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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. '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.






2. 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






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






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






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






6. The garment which signified a Roman man's citizenship






7. 500






8. Perseus slayed Medusa the Gorgon






9. 'Higher!' -- the state motto of New York






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






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






12. 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






13. Characterized by sitting & inactive (from sedet- to sit)






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






15. Victorious athletes & generals & and emperors wore crowns of made of the branches of the laurel tree to symbolize their victory; now & 'laurels' refer to someone's achievements






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. Another name for Zeus/Jupiter






18. 'firm ground/solid earth'






19. 'To err is human' - in other words & it's normal to mess up






20. 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






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






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






23. The river surrounding the Underworld






24. 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






25. 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






26. The plebs were the free but non-aristocratic citizens of Rome; today & plebeian means 'of a low class'






27. 'To infinity &' to continue forever & without limit






28. 'Word for word'






29. Literally refers to the heel of Achilles (a character from the Iliad who killed Hector)

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30. A large horse and chariot racing track in Rome






31. Daughter of Demeter; kidnapped by Hades to make her his queen






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






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






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






35. 10






36. The technical biological term for the human species

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






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






39. Another name for Zeus/Jupiter






40. 'This for that &' a fair trade






41. Sailed with the Argonauts to take the Golden Fleece






42. 'seize the day'






43. The norms or values of a society






44. Goddess of the hearth






45. Homer's epic poem about Odysseus & kind of Ithaca & trying to find his way home from the Trojan War






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






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






48. 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






49. '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.






50. 'To the point of sickness' - doing/saying something over and over until everyone is sick and tired of it