Ainias: (“praiseworthy”) the Arkadian mercenary and tactician who came north to join Epaminondas
Alkidamas: (“strength of the people”) the aged rhetorician and champion of the Messenians
Chiôn: (“snowy” or the “Chian”) the huge slave from the island of Chios bought in infancy by Malgis from the Spartans, and raised on the farm on Mt. Helikon
Damô: wife of Lophis and custodian of the farm
Dirkê: aged neighbor of Mêlon on Mt. Helikon
Epaminondas: Boiotarch and general of the Boiotian army and leader of the allied army
Ephoros: historian and resident of Athens, at work on a general history of the Greeks
Gastêr: (“belly”) captain of the Theôris and veteran sailor of the Korinthian Gulf
Gorgos: (“dragon”) captured helot slave of Mêlon, veteran of the Spartan wars against Athens
Lichas: ephor and warrior of Sparta
Lophis: only son of Mêlon
Malgidai: the descendants of Malgis who continued to work his farm on Mt. Helikon
Malgis: the one-eyed Thespian veteran, father of Mêlon, who first carved out the farm on Mt. Helikon
Melissos: (“bee”) the young boy hostage from Makedon, who spent a year with the Thebans as a guarantor of the northern peace
Mêlon: (“apple”) the son of Malgis, the lame farmer on Mt. Helikon and the “apple” of various prophecies promising the end of Sparta
Myron: (“perfume”) farm slave on Mt. Helikon, recruited by Nêto on the eve of Leuktra
Nêto: the Messenian slave of Mêlon, bought as a small girl from the Spartans
Nikôn: (“victor”) leader of the helot insurgents
Pelopidas: head of the Sacred Band, and co-general of the allied army
Phrynê: (“toad”) courtesan and owner of a rest-stop at Thespiai
Porpax: (“shield-strap”) the older of the two great hounds of the Malgidai
Proxenos: (“consul”) the wall builder from Plataia and chief architect to Epaminondas
Sturax: (“butt-spike”) the younger and friskier of the two dogs of the Malgidai