In ordinary speech, it is usual for English speakers to pronounce Greek names in the way that seem most natural without attempting to reproduce the exact pronunciation of the ancient Greeks. This conventional (or compromise) pronunciation presents no great problems if a few rules are observed:
Vowels:There are no mute vowels. In particular, a final -eand the ein final -esshould always be sounded, as in familiar names like Aphrodite and Socrates.
In Greek, ae, oe, and ooare never diphthongs, and each vowel should be sounded separately (e.g. in Danae, Iphinoe, Acheloos).
Of diphthongs, aishould be pronounced as in high, auas in how, and oias in boil;and euis commonly pronounced as in eulogy, or when followed by an r, as in Europe.
In names, eiis usually a diphthong, which can be pronounced as in pay(e.g. in Teiresias, Deianeira), but not always (especially at the end of names, e.g. Endeis, the Nereids).
Consonants: Cis used for Greek kappa (although when transliterating Greek it is usual to use a k). This is properly a hard c(or k), but where it seems natural for an English speaker, it is often pronounced as a soft c(as in Alcibiades or Eurydice).
Chis used for Greek chi, which represents an aspirated k. In names, e.g. Achilles, it can be pronounced like a k. It should notbe pronounced like chin chapter.
G is properly hard as in gallery, but again, where it seems natural (as with the name Aigeus) it is often pronounced as in gin.
N.B. Genealogical indications, most commonly a patronymic, are included for practical convenience, but it must be remembered that there are often conflicting traditions, and if it is stated, for instance, that somebody is the mother of a particular person, that may be only one of several traditions recorded (whether in the present work or elsewhere).
Information not derived from the text is bracketed.
Where there are more than two entries under a particular name, bold typeis used to distinguish those which refer to mythical stories or passages which give biographical (rather than purely genealogical) information; and generally, where an entry is italicized, this indicates that it refers to the inclusion of the character in one of the four main heroic catalogues:
Those who joined the hunt for the Calydonian boar, pp. 40–1.
The Argonauts, pp. 49–50.
Helen’s suitors, p. 121.
The Greeks who joined the expedition against Troy, page 148.
Abas, son of Lynceus 62, 63
Abas, son of Melampous 47
Abderos, son of Hermes 78
Acalle, daughter of Minos 97
Acamas, son of Antenor 152
Acamas, son of Eusoros 152
Acamas, son of Theseus 141, 143, 157
Acarnan, son of Alcmaion 113
Acastos, son of Pelias 46, 49, 57, 127–8, 129, 130 129, 130
Acastos, the sons of 160
Achaios, son of Xouthos 37
Acheloos 30, 38, 40, 88–9, 113–14,167
Acheron, father of Ascalaphos 33
Achilles ( strictlyAchilleus), son of Peleus 129–30, 148, 149–55,157 158
Acrisios, son of Abas 62–3, 64–5,67 119
Actaion, son of Aristaios 102, 171
Actaios, father of Agraulos 130
Actaios, father of Telamon 126
Actor, father of Eurytos and Cteatos, 87
Actor, son of Deion 44, 49
Actor, son of Hippasos 49
Actor, son of Myrmidon 38, 41, 127
Acousilaos (of Argos, historian, 6th-5th cent. BC) 58 (2F25a, Jacoby), 59 (F26 and 27), 63 (F28), 77 (F29), 102 (F33), 114 (F25b), 121 (F41), 126 (F21), 134 (F31)
Admete, daughter of Eurystheus 78
Admetos, son of Pheres 40, 48, 49, 85 120, 121, 148
Adonis, loved by Aphrodite 30, 131–2
Adrasteis, nurse of Zeus 28
Adrastos, father of Eurydice 124
Adrastos, son of Merops 152
Adrastos, son of Talaos 42, 47, 107–9, 111,112
Aegina ( properlyAigina), daughter of Asopos 44, 126
Aello, a Harpy 29
Aellopous, a Harpy 52
Aeneas (properly Aineias), son of Anchises 123, 152, 153, 157
Aerope, daughter of Catreus 98, 99, 145,148
Aethlios, son of Zeus 37, 38
Agathon, son of Priam 125
Agamemnon, son of Pleisthenes or Atreus 99,120, 146, 147–55, 158–9, 160, 163
Agapenor, son of Ancaios 113, 121, 148, 161
Agasthenes, father of Polyxenos 121
Agathon, son of Priam 125
Agave, daughter of Cadmos 101, 103
Agelaos, a servant of Priam 125
Agelaos, son of Heracles 92
Agelaos, son of Temenos 94
Agenor, father of Phineus 51
Agenor, son of Amphion 105
Agenor, son of Ecbasos 58
Agenor, son of Phegeus 113
Agenor, son of Pleuron 39
Agenor, son of Poseidon 60, 96
Aglaia, daughter of Mantineus 62
Aglaie, a Grace 29
Aglaope, a Siren 167
Agiaos, son of Thyestes 145
Agraulos, daughter of Actaios 130
Agraulos, daughter of Cecrops 130
Agrios, a Centaur 75
Agrios, a Giant 35
Agrios, son of Porthaon 39, 42
Aiacos, son of Zeus and Aegina 41, 49, 126
Aias, son of Oileus 121, 148, 157–8, 159
Aias, son of Telamon 121, 127, 148, 153–5
Aietes, son of the Sun 43, 53–4, 57, 153–5166
Aigialeia, daughter of Adrastos 43, 48, 160
Aigialeus, son of Adrastos 43, 48, 112
Aigialeus, son of Inachos 58
Aigimios, king of the Dorians 89–90, 94
Aigina, seeAegina
Aigioneus, son of Priam 125
Aigipan 36
Aigisthos, son of Thyestes 146, 160, 163
Aigle, one of the Hesperides 81
Aigleis, daughter of Hyacinthos 137
Aigyptos, son of Belos 60
Aigyptos, sons of 60–2
Aineias, seeAeneas
Ainetos, son of Deion 44
Aiolos, keeper of the winds 165–6
Aiolos, son of Hellen 37–8, 43, 44, 120
Aipytos, son of Cresphontes 95
Aisacos, son of Priam 124–5
Aison, son of Cretheus 40, 46, 48, 56
Aithousa, daughter of Poseidon 117
Aithra, daughter of Pittheus 121, 136, 138, 143, 157
Aithylla, daughter of Laomedon 161
Aitolos, son of Endymion 39, 49