of the wrathful hero
Thetis
42
"The face that launched 1000 ships"
Helen
+8
Level ∞
Aug 6, 2020
This quiz is based by original research. I used this text as a source, but converted the names from Roman back to Greek. There are some complications. For example, Paris is mentioned as both Paris as Alexandrus. There are probably other similar things that I missed, so this should be considered a starting point for more research.
+1
Level 76
Dec 3, 2020
Having just read the Iliad, I think it would be more "correct" if the description only referred to the content of the Iliad - so Odysseus, Aeneas and Paris would have to be changed
+5
Level 88
Aug 6, 2020
Nice quiz. I'm halfway through The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller right now so I probably did better than I would have a couple weeks ago. Still missed 4 though.
+10
Level 84
Aug 7, 2020
Too Greece-centric.
+1
Level 65
Sep 11, 2023
Lol.
+2
Level 74
Aug 7, 2020
I had to read this back in 7th grade. Crazy that I've forgotten all but the largest details since then. 14/30, though I do recognize almost all the ones I missed.
+2
Level 74
Aug 9, 2020
No Hecuba?!? (What's Hecuba to him or he to Hecuba...?) No Clytemnestra? No Cassandra? Even Helen comes in dead last (after all the dudes and goddesses), and she was the very reason for all the brouhaha! C'mon, Homer!
+1
Level 49
Jun 28, 2023
The Iliad is really only a snapshot of the entire conflict.
+7
Level 74
Aug 25, 2020
Nice one. Good research.

Just one thing: saying Achilles and Patroclus were "best friends" is a huge understatement and makes no sense at all. I think "Lovers" is more accurate and better reflects the following rage of Achilles. Which is also foreshadowed when Achilles captured lady is taken away, he makes a big deal of that.

Greek wars had no place for Heterocentric views.

+8
Level 69
Oct 3, 2020
You are right, Greek stories are not heterocentric, but these two are not actually shown as lovers here in the Iliad.

I re-read it a few years ago, and couldn't find any references to it. It may have been because of the translation of course, but I don't think so. They are cousins and best friends here, and there may or may not be more between them, but it's not mentioned.

The book (a play) in which they are definitely lovers was written by Euripides.

By the way, when Briseis is taken away, and Achilleus is enraged, it's not because he loves her so much. It's because she is his slave, his property given to him by military right. He'd be just as enraged if he had a beautiful horse taken from him. Yes, that's hysterics. :) The heroes of the Iliad are pretty childish in general.

+2
Level 88
Sep 27, 2021
There is no evidence or claim in any ancient source that Achilles and Patroclus were lovers
+2
Level 63
Nov 11, 2021
I think it might have been mentioned in Plato's Symposium, if I'm not mistaken.
+1
Level 74
Oct 3, 2020
I actually knew quite a few of these not from reading the Iliad, but from the Troy trilogy of novels by David Gemmell. He made the legend a lot more... accessible to me, by removing much of the supernatural stuff and making it seem more real. Definitely recommend.
+1
Level 82
Oct 3, 2020
Got all of the principles, but disappointed I couldn't remember Aeneas
+4
Level 66
Oct 4, 2020
Nice quiz! Please accept alternative Aias (as is in Greek) for Ajax.
+1
Level 49
Oct 4, 2020
How is Helen so low...
+7
Level 78
Oct 5, 2020
...because she was stuck in a loveless marriage.
+1
Level 85
Oct 5, 2020
Great quiz!
+3
Level 75
Oct 5, 2020
I said this to myself, "Oh, heck, what is the name of the leader of Troy?" I didn't realize I'd said half his name. I finally gave up trying to remember.
+1
Level 56
Mar 24, 2021
I enjoyed this quiz a lot! I did a bit rubbish but it was fun. Thank you.
+1
Level 55
May 17, 2023
Peleus??

Come on! Why are these greek-themed quizzes so difficult for a greek?

Please accept Pileas or Pilefs or Pileus!

+2
Level 67
Dec 29, 2023
Thank you Madeline Miller for ensuring I wouldn't bomb this quiz
+1
Level 56
Mar 21, 2024
¨father of the above¨ its at the top of the list