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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. 'per day'






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






3. 'Work conquers all'






4. God of love and desire; son of Aphrodite






5. 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






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






7. 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






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






9. Perseus slayed Medusa the Gorgon






10. The 200 year period of peace which began under the rule of Augustus






11. A long poem that narrates the deeds of a hero or the history of a nation & e.g. Homer's Iliad and Odyssey






12. The city in Northern Africa that the Romans fought and destroyed during the Punic Wars (264-146 BC.)






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






14. The ferryman for the river Styx going into the underworld






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. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






17. 'per head' 'per person'






18. 'unknown land'






19. A town on the western coast of Italy destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuius in AD 79






20. Through & by way of (from via- road & way)






21. Winged horse which flew from the neck of Medusa the Gorgon after Perseus cut off her head






22. Through & by way of (from via- road & way)






23. 'I came & I saw & I conquered &' famous words of Julius Caesar






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






25. Goddess of wisdom






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






27. 'The state in which'






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






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






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






31. 'All-knowing'






32. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






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






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






35. 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






36. 'I'






37. 'A rare bird' - something unique/rare






38. God of war






39. 50






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






41. 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






42. A mural painted directly onto wet plaster (fresco means 'fresh' in Italian)






43. 'per day'






44. 'A slip of the tongue'






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






46. 'The state in which'






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






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






49. '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.






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