Test your basic knowledge |

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






2. 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')






3. Temple in Rome dedicated to all the Roman gods






4. The king of the gods; god of thunder and lightning






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






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






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






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






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






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






11. 'in memory of'






12. 'per year'






13. The norms or values of a society






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






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






16. 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






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






18. The king of the gods; god of thunder and lightning






19. 'seize the day'






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






21. King punished in Tartarus by having to roll a stone up a hill continuously for eternity; when he reached the top & the stone rolled to the bottom again






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






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






24. 'The end'






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






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






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






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






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






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






31. 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






32. Goddess of wisdom






33. 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')






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






35. 'for the time being' - temporary






36. 'firm ground/solid earth'






37. 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






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






39. Another name for Zeus/Jupiter






40. River that runs through the city of Rome






41. 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






42. A series of three wars between Rome and Carthage & a Phoenician city in Northern Africa & for control of the Mediterranean (264-146 BC)






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






44. 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






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






46. Good-humored & jolly (ancient astrologers thought that the planet Jupiter fostered cheerfulness)






47. 'The other way around'






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






49. 'I'






50. King punished in Tartarus by having to roll a stone up a hill continuously for eternity; when he reached the top & the stone rolled to the bottom again