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






2. '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.






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






4. Inventor who created the Labyrinth where the Minotaur lived






5. Was chosen by Zeus to settle the argument of Who was the fairest of the goddesses; he chose Aphrodite because she promised him the most beautiful woman in the world if he chose her






6. After midday/noon






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






8. 'in memory of'






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






10. '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






11. 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






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






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






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






15. 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






16. A bundle of wooden sticks and an axe blade that the attendants of Roman magistrates carried; symbolized the magistrates' power to inflict capital punishment






17. 'I refuse &' used by the president of the US to stop any bill he sees unfit from passing






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






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






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






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






22. 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






23. The technical biological term for the human species


24. 500






25. The river surrounding the Underworld






26. 'And others'






27. God of love and desire; son of Aphrodite






28. The male head of a Roman family






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






30. 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






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






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






33. 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)






34. Temple in Rome dedicated to all the Roman gods






35. Goddess of victory






36. Temple in Rome dedicated to all the Roman gods






37. 'in memory of'






38. 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






39. Goddess of wisdom






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






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






42. First emperor of the Roman Empire; adopted son of Julius Caesar; member of the 2nd Triumvirate; also known as Octavian






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






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






45. 'per head' 'per person'






46. Gladiator who led an uprising of slaves against the Romans in the 1st c. BC






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 oracle of Apollo; people visited the oracle for guidance and predictions of the future






49. 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






50. One of the seven hills of Rome & south of the forum; the site of the imperial palace