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






2. 'per year'






3. The Underworld; in early mythology & everyone went to Tartarus after they died; in later mythology & only bad people went to Tartarus after they died






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






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






6. Homer's epic poem about Odysseus & kind of Ithaca & trying to find his way home from the Trojan War






7. The Underworld; in early mythology & everyone went to Tartarus after they died; in later mythology & only bad people went to Tartarus after they died






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






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






10. Home of the Greek gods






11. 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






12. The wife of Odysseus; a model of faithfulness to one's husband






13. 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






14. 1






15. A material prepared in ancient Egypt from the pithy stem of a water plant & used in sheets throughout the ancient Mediterranean world for writing or painting on






16. 1






17. 'That is' used for further explanation: 'in other words...'






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






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






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






21. '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






22. 'The state in which'






23. 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.






24. 'The state in which'






25. 'And the rest' usually seen at the end of a list of things & instead of listing everything






26. 'All-knowing'






27. Perseus slayed Medusa the Gorgon






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






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






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






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






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






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






34. Athenian prince who killed the Minotaur






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






36. 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






37. 'in the whole &' 'as a whole &' 'totally'; ex: The suggestions were adopted in toto.






38. 10






39. 'Against' & used to show Who is up against who in sports matches & legal battles & etc.






40. 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






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






42. 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






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






44. 'unknown land'






45. 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






46. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






47. God of war






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






49. 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






50. 100