An elderly, high-ranking wise man who dictates the story of his arduous winter journey to Bethlehem. He is resolute and disciplined, pushing through severe environmental hardships and unreliable hired help to reach his destination. Years later, he remains troubled by the consequences of the expedition. The birth he witnessed triggered a painful spiritual awakening that permanently alienated him from his homeland and its traditional gods.

The newborn child in Bethlehem whose arrival disrupts the established spiritual order of the world. While not physically described in the poem, this child represents a new dispensation that permanently alters the wise men's understanding of existence, rendering their old beliefs obsolete and causing them bitter agony.

The other wise men making the journey from the East. Like the narrator, they hold high rank in their society and occasionally regret leaving behind their summer palaces and the silken girls who served them sherbet. They endure the freezing weather, hostile cities, and scarce accommodations, ultimately sharing the Magus's profound sense of displacement upon returning to their pre-Christian kingdoms.

The laborers responsible for managing the refractory, sorefooted camels during the expedition. They complain about the harsh conditions and shirk their responsibilities, desiring liquor and women instead of maintaining the night-fires.

An unnamed listener who records the elderly Magus's recollections. The Magus explicitly dictates his theological dilemma regarding the nature of the birth and death he witnessed, ensuring his unresolved questions are committed to a permanent record.

Six anonymous individuals dicing in a tavern in a temperate valley. They possess no useful information for the weary travelers seeking the birthplace, remaining completely indifferent to the momentous event happening nearby.