In these epics, several female characters had a profound effect on the plot. They wielded their influence through typically feminine skills and attributes: seduction, supernatural powers, intelligence, and beauty. Some of the women of The Odyssey and The Iliad influenced the actions of men, playing key roles in the epics, such as Calypso, the Sirens, Helen, or Circe; all of these women were responsible for the actions of the men. In The Iliad, Helen and Athena are two characters who display "the influential power female sexuality has in relation to the mortal male...[they are] in control" (LeVan). Helen's physi