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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. 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






2. Religion in Which many gods are worshipped (from Greek poly 'many' and theoi 'gods')






3. 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






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






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






6. 'firm ground/solid earth'






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






8. 'doctor/teacher of philosophy' - an advanced academic degree






9. 10






10. 'I'






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






12. 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






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






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






15. A member of one of the original aristocratic families of Rome; 'aristocratic'






16. The people in control of the Italian peninsula before Rome began to spread






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






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






19. Challenged Athena to a weaving contest and was turned into a spider for her excessive pride






20. The city in Northern Africa that the Romans fought and destroyed during the Punic Wars (264-146 BC.)






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






22. Figuratively 'secretly.' Aphrodite gave her son Eros a rose. Eros gave it to Harpocrates & the god of silence & to ensure that his mother's love affairs remained a secret.






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






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






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






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






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






28. 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






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






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






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






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






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






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






36. Home of the Greek gods






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






38. 'Work conquers all'






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






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






41. Market place/business center






42. Writing after the body of a letter






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






44. Lived in the Labyrinth; fed off of Athenian youths; killed by Theseus






45. Athenian prince who killed the Minotaur






46. Refers to the legal responsibility of a person or organization to take on some of the responsibilities of a parent






47. 'A slip of the tongue'






48. 'Thus passes the glory of the world.' i.e. 'Worldly things are fleeting.'






49. 'seize the day'






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