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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. 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






2. Inventor who created the Labyrinth where the Minotaur lived






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






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






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






6. 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.






7. King punished in Tartarus by having to roll a stone up a hill continuously for eternity; when he reached the top & the stone rolled to the bottom again






8. 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






9. Temple in Rome dedicated to all the Roman gods






10. 500






11. 'from the office &' 'by right of office' - used to refer to someone Who is a member of a group (a board & committee & council & etc.) because they hold another office/position






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






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






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






15. 50






16. Inventor who created the Labyrinth where the Minotaur lived






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






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






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






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






21. 'in the whole &' 'as a whole &' 'totally'; ex: The suggestions were adopted in toto.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






29. 'per year'






30. 'in the whole &' 'as a whole &' 'totally'; ex: The suggestions were adopted in toto.






31. 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






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






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






34. 'peace be with you'






35. Doctor of medicine






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






37. 'per head' 'per person'






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






39. Titan best known for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to humans; He was punished by being chained to a rock and having his liver eaten by a bird everyday






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






41. God of wine and revelry; son of Zeus and Semele






42. 'unknown land'






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






44. Goddess of wisdom






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






46. 'seize the day'






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






48. 'from the office &' 'by right of office' - used to refer to someone Who is a member of a group (a board & committee & council & etc.) because they hold another office/position






49. 'After death'






50. Athenian prince who killed the Minotaur