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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. 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






2. 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






3. Goddess of victory






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






5. 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.






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






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






8. Doctor of medicine






9. 'peace be with you'






10. '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






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






12. 'great-souled & high-minded'






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






14. Goddess of grain & the harvest & and the seasons; mother of Persephone/Proserpina






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






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






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






18. Homer's epic poem about Odysseus & kind of Ithaca & trying to find his way home from the Trojan War






19. 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)






20. 'seize the day'






21. 100






22. Goddess of the hearth






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






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






25. Another name for Zeus/Jupiter






26. Temple in Rome dedicated to all the Roman gods






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






28. Goddess of the hunt






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






30. 'And others'






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






32. 'per year'






33. '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






34. 'for the time being' - temporary






35. Goddess of love






36. 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






37. 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






38. One of the 12 Titans & father of Zeus/Jupiter & who swallowed his children in an attempt to keep from being overthrown






39. The city in Northern Africa that the Romans fought and destroyed during the Punic Wars (264-146 BC.)






40. A picture made from small bits of glass or pottery






41. Athenian prince who killed the Minotaur






42. The 15th of March & the day in 44 BC Julius Caesar was assassinated






43. The plebs were the free but non-aristocratic citizens of Rome; today & plebeian means 'of a low class'






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






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






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






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






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






49. The technical biological term for the human species


50. 'The other way around'