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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. 'Time flies/flees'






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






3. 'note well' i.e. take note






4. Sailed with the Argonauts to take the Golden Fleece






5. A large horse and chariot racing track in Rome






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






7. Kingdom in Asia Minor which fought against Greece in Homer's Iliad






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






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






10. 'by mouth' - used on prescription medicines that have to be taken orally






11. 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






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






13. 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






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






15. 'firm ground/solid earth'






16. A hollow wooden horse built by the Greeks so that they could get into the walls of Troy. The Greeks pretended to pack up and leave from the war & but some hid in the horse which was later led into the walls of Troy by the Trojans (thinking it was a






17. A hollow wooden horse built by the Greeks so that they could get into the walls of Troy. The Greeks pretended to pack up and leave from the war & but some hid in the horse which was later led into the walls of Troy by the Trojans (thinking it was a






18. Kingdom in Asia Minor which fought against Greece in Homer's Iliad






19. The 9 goddesses who looked after the arts and inspired men in those arts






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






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






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






23. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






24. 'great work'






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






26. 'beware of the dog'






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






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






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






30. 'peace be with you'






31. 'Time flies/flees'






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






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






34. 'Always prepared'






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






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






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






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






39. 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






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






41. 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')






42. Goddess of love






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






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






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






46. 'Word for word'






47. 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






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






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






50. The oracle of Apollo; people visited the oracle for guidance and predictions of the future