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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. 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






2. Sailed with the Argonauts to take the Golden Fleece






3. Blind poet Who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey






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






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






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






7. 'in the year of the Lord &' designating the time period after Christ's birth






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






9. 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






10. 'great work'






11. 'per year'






12. Through & by way of (from via- road & way)






13. Temple in Rome dedicated to all the Roman gods






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






15. 'great work'






16. Writing after the body of a letter






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






18. 50






19. 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






20. Literally refers to the heel of Achilles (a character from the Iliad who killed Hector)

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21. 'I came & I saw & I conquered &' famous words of Julius Caesar






22. Market place/business center






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






24. Perseus slayed Medusa the Gorgon






25. 'note well' i.e. take note






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






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






28. Prince of Troy Who was killed by Achilles in the Iliad; Achilles tied Hector's dead body to the back of his chariot and dragged it around the city walls three times






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






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






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






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






33. 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






34. 'The end'






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






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






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






38. The 15th of March & the day in 44 BC Julius Caesar was assassinated






39. Sailed with the Argonauts to take the Golden Fleece






40. City-state in ancient Greece known for its powerful army; fought against Athens in the Peloponnesian Wars






41. 'in the year of the Lord &' designating the time period after Christ's birth






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






43. 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






44. 'peace be with you'






45. 500






46. 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.






47. 10






48. The 200 year period of peace which began under the rule of Augustus






49. 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')






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