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. After midday/noon






2. 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






3. Goddess of victory






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






5. 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






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






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






8. King punished in Tartarus by having to roll a stone up a hill continuously for eternity; when he reached the top & the stone rolled to the bottom again






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






10. 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






11. 'The one who says farewell' -- the student with the highest grade point average & Who is chosen to give a speech at the end of graduation






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






13. 'A slip of the tongue'






14. Perseus slayed Medusa the Gorgon






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






16. Blind poet Who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey






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


18. The arena for gladiatorial games in Rome (also known as the Flavian Amphitheater)






19. A state of disorganized matter from which the gods and the world were created






20. 'per day'






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






22. 'seize the day'






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






24. 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






25. 'The state in which'






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






27. Another name for Zeus/Jupiter






28. 500






29. 'And others'






30. Inventor who created the Labyrinth where the Minotaur lived






31. Goddess of wisdom






32. 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.






33. A polis (city-state) in Greece & center of art and philosophy & named after Athena (its patron goddess); the Acropolis was the hill in Athens where many temples (including the Parthenon & the temple to Athena) were located






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






35. The food of the gods; some believe it kept them immortal






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






37. River that runs through the city of Rome






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






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






40. The people in control of the Italian peninsula before Rome began to spread






41. Home of the Greek gods






42. 'for the sake of an example' - abbreviation used when providing an example






43. 5






44. Goddess of the hearth






45. Characterized by sitting & inactive (from sedet- to sit)






46. 'peace be with you'






47. The river surrounding the Underworld






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






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






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