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






2. 'This for that &' a fair trade






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






4. 'After death'






5. Gladiator who led an uprising of slaves against the Romans in the 1st c. BC






6. 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')






7. Blind poet Who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey






8. 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






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






10. 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






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






12. 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






13. '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






14. The male head of a Roman family






15. Goddess of victory






16. Blind poet Who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey






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






18. A large horse and chariot racing track in Rome






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






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






21. After midday/noon






22. 'my fault' ; tua culpa -'your fault'






23. 'great-souled & high-minded'






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






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






26. 'peace be with you'






27. Carthaginian general who attacked Italy by crossing the Italian Alps in the 2nd Punic War; He was eventually defeated by Scipio at the Battle of Zama






28. Doctor of medicine






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






30. Market place/business center






31. 'To infinity &' to continue forever & without limit






32. 'With highest honors' graduating from college in the highest grade scale






33. Goddess of the hearth






34. 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






35. Doctor of medicine






36. Home of the Greek gods






37. 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






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






39. 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)






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






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






42. The golden wool of a ram sought by Jason and the Argonauts






43. 'great work'






44. 'To the point of sickness' - doing/saying something over and over until everyone is sick and tired of it






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






46. 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






47. God of love and desire; son of Aphrodite






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






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






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