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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. 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)






2. 'The things that must be done' - a to-do list






3. 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')






4. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






5. 50






6. 'After death'






7. 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






8. 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






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






10. The 15th of March & the day in 44 BC Julius Caesar was assassinated






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






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






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






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






15. Inventor who created the Labyrinth where the Minotaur lived






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






17. In early mythology & the resting place of heroes; the later mythology & where good people went in the afterlife






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






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






20. 'Word for word'






21. Goddess of love






22. God of war






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






24. Doctor of medicine






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






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






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






29. The technical biological term for the human species

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






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






32. 'great-souled & high-minded'






33. 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






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






35. Spirits who carry out curses and torture for wrongdoing toward one's family member (s)






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






37. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






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






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






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






41. 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






42. Athenian prince who killed the Minotaur






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






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






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






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






47. '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






48. 'All-knowing'






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






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