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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. 'With highest honors' graduating from college in the highest grade scale






2. A modern day race of 26.2 miles; from Marathon in Greece & the scene of a victory over the Persians in 490 BC; the modern race is based on the tradition that a messenger ran from Marathon to Athens (26 miles) with the news.






3. 'The end'






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






5. Icarus was the son of Daedalus who flew too close to the sun with the wings his father made him from wax and feathers & and fell to his death






6. A large horse and chariot racing track in Rome






7. The god of the sky; created the Titans with Gaia & Mother Earth






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






9. A mural painted directly onto wet plaster (fresco means 'fresh' in Italian)






10. Good-humored & jolly (ancient astrologers thought that the planet Jupiter fostered cheerfulness)






11. The god of the sky; created the Titans with Gaia & Mother Earth






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






13. 'And others'






14. 'The state in which'






15. Perseus slayed Medusa the Gorgon






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






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






18. 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






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






20. Usually referring to Julius Caesar & the Roman dictator Who was assassinated on the Ides of March (March 15th) 44 BCE






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






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






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






24. 'for the sake of an example' - abbreviation used when providing an example






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






26. 'per day'






27. Roman officials who were charged with protecting the people (the plebeians) from oppression; they were sacrosanct & meaning no one could harm them






28. The ferryman for the river Styx going into the underworld






29. 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)






30. 'The state in which'






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






32. The people in control of the Italian peninsula before Rome began to spread






33. 'in memory of'






34. God of love and desire; son of Aphrodite






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






36. The highest political office in the Roman Republic; 2 were elected every year






37. 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






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






39. 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






40. 'per year'






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






42. 'my fault' ; tua culpa -'your fault'






43. 'The one who says farewell' -- the student with the highest grade point average & Who is chosen to give a speech at the end of graduation






44. 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






45. A system created by the Romans which carried water over long distances






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






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






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






49. 'doctor/teacher of philosophy' - an advanced academic degree






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