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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. 100






2. One of the seven hills of Rome & south of the forum; the site of the imperial palace






3. 'great work'






4. 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






5. '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






6. God of war






7. Blind poet Who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey






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






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






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






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






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






13. 50






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






15. 'Always prepared'






16. Doctor of medicine






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






18. Home of the Greek gods






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






20. 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






21. 'unknown land'






22. 'An unwelcome person' - used in diplomacy to indicate a person Who is barred from entering a certain country






23. The Underworld; in early mythology & everyone went to Tartarus after they died; in later mythology & only bad people went to Tartarus after they died






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






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






26. 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






27. 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






28. 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






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






30. 50






31. City-state in ancient Greece known for its powerful army; fought against Athens in the Peloponnesian Wars






32. Goddess of love






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






34. Carthaginian general who attacked Italy by crossing the Italian Alps in the 2nd Punic War; He was eventually defeated by Scipio at the Battle of Zama






35. 'Time flies/flees'






36. King of Troy during the Trojan War; father of Hector and Paris; begged Achilles to give his son Hector's body back to be properly buried (Achilles had been dragging it around the city)






37. 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






38. 'With highest honors' graduating from college in the highest grade scale






39. 'I came & I saw & I conquered &' famous words of Julius Caesar






40. 'A slip of the tongue'






41. 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






42. Reception hall (like the living room) in a Roman house






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






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






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






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






47. 'doctor/teacher of philosophy' - an advanced academic degree






48. Inventor who created the Labyrinth where the Minotaur lived






49. 'This for that &' a fair trade






50. 'Always faithful' - motto of the US Marines