Agamemnon

Agamemnon was king of the Myrmidons. He was told by Calchas that in order to win a fair wind to sail to Troy he would have to sacrifice his daughter. Agamemnon liked Iphigenea, but he eventually decided that "...his daughter... was less to him than his pride..."(p.29). Agamemnon killed Iphigenea, the wind changed, and he headed off to Troy.

Calchas

Calchas "could foretell the future"(p.28). He was the one who told Agamemnon that iphigenea would be "the price of a fair wind"(p.28) to sail to Troy. Calchas was right about Iphigena being the price of a fair wind.

Iphingenea

Iphigenea was Agamemnons daughter. She was also the "...human sacrifice..."(p.29) needed to win a fair wind to sail to Troy. When Iphigenea was taken out to the sacrifice achilles was amazed by the "...young girl's courage..."(p.30).

Character Catalogue

Achilles"...the greatest hero of all."
Agamemnon:"...his daughter...was less to him than his pride..."(p.29).
Aphrodite:"...golden..."(p.6).
Athene:"...grey eyed..."(p.6).
Discord:"...evil goddess, dark Discord..."(p.4).
Hecuba:"...Queen..."(p.6).
Helen"...dazzling appearance..."(p.13). "The most beautiful woman in the world..."(p.14). 
Hera:"...queen of the gods..."(p.6).
Menelaus:"...most powerful of the kings of Greece..."
Paris:"...young shepherd..."(p.6).
Peleus:"...king of the Myrmidons..."(p.6).
Priam:"...King..."(p.6).
Thetis:"...she should have a son who would be greater than his father."(p.4).  "...the sea nymph..."(p.3).
Zeus:"...Allfather Zeus..."(p.3).  "...ruler of gods and men."(p.3).

Olivia Ensor Coolidge

Olivia Ensor Coolidge was born on October 16 1908 and is a well know author for her historical fiction and biographies. She studied at Oxford University and earned a BA (Bachelor of Arts) and and MA (Master of Arts). Olivia was a teacher in England and the USA. Her first book published was Greek Myths. And she is a Newbery Award winner for Men of Athens. Olivia rewrote Homer's Iliad and made it suitable for children and young adults. She called it the Trojan War.

Homer

Homer is believed to be an ancient Greek poet who may have lived on Khios Island or possibly on the east coast of Asia minor (Turkey). Not much is known about Homer and some say he never existed. Homer was blind, but still wrote two great poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey. The Odyssey is about an ancient Greek hero called Odysseus coming home after the fall of Troy. The Iliad is about the Trojan War fought between Greece and the city of Troy (Troy was in Asia minor). The war took place around 1250 B.C. The poems are believed to be written between 700 and 800 B.C. because they refer to conditions at that time.