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






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






3. A town on the western coast of Italy destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuius in AD 79






4. Son of Zeus; had to complete 12 labors to regain favor with the gods after killing his family; when he died & he became a god






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






6. Goddess of childbirth; married to Zeus; queen of the gods






7. After midday/noon






8. 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')






9. 'The other way around'






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






11. 'beware of the dog'






12. The oracle of Apollo; people visited the oracle for guidance and predictions of the future






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






14. 'seize the day'






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






16. Greek god of nature; had the torso and head of a man & but the legs and horns of a goat






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






18. 'Time flies/flees'






19. Queen of Sparta Who was promised to Paris by Aphrodite for choosing her (Aphrodite) as the fairest goddess; Helen was already married to Menelaus and her kidnapping began the Trojan War






20. A system created by the Romans which carried water over long distances






21. 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






22. Home of the Greek gods






23. Athenian prince who killed the Minotaur






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






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






26. 1000






27. Perseus slayed Medusa the Gorgon






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






29. 'And others'






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






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






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






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






34. Volcano which erupted in AD 79 and destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum






35. '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






36. 'note well' i.e. take note






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






38. 'per day'






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






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






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






42. 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.






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






44. Inventor who created the Labyrinth where the Minotaur lived






45. Half-man & half-goat creatures; companions of Pan and Dionysus






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






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






48. 'The end'






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






50. 'horn of plenty' a symbol of food and abundance