Test your basic knowledge |

Classical Literacy

Subject : literacy
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. God of the sea






2. Titan who had to hold up the heavens on his shoulders as punishment for rebelling against Zeus






3. Victorious athletes & generals & and emperors wore crowns of made of the branches of the laurel tree to symbolize their victory; now & 'laurels' refer to someone's achievements






4. Half-man & half-goat creatures; companions of Pan and Dionysus






5. City-state in ancient Greece known for its powerful army; fought against Athens in the Peloponnesian Wars






6. Temple in Rome dedicated to all the Roman gods






7. 'note well' i.e. take note






8. One of the 12 Titans & father of Zeus/Jupiter & who swallowed his children in an attempt to keep from being overthrown






9. 'Time flies/flees'






10. Reception hall (like the living room) in a Roman house






11. 'An unwelcome person' - used in diplomacy to indicate a person Who is barred from entering a certain country






12. 'unknown land'






13. The messenger god; god of thieves and travelers; son of Zeus; invented the lyre; escorted people to the Underworld when they died






14. Eurydice died on their wedding day. Orpheus went down to the Underworld to bring her back. Hades agreed & on the condition that Eurydice would follow behind Orpheus on their way up to the mortal world and he couldn't check to make sure She was behind






15. A state of disorganized matter from which the gods and the world were created






16. Queen of Sparta Who was promised to Paris by Aphrodite for choosing her (Aphrodite) as the fairest goddess; Helen was already married to Menelaus and her kidnapping began the Trojan War






17. 5






18. King of Troy during the Trojan War; father of Hector and Paris; begged Achilles to give his son Hector's body back to be properly buried (Achilles had been dragging it around the city)






19. A material prepared in ancient Egypt from the pithy stem of a water plant & used in sheets throughout the ancient Mediterranean world for writing or painting on






20. Speaker's platform in the forum & which was decorated with the prows of ships the Romans captured in war (rostrum means 'beak & prow of a ship')






21. Goddess of love






22. God of the sun & light & reason & and the lyre






23. 'from the office &' 'by right of office' - used to refer to someone Who is a member of a group (a board & committee & council & etc.) because they hold another office/position






24. Goddess of the hunt






25. 'beware of the dog'






26. 'under penalty' a written order for a person to come testify in court






27. 'per day'






28. Female monsters who had snakes for hair and whose horrifying gaze could turn a man to stone if he looked at them (Medusa was one of the Gorgons)






29. Doctor of medicine






30. Perseus slayed Medusa the Gorgon






31. Homer's epic poem about Odysseus & kind of Ithaca & trying to find his way home from the Trojan War






32. Goddess of the hunt






33. Queen of Sparta Who was promised to Paris by Aphrodite for choosing her (Aphrodite) as the fairest goddess; Helen was already married to Menelaus and her kidnapping began the Trojan War






34. Goddess of grain & the harvest & and the seasons; mother of Persephone/Proserpina






35. Athenian prince who killed the Minotaur






36. A state of disorganized matter from which the gods and the world were created






37. 'Thus always & to tyrants.' Allegedly said by Brutus during the assassination of Caesar. John Wilkes Booth also shouted it after shooting President Lincoln. It is now the motto of Virginia.






38. 'boyish &' 'childlike' (from puer- boy)






39. The daughter of king Minos of Crete & who helped Theseus escape from the labyrinth after he killed the minotaur






40. Inventor who created the Labyrinth where the Minotaur lived






41. A picture made from small bits of glass or pottery






42. Greek god of nature; had the torso and head of a man & but the legs and horns of a goat






43. In early mythology & the resting place of heroes; the later mythology & where good people went in the afterlife






44. A serpent-like monster with many heads and poisonous breath; when one head got cut off & it grew two more; killed by Hercules as his second labor






45. Literally & the apple that Eris (goddess of strife) threw in front of Hera & Aphrodite & and Athena to cause a dispute over Who was the fairest; figuratively & anything which causes a dispute






46. 'And you & Brutus?' famous last words of Julius Caesar as the Senate members assassinated him; Brutus was supposed to be a friend of his & but had a hand in the killing






47. 'Time flies/flees'






48. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






49. The arena for gladiatorial games in Rome (also known as the Flavian Amphitheater)






50. Goddess of childbirth; married to Zeus; queen of the gods