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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Where is Rooster's mother's city?
(a) His mother's city is Antirhion.
(b) His mother's city is Athens.
(c) His mother's city is Messenia.
(d) His mother's city is Sparta.

2. What is exoterike harmoniea?
(a) Exoterike harmoniea is a state of self composure attained through the control of fear.
(b) Exoterike harmoniea is the musical harmony of a multistringed instrument.
(c) Exoterike harmoniea is a state of union with one's fellows.
(d) Exoterike harmoniea is a composition dedicated to the gods.

3. For what is Xeones punished after the battle at Antirhion?
(a) He is punished for following the army.
(b) He is punished for mouthing off to a superior officer.
(c) He is punished for his recklessness on the field of battle.
(d) He is punished for not reporting in a timely fashion.

4. How do the soldiers show their disfavor when Polynikes is scolding Alexandros?
(a) They rap their knuckles on the table.
(b) They join Polynikes in berating Alexandros.
(c) They politely leave the area to avoid overhearing.
(d) They ignore the speech.

5. Why does Xeones refuse to narrate anymore?
(a) He finds out about the mutilation of king Leonidas' body.
(b) He learns that Xerxes is going to kill him after he completes his story.
(c) He realizes that telling Xerxes of Spartan warfare is treason.
(d) He grows bored with the work.

6. What causes Xeones to continue the story?
(a) Dmaratos, a cruel Persian soldier, threatened to beat him if he did not continue.
(b) Dmaratos, a deposed Spartan king, reminds him of his duty to Apollo.
(c) Xeones decides to finish the story.
(d) Xerxes told him that he would kill him if he did not continue.

7. Who is Diomache?
(a) Diomache is one of the three Fates of Greek mythology.
(b) Diomache is the cousin of Xeones.
(c) Diomache is the concubine of Xerxes.
(d) Diomache is the wife of Leonidas.

8. Alexandros wants to go to battle with the older Spartans. Who tries to stop him?
(a) Xeones tries to stop him.
(b) Leonidas tries to stop him.
(c) Polynikes tries to stop him.
(d) His mother tries to stop him.

9. What happens to Xeones when he is caught stealing?
(a) The farmers beat him severely.
(b) The farmers drive nails through his hands.
(c) He is made to pay for what he stole.
(d) The farmers cut off his right hand.

10. What is oktonyktia?
(a) It is the final right of passage from boyhood to adult status.
(b) It is an eight-night training exercise.
(c) It is the lake near Sparta.
(d) It is the armor and shield that each soldier must carry.

11. What point does the author illustrate in these battle scenes about ancient warfare?
(a) War is a great and glorious undertaking.
(b) War is a bloody business, and not for the faint of heart.
(c) Men who make their business warfare rather than farming perform better on the field.
(d) War is, unfortunately, unavoidable.

12. What is the Antirhion army primarily composed of?
(a) It is an unorganized rabble of bandits and highwaymen.
(b) It is mainly citizen soldiers.
(c) It is mainly well trained regulars, career soldiers.
(d) It is mainly mercenaries hired from neighboring kingdoms.

13. What does agoge boua mean?
(a) Agoge boua means eight-nighter.
(b) Agoge boua means training platoon.
(c) Agoge boua means battle rage.
(d) Agoge boua means honorable death.

14. What kind of story does Xerxes want to hear in chapter one?
(a) He wants to hear about Spartan life during times of peace.
(b) He wants to hear a tale of generals and kings.
(c) He wants to hear "the infantryman's tale".
(d) He wants to hear "A Tale of Two Cities".

15. Why do the Spartans use that method to count their dead?
(a) It is done to confuse the enemy.
(b) It helps to keep their minds occupied and off of the fact that only moments earlier they were slaughtering men like farmers reaping wheat.
(c) It is the Spartan law that the dead be counted in such a way.
(d) It is an ancient tradition that has been passed down for generations.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who were the first soldiers to arrive at Thermopylae?

2. Who is the half helot's father?

3. Xeones tells of an exercise that the people in the baggage train practice where they serve as punching bags for the Spartan heavy infantry. What is this exercise called?

4. How do the Spartans count their dead?

5. By what other name is Sparta called?

(see the answer keys)

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