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






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






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






4. The people in control of the Italian peninsula before Rome began to spread






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






6. 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






7. 'per head' 'per person'






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






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






10. 'note well' i.e. take note






11. 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






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






13. 'Always prepared'






14. Literally refers to the heel of Achilles (a character from the Iliad who killed Hector)


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






16. 'The end'






17. '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






18. The wife of Odysseus; a model of faithfulness to one's husband






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






20. 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






21. Temple in Rome dedicated to all the Roman gods






22. 'Word for word'






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






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






25. 'Always prepared'






26. 'for the time being' - temporary






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






28. A mural painted directly onto wet plaster (fresco means 'fresh' in Italian)






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






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






31. King of Ithaca who came up with the idea of using the Trojan horse to defeat the city of Troy; hero of the Odyssey






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






33. God of the Underworld/Tartarus






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






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






36. Out of her curiosity & she opened a box containing all the bad things in the world; she put the lid on just in time & so that hope did not escape from the box & too






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






38. God of war






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






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






41. Athenian prince who killed the Minotaur






42. The three-headed dog that guarded the gates of the Underworld






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






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






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






47. Literally & the apple that Eris (goddess of strife) threw in front of Hera & Aphrodite & and Athena to cause a dispute over Who was the fairest; figuratively & anything which causes a dispute






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






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






50. 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