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






2. 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')






3. 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)






4. 'Work conquers all'






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






6. Blind poet Who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey






7. 'Always prepared'






8. 'The end'






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






10. The highest political office in the Roman Republic; 2 were elected every year






11. 'in memory of'






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






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






14. 'That is' used for further explanation: 'in other words...'






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






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






17. 5






18. 'Time flies/flees'






19. 'After death'






20. 'per head' 'per person'






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






22. Goddess of love






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






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






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






26. God of metallurgy (metal working); married to Aphrodite






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






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






29. 5






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






31. 'All-knowing'






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






33. Another name for Zeus/Jupiter






34. Sea to the west of Greece; named after King Aegeus after he drowned himself in the sea thinking his son Theseus was dead






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






36. Goddess of victory






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






38. God of the sun & light & reason & and the lyre






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






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






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






42. 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






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






44. 'I'






45. 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






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






47. 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






48. 'note well' i.e. take note






49. 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






50. Sailed with the Argonauts to take the Golden Fleece