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






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






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






4. 'per head' 'per person'






5. 'peace be with you'






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






7. 'great work'






8. After midday/noon






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






10. 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






11. Perseus slayed Medusa the Gorgon






12. 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






13. Usually referring to Julius Caesar & the Roman dictator Who was assassinated on the Ides of March (March 15th) 44 BCE






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






15. '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






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






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






18. God of metallurgy (metal working); married to Aphrodite






19. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






20. Another name for Zeus/Jupiter






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






22. 10






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






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






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






26. 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






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






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






29. Maze under the palace of Palace of Minos at Crete & where the Minotaur (half man & half bull) was thought to have been imprisoned






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






31. The norms or values of a society






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






33. 'This for that &' a fair trade






34. 'Word for word'






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






36. 500






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






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






39. '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.






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






41. Market place/business center






42. Maze under the palace of Palace of Minos at Crete & where the Minotaur (half man & half bull) was thought to have been imprisoned






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






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






45. 'by mouth' - used on prescription medicines that have to be taken orally






46. 'for the time being' - temporary






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






48. 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






49. 'Time flies/flees'






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