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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. 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






2. 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






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






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






5. 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






6. 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






7. Greek god of nature; had the torso and head of a man & but the legs and horns of a goat






8. The arena for gladiatorial games in Rome (also known as the Flavian Amphitheater)






9. 'The end'






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






11. 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






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






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






14. 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






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






16. 'great work'






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






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






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






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






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






22. 'Against' & used to show Who is up against who in sports matches & legal battles & etc.






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






24. 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






25. The technical biological term for the human species

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






27. 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






28. 'great-souled & high-minded'






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






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






31. '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






32. Homer's epic poem about Odysseus & kind of Ithaca & trying to find his way home from the Trojan War






33. 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






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






35. Titan best known for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to humans; He was punished by being chained to a rock and having his liver eaten by a bird everyday






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






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






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






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






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






41. 'A slip of the tongue'






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






43. 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






44. 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.






45. 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






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






47. Sweet-sounding (literally 'flowing like honey')






48. Kingdom in Asia Minor which fought against Greece in Homer's Iliad






49. The norms or values of a society






50. Perseus slayed Medusa the Gorgon