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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Baucis and Philemon were an old couple who showed good hospitality towards ________________ when they visited them disguised as mortals.
(a) Mars and Mercury.
(b) Jupiter and Mercury.
(c) Jupiter and Juno.
(d) Juno and Pluto.

2. The main gods, or ______________, lived on Mount Olympus.
(a) Olympians.
(b) Olympusians.
(c) Athletes.
(d) Olymps.

3. Why did the Greeks create their myths, initially?
(a) As a way of understanding the world.
(b) As a way of connecting to the gods.
(c) As a way of teaching moral lessons.
(d) As a way of understanding the heavens.

4. Theseus saved Athens from the cruelty of _______________, who demanded a tribute of seven maidens and seven young men every nine years to feed to the Minotaur.
(a) King Minos of Crete.
(b) King Moschus of Crete.
(c) King Mimnermus of Crete.
(d) King Midas of Crete.

5. In one version of the story of the creation of man, the gods created different races of men based on _________.
(a) Wood.
(b) Music.
(c) Food.
(d) Metals.

Short Answer Questions

1. Later Greek writers include ______________, a lyric poet whose poems contained references to mythology, and the tragic playwrights Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides.

2. Hercules was the son of Zeus and whom?

3. The heroes of the Trojan War, also called __________ heroes, were slightly different from the older mythological heroes such as Hercules, Perseus and Theseus.

4. Theseus was honored by the Athenians as a protector of _____________ and a great king of their city.

5. According to the Greeks, in the beginning there was only __________.

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the lesson that is to be learned in the story of Phaeton? How is this an important lesson?

2. Describe Greek heroes. What was the most common flaw? Is this a common flaw in humanity? Why or why not?

3. Why did Greek mythology come to exist? What was its purpose?

4. Choose two of the Greek gods or goddesses. Describe the personalities and roles of these gods or goddesses.

5. How were early royal Greek families able to claim lineage with the gods? How might they have benefited from this?

6. Overall, what were the initial roles of the Greek and Roman gods? How might this have been beneficial for mankind?

7. How were Homeric heroes different from earlier Greek heroes? What does this say about the Greeks at the time?

8. What lesson can be learned about the power of the gods from these stories? Is this lesson still relevant today? Why or why not?

9. Describe one of the Greek creation stories. How does this story compare to your own idea regarding the creation of the world?

10. How did Zeus become the king of the gods?

(see the answer keys)

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