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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. 'Work conquers all'






2. After midday/noon






3. 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






4. 'And others'






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






6. '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






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






8. God of the sun & light & reason & and the lyre






9. 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






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






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






12. King of Troy during the Trojan War; father of Hector and Paris; begged Achilles to give his son Hector's body back to be properly buried (Achilles had been dragging it around the city)






13. The technical biological term for the human species

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






15. 'seize the day'






16. 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






17. 1






18. 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






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






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






21. Sorceress & wife of Jason; killed their children to get revenge on Jason for leaving her






22. 'Word for word'






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






24. 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






25. 'under penalty' a written order for a person to come testify in court






26. The male head of a Roman family






27. 'per year'






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






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






30. 'peace be with you'






31. Sailed with the Argonauts to take the Golden Fleece






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






33. 'firm ground/solid earth'






34. 'per day'






35. 'firm ground/solid earth'






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






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






38. 'An unwelcome person' - used in diplomacy to indicate a person Who is barred from entering a certain country






39. 'per day'






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






41. 50






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






43. 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






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






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






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






47. 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






48. Blind poet Who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey






49. 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






50. Reception hall (like the living room) in a Roman house