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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. 1000






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






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






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






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. The male head of a Roman family






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






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






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






10. 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






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






12. 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






13. Greek island in the Ionian Sea; the home of Odysseus






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






15. 'firm ground/solid earth'






16. 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






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






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






19. 'note well' i.e. take note






20. 'After death'






21. '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






22. Twin brothers & raised by a wolf; Romulus killed Remus and founded Rome






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






24. Goddess of the hunt






25. 'one out of many' - found on most US minted coins and the back of the dollar bill






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






27. 'seize the day'






28. After midday/noon






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






30. Writing after the body of a letter






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






32. Goddess of love






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






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






35. 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






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






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






38. 'Work conquers all'






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






40. A modern day race of 26.2 miles; from Marathon in Greece & the scene of a victory over the Persians in 490 BC; the modern race is based on the tradition that a messenger ran from Marathon to Athens (26 miles) with the news.






41. 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






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






43. 'beware of the dog'






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






45. 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






46. 100






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






48. The daughter of king Minos of Crete & who helped Theseus escape from the labyrinth after he killed the minotaur






49. 'Word for word'






50. Icarus was the son of Daedalus who flew too close to the sun with the wings his father made him from wax and feathers & and fell to his death