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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. Callisto was loved by Zeus and hated by Hera. Hera turned her into a _________ and arranged for her son to kill it.

2. Chiron was a wise and noble ______________ who looked after and trained heroes.

3. Who were Atreus' children?

4. It was a moral tale that taught proper behavior toward whom?

5. Later, Midas was given ___________ by Apollo for siding with Pan instead of Apollo in a music contest.

Short Essay Questions

1. How are some of the stars explained in this section?

2. How is Aeneas tied to the great Roman Republic?

3. Why might Zeus have struck Aesculapius dead?

4. Why might someone want a cornucopia?

5. How did the bad luck of the later generations reflect the bad luck of the earlier generations? What does this say about the tie between one generation and another?

6. How are the lessons learned from these stories relevant today?

7. How is this bad luck tied to the future of the city of Thebes?

8. How did Odysseus' adventures make him a hero?

9. Why were there many plays written about this family?

10. How is Odysseus set apart from other heroes? What does this say about the Greeks at this time?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Murder frequently takes place in Greek mythology.

Part 1) Describe two stories in which a murder or murders take place. Why do these murders take place? How do these murders affect the other characters in the story? How might the murders affect those who hear this story?

Part 2) Is murder a popular theme of American folk tales? Why or why not? What does this reveal about the Greeks? What does this reveal about Americans? How does this theme of murder add to the drama and tragedy of Greek mythology?

Part 3) What do you believe is the most popular of themes in American tales? Use at least two stories to support this belief. Why is this a popular theme? What does this reveal about Americans?

Essay Topic 2

Tragedy was often a part of Greek mythology.

Part 1) Describe four myths that one would consider tragic. What led to tragedy in each of these myths? How does the tragedy found in each myth compare to the tragedy found in the others?

Part 2) What is the purpose of this tragedy? What does it reveal about the Greeks? What lessons can still be learned from this tragedy today? Do tragedies such as this exist in contemporary literature? Why or why not?

Part 3) Do you believe that tragic tales are necessary for a culture? Why or why not? Is there a focus on tragedy in American literature? Why or why not? What does this say about Americans and their view of tragedy and loss?

Essay Topic 3

There are several myths about the royal House of Athens.

Part 1) Summarize these stories. What do these stories say about this house? How are these stories similar to those of the House of Atreus and the House of Thebes? What does this reinforce about the gods and their relationships with humans?

Part 2) How are these myths both good and bad? How is this house different from the Houses of Atreus and Thebes? Might these differences be seen today? How might this still affect Athenians today? Explain.

Part 3) What is another city or country in the world today that believes it is special because of its religious connections? How does this affect how its citizens act towards others? Do you see this religious pride as something that is good or bad? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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