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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. 50






2. Sailed with the Argonauts to take the Golden Fleece






3. 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






4. Female monsters who had snakes for hair and whose horrifying gaze could turn a man to stone if he looked at them (Medusa was one of the Gorgons)






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






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






7. 'After death'






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






9. 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






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






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






12. 'per year'






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






14. The technical biological term for the human species


15. 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






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






17. 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






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






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






20. 'A slip of the tongue'






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






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






23. Another name for Zeus/Jupiter






24. God of wine and revelry; son of Zeus and Semele






25. Female monsters who had snakes for hair and whose horrifying gaze could turn a man to stone if he looked at them (Medusa was one of the Gorgons)






26. Usually referring to Julius Caesar & the Roman dictator Who was assassinated on the Ides of March (March 15th) 44 BCE






27. 'from the office &' 'by right of office' - used to refer to someone Who is a member of a group (a board & committee & council & etc.) because they hold another office/position






28. Market place/business center






29. 'unknown land'






30. 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






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






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






33. 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')






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






35. Son of Zeus; had to complete 12 labors to regain favor with the gods after killing his family; when he died & he became a god






36. 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.






37. 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






38. 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






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






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






41. Refers to an action or condition necessary for something to happen






42. Home of the Greek gods






43. The ninth letter of the Greek alphabet (i); commonly used in the phrase 'not one iota &' meaning 'not one bit'






44. 1000






45. Writing after the body of a letter






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






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






48. 'Work conquers all'






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






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






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