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






2. 'Work conquers all'






3. God of wine and revelry; son of Zeus and Semele






4. Winged horse which flew from the neck of Medusa the Gorgon after Perseus cut off her head






5. God of the Underworld/Tartarus






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






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






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






9. Doctor of medicine






10. 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






11. 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






12. Kingdom in Asia Minor which fought against Greece in Homer's Iliad






13. 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.






14. 'firm ground/solid earth'






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






16. 'per year'






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






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






19. 'Time flies/flees'






20. After midday/noon






21. Inventor who created the Labyrinth where the Minotaur lived






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






23. '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.






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






25. Mother Earth; the wife of Uranus & the sky; she gave birth to the Titans & the Cyclopes & and the Hundred-Handed Ones






26. 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






27. Winged horse which flew from the neck of Medusa the Gorgon after Perseus cut off her head






28. 'And others'






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






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






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






32. 'per head' 'per person'






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






34. Kingdom in Asia Minor which fought against Greece in Homer's Iliad






35. 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






36. 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






37. 50






38. God of war






39. 'peace be with you'






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






41. Inventor who created the Labyrinth where the Minotaur lived






42. 'All-knowing'






43. 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






44. 'per year'






45. Refers to an action or condition necessary for something to happen






46. 1000






47. 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






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






49. Goddess of the hunt






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