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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. 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






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






3. 'After death'






4. Used on documents & coins & monuments & etc. as an official signature of the Roman government






5. 'I refuse &' used by the president of the US to stop any bill he sees unfit from passing






6. Large island off the southeast coast of Italy; home of Mt. Etna & a huge volcano; where the Cyclopes lived in the Odyssey






7. 1000






8. 'This for that &' a fair trade






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






10. A modern day race of 26.2 miles; from Marathon in Greece & the scene of a victory over the Persians in 490 BC; the modern race is based on the tradition that a messenger ran from Marathon to Athens (26 miles) with the news.






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






12. 'Word for word'






13. 100






14. 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






15. 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






16. Goddess of the hunt






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






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






19. A member of one of the original aristocratic families of Rome; 'aristocratic'






20. 'beware of the dog'






21. 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






22. God of love and desire; son of Aphrodite






23. Temple devoted to Athena; located on the Acropolis of Athens






24. One of the 12 Titans & father of Zeus/Jupiter & who swallowed his children in an attempt to keep from being overthrown






25. One of the seven hills of Rome & south of the forum; the site of the imperial palace






26. 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






27. 'from the library of' used as an inscription on a bookplate to show the name of the book's owner: ex libris Mark Twain.






28. Spirits who carry out curses and torture for wrongdoing toward one's family member (s)






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






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






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






32. 'Time flies/flees'






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






34. 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.






35. Goddess of grain & the harvest & and the seasons; mother of Persephone/Proserpina






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






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






38. 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






39. 'firm ground/solid earth'






40. The messenger god; god of thieves and travelers; son of Zeus; invented the lyre; escorted people to the Underworld when they died






41. Writing after the body of a letter






42. Athenian prince who killed the Minotaur






43. 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






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






45. 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






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






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






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






49. The river surrounding the Underworld






50. 'I'