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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. 'note well' i.e. take note






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






3. 'A rare bird' - something unique/rare






4. God of the sea






5. '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






6. 'Always prepared'






7. River that runs through the city of Rome






8. 'I'






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






10. The male head of a Roman family






11. 'in memory of'






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






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






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






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






16. 'Word for word'






17. 'Work conquers all'






18. Large island off the southeast coast of Italy; home of Mt. Etna & a huge volcano; where the Cyclopes lived in the Odyssey






19. 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






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

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21. Through & by way of (from via- road & way)






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






23. God of the Underworld/Tartarus






24. 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






25. 50






26. 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






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






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






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






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






31. 'seize the day'






32. 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






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






34. 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






35. Athenian prince who killed the Minotaur






36. Goddess of grain & the harvest & and the seasons; mother of Persephone/Proserpina






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






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






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






40. 'firm ground/solid earth'






41. 500






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






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






44. 'under penalty' a written order for a person to come testify in court






45. A hollow wooden horse built by the Greeks so that they could get into the walls of Troy. The Greeks pretended to pack up and leave from the war & but some hid in the horse which was later led into the walls of Troy by the Trojans (thinking it was a






46. 'in the year of the Lord &' designating the time period after Christ's birth






47. The 200 year period of peace which began under the rule of Augustus






48. 'boyish &' 'childlike' (from puer- boy)






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






50. 'The other way around'