Test your basic knowledge |

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 in Rome dedicated to all the Roman gods






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






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






4. 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






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






6. Large island off the southeast coast of Italy; home of Mt. Etna & a huge volcano; where the Cyclopes lived in the Odyssey






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






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






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






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






11. 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






12. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






13. 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.






14. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






15. 'peace be with you'






16. '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






17. 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






18. 'I'






19. 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






20. 'And others'






21. 'per head' 'per person'






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






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






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






25. 'That is' used for further explanation: 'in other words...'






26. After midday/noon






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






28. Challenged Athena to a weaving contest and was turned into a spider for her excessive pride






29. 'great-souled & high-minded'






30. 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






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






32. 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






33. The highest political office in the Roman Republic; 2 were elected every year






34. Market place/business center






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






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






37. A teacher Who is like a parent; comes from the Mentor & Odysseus' old friend & whom he left in charge of his son Telemachus when he went off to the Trojan War






38. A large horse and chariot racing track in Rome






39. Large island off the southeast coast of Italy; home of Mt. Etna & a huge volcano; where the Cyclopes lived in the Odyssey






40. 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






41. River that runs through the city of Rome






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






43. Goddess of love






44. 100






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






46. 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






47. 50






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






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






50. The golden wool of a ram sought by Jason and the Argonauts