- presence and absence of a character (odysseus) -

French word "personne" mean at the same time presence and absence. 

Going back to Homer Odyssey (Greek: Ὀδύσσεια), there is a passage when Polyphemus asks for Odysseus' name, promising him a guest-gift if he answers. Odysseus tells him "οὔτις," (a short form of his actual name also translatable as "nobody"). Being drunk, Polyphemus thinks of it as a real name and says that he will eat "nobody" last and that this shall be his guest-gift—a vicious insult both to the tradition of hospitality and to Odysseus. With that, Polyphemus crashes to the floor and passes out. Odysseus, with the help of his men, lifts the flaming stake, charges forward and drives it into Polyphemus' eye, blinding him. Polyphemus yells for help from his fellow cyclopes that "nobody" has hurt him. The other cyclopes think Polyphemus is making a fool out of them or that it must be a matter with the gods, and they grumble and go away.