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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. Doctor of medicine






2. 50






3. Blind poet Who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey






4. 500






5. Festival of Saturn held on December 17th & during which social roles were temporarily reversed (slaves enjoyed relaxed discipline & etc)






6. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






7. Writing after the body of a letter






8. 1000






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






10. Market place/business center






11. Sweet-sounding (literally 'flowing like honey')






12. The food of the gods; some believe it kept them immortal






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






14. 'The things that must be done' - a to-do list






15. Religion in Which many gods are worshipped (from Greek poly 'many' and theoi 'gods')






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






17. Maze under the palace of Palace of Minos at Crete & where the Minotaur (half man & half bull) was thought to have been imprisoned






18. The 200 year period of peace which began under the rule of Augustus






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






20. Greek island in the Ionian Sea; the home of Odysseus






21. Sea to the west of Greece; named after King Aegeus after he drowned himself in the sea thinking his son Theseus was dead






22. 'in the whole &' 'as a whole &' 'totally'; ex: The suggestions were adopted in toto.






23. 'unknown land'






24. 'peace be with you'






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






26. 'Higher!' -- the state motto of New York






27. Goddess of love






28. 'Always faithful' - motto of the US Marines






29. The plebs were the free but non-aristocratic citizens of Rome; today & plebeian means 'of a low class'






30. Lived in the Labyrinth; fed off of Athenian youths; killed by Theseus






31. God of the sea






32. The golden wool of a ram sought by Jason and the Argonauts






33. The 9 goddesses who looked after the arts and inspired men in those arts






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






35. The male head of a Roman family






36. 'That is' used for further explanation: 'in other words...'






37. The city in Northern Africa that the Romans fought and destroyed during the Punic Wars (264-146 BC.)






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






39. God of metallurgy (metal working); married to Aphrodite






40. '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.






41. 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






42. After midday/noon






43. A hollow wooden horse built by the Greeks so that they could get into the walls of Troy. The Greeks pretended to pack up and leave from the war & but some hid in the horse which was later led into the walls of Troy by the Trojans (thinking it was a






44. Refers to the legal responsibility of a person or organization to take on some of the responsibilities of a parent






45. Literally refers to the heel of Achilles (a character from the Iliad who killed Hector)

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46. A polis (city-state) in Greece & center of art and philosophy & named after Athena (its patron goddess); the Acropolis was the hill in Athens where many temples (including the Parthenon & the temple to Athena) were located






47. 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






48. After midday/noon






49. 'one out of many' - found on most US minted coins and the back of the dollar bill






50. Literally 'the greatest bridge' -- the chief priest of Roman religion (later & the emperor took on this role); now used to refer to the Pope & the head of the Catholic Church