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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the name of the Persian King who asks Leonidas for his surrender?

2. The oracle also states that no Spartan army will ____________.

3. What is the response of the ephors to the plans of Leonidas when he meets with them?

4. How many soldiers are thought to be in the area when the final Greek attachments join Leonidas and Daxos?

5. Who is the man to which all the commanders of other armies give their power to?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do the ephors object to the plans of Leonidas when he comes to visit them?

2. Describe the area in which the ephors live during this second chapter of the book.

3. What do the soldiers in the beginning of the novel wear as they match to battle?

4. Describe the oracle that Leonidas next confers with after talking with the ephors.

5. What kinds of weapons are the soldiers carrying as they march to battle at the start of this novel?

6. Describe the weather conditions for the soldiers as they have marched during the beginning of this story.

7. What happens to Stelios as he marches in the weather at the beginning of the novel?

8. What does Leonidas have to do prior to beginning a full scale military expedition, according to Spartan law?

9. What is the path of the combined forces of Leonidas and the others who meet up with him?

10. Why does Dilios tell stories to the soldiers as they are preparing for battle?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ephialtes offers up his services in exchange for worldly things - women, land, wealth, etc.

Part 1: Why do you think Ephialtes decided to offer himself to the Persian side of the war?

Part 2: Why do you think the Persian king decided to take Ephialtes up on his offer?

Part 3: Who do you think was manipulating whom in the agreement between Ephialtes and the Persian king? Why?

Essay Topic 2

The ephors are meant to help Spartans as they continue battle with other nations.

Part 1: Why doesn't Leonidas trust the advice of the ephors?

Part 2: Why would people turn to oracles and ephors for advice instead of following their own instincts?

Part 3: Would you be able to go to an oracle for advice? Why or why not? What might you ask if they could be trusted?

Essay Topic 3

Leonidas goes through a sort of rite of passage by killing a huge wolf at the beginning of the timeline of this story.

Part 1: Describe the story of Leonidas and the wolf. What happens?

Part 2: What does the wolf symbolize in the story of Leonidas and the wolf?

Part 3: What might have happened had Leonidas never encountered the wolf as described in this story?

(see the answer keys)

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