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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. 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






2. 'Thus always & to tyrants.' Allegedly said by Brutus during the assassination of Caesar. John Wilkes Booth also shouted it after shooting President Lincoln. It is now the motto of Virginia.






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






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






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






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






7. '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






8. Sailed with the Argonauts to take the Golden Fleece






9. 10






10. Goddess of the hunt






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






12. 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






13. Refers to the legal responsibility of a person or organization to take on some of the responsibilities of a parent






14. 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






15. 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)






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






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






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






19. The god of the sky; created the Titans with Gaia & Mother Earth






20. Temple in Rome dedicated to all the Roman gods






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






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






23. The norms or values of a society






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






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






26. 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






27. Doctor of medicine






28. Mother Earth; the wife of Uranus & the sky; she gave birth to the Titans & the Cyclopes & and the Hundred-Handed Ones






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






30. 500






31. Home of the Greek gods






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






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






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






35. 50






36. Lived in the Labyrinth; fed off of Athenian youths; killed by Theseus






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






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






39. 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






40. 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)






41. The three-headed dog that guarded the gates of the Underworld






42. 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






43. '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






44. 'for the time being' - temporary






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






46. 'Thus always & to tyrants.' Allegedly said by Brutus during the assassination of Caesar. John Wilkes Booth also shouted it after shooting President Lincoln. It is now the motto of Virginia.






47. King of Ithaca who came up with the idea of using the Trojan horse to defeat the city of Troy; hero of the Odyssey






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






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






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