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






2. 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






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






4. 'unknown land'






5. The three-headed dog that guarded the gates of the Underworld






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






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






8. Sailed with the Argonauts to take the Golden Fleece






9. Used on documents & coins & monuments & etc. as an official signature of the Roman government






10. King punished in Tartarus by having to roll a stone up a hill continuously for eternity; when he reached the top & the stone rolled to the bottom again






11. The ninth letter of the Greek alphabet (i); commonly used in the phrase 'not one iota &' meaning 'not one bit'






12. The three goddesses who determine a person's life: when he will be born & how long he will live & and when he will die; one sister spins the thread of life & the second measures out a certain length & and the third cuts it at the end of the person's






13. Temple devoted to Athena; located on the Acropolis of Athens






14. King of Ithaca who came up with the idea of using the Trojan horse to defeat the city of Troy; hero of the Odyssey






15. A member of one of the original aristocratic families of Rome; 'aristocratic'






16. The wife of Odysseus; a model of faithfulness to one's husband






17. Sorceress & wife of Jason; killed their children to get revenge on Jason for leaving her






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






19. The technical biological term for the human species






20. Athenian prince who killed the Minotaur






21. Son of Zeus; had to complete 12 labors to regain favor with the gods after killing his family; when he died & he became a god






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






23. Out of her curiosity & she opened a box containing all the bad things in the world; she put the lid on just in time & so that hope did not escape from the box & too






24. 'Work conquers all'






25. Challenged Athena to a weaving contest and was turned into a spider for her excessive pride






26. 'horn of plenty' a symbol of food and abundance






27. 'The state in which'






28. 'Against' & used to show Who is up against who in sports matches & legal battles & etc.






29. 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






30. 1000






31. 'per head' 'per person'






32. Used on documents & coins & monuments & etc. as an official signature of the Roman government






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






34. 'The end'






35. A teacher Who is like a parent; comes from the Mentor & Odysseus' old friend & whom he left in charge of his son Telemachus when he went off to the Trojan War






36. Writing after the body of a letter






37. 'And others'






38. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






39. 'from the library of' used as an inscription on a bookplate to show the name of the book's owner: ex libris Mark Twain.






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






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






42. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






43. The king of the gods; god of thunder and lightning






44. Through & by way of (from via- road & way)






45. 'I came & I saw & I conquered &' famous words of Julius Caesar






46. God of the sea






47. A series of three wars between Rome and Carthage & a Phoenician city in Northern Africa & for control of the Mediterranean (264-146 BC)






48. 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






49. The river surrounding the Underworld






50. 'Word for word'