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






2. 'great work'






3. 'per year'






4. 'After death'






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






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






7. 'beware of the dog'






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






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






10. The river surrounding the Underworld






11. Half-man & half-goat creatures; companions of Pan and Dionysus






12. 'Time flies/flees'






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






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






15. Eurydice died on their wedding day. Orpheus went down to the Underworld to bring her back. Hades agreed & on the condition that Eurydice would follow behind Orpheus on their way up to the mortal world and he couldn't check to make sure She was behind






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






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






18. Goddess of victory






19. 'boyish &' 'childlike' (from puer- boy)






20. A serpent-like monster with many heads and poisonous breath; when one head got cut off & it grew two more; killed by Hercules as his second labor






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






22. 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.






23. 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






24. The king of the gods; god of thunder and lightning






25. 'Higher!' -- the state motto of New York






26. Festival of Saturn held on December 17th & during which social roles were temporarily reversed (slaves enjoyed relaxed discipline & etc)






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






28. One of the seven hills of Rome & south of the forum; the site of the imperial palace






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






30. 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






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






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






33. Goddess of wisdom






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






35. 'in memory of'






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






37. A king Who was tortured in the Underworld by having water and grapes within his reach & but the water and grapes pulled away whenever he went to take drink or a bite






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






39. 'doctor/teacher of philosophy' - an advanced academic degree






40. Home of the Greek gods






41. A bundle of wooden sticks and an axe blade that the attendants of Roman magistrates carried; symbolized the magistrates' power to inflict capital punishment






42. Eurydice died on their wedding day. Orpheus went down to the Underworld to bring her back. Hades agreed & on the condition that Eurydice would follow behind Orpheus on their way up to the mortal world and he couldn't check to make sure She was behind






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






44. 'great-souled & high-minded'






45. 1000






46. Goddess of grain & the harvest & and the seasons; mother of Persephone/Proserpina






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






48. A bundle of wooden sticks and an axe blade that the attendants of Roman magistrates carried; symbolized the magistrates' power to inflict capital punishment






49. 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






50. 'After death'