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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. Prince of Troy Who was killed by Achilles in the Iliad; Achilles tied Hector's dead body to the back of his chariot and dragged it around the city walls three times






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






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






5. Titan best known for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to humans; He was punished by being chained to a rock and having his liver eaten by a bird everyday






6. 50






7. Twin brothers & raised by a wolf; Romulus killed Remus and founded Rome






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






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






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






11. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






12. A king Who was tortured in the Underworld by having water and grapes within his reach & but the water and grapes pulled away whenever he went to take drink or a bite






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






14. '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






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






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






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






18. 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






19. 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






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






21. Writing after the body of a letter






22. The Underworld; in early mythology & everyone went to Tartarus after they died; in later mythology & only bad people went to Tartarus after they died






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






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






25. 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






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






27. Carthaginian general who attacked Italy by crossing the Italian Alps in the 2nd Punic War; He was eventually defeated by Scipio at the Battle of Zama






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






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






30. The Underworld; in early mythology & everyone went to Tartarus after they died; in later mythology & only bad people went to Tartarus after they died






31. 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






32. '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






33. The male head of a Roman family






34. 'The other way around'






35. Volcano which erupted in AD 79 and destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum






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






37. A long poem that narrates the deeds of a hero or the history of a nation & e.g. Homer's Iliad and Odyssey






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






39. 'And the rest' usually seen at the end of a list of things & instead of listing everything






40. 'per year'






41. 'Time flies/flees'






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






43. One-eyed children of Ouranos/Uranus and Gaea (Mother Earth); sided with Zeus during the war with the Titans; were helpers of the smith-god Hephaestus






44. The technical biological term for the human species

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






46. Another name for Zeus/Jupiter






47. 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






48. The male head of a Roman family






49. 'before midday &' in the morning & before noon






50. 'firm ground/solid earth'