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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. 'firm ground/solid earth'






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






3. The arena for gladiatorial games in Rome (also known as the Flavian Amphitheater)






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






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






6. 'The things that must be done' - a to-do list






7. 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.






8. '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






9. Out of her curiosity & she opened a box containing all the bad things in the world; she put the lid on just in time & so that hope did not escape from the box & too






10. '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.






11. The ferryman for the river Styx going into the underworld






12. 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






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






14. 100






15. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






16. Refers to an action or condition necessary for something to happen






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






18. 'The other way around'






19. 5






20. Inventor who created the Labyrinth where the Minotaur lived






21. Kingdom in Asia Minor which fought against Greece in Homer's Iliad






22. Used on documents & coins & monuments & etc. as an official signature of the Roman government






23. Market place/business center






24. 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






25. Speaker's platform in the forum & which was decorated with the prows of ships the Romans captured in war (rostrum means 'beak & prow of a ship')






26. Site of the Apollo's oracle at Delphi; home of the Muses






27. Goddess of the hearth






28. Market place/business center






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






30. Goddess of the hunt






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






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






33. A picture made from small bits of glass or pottery






34. 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






35. 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






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






37. 1000






38. 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)






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






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






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






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






43. 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






44. Doctor of medicine






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






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






47. 'beware of the dog'






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. A teacher Who is like a parent; comes from the Mentor & Odysseus' old friend & whom he left in charge of his son Telemachus when he went off to the Trojan War






50. 'great work'