Humanities 115 - World Mythology » Spring 2020 » Quiz 2

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Question #1
Numerous writers have told the Greek myths at different times in history. One Roman writer translated many myths into Latin in a single work called Metamorphosis. His name was:
A.   Apollodorus
B.   Herodotus
C.   Ovid
D.   Augustus
Question #2
The primal elements of Greek mythology include Gaia, the earth, Tartarus, the underworld, and Eros, which is:
A.   water
B.   the sexual urge
C.   love
D.   aggression
Question #3
The two primal elements that exist at the beginning of the Hebrew creation myth are:
A.   day and night
B.   sun and moon
C.   light and air
D.   water and darkness
Question #4
In Islamic mythology, Hagar is considered equal to Sarah because the faith allows polygamy. Hagar’s son Ishmael is considered superior to Isaac, however, because he is:
A.   from Egypt
B.   not circumcised
C.   of an Arabic line
D.   first born
Question #5
Greek mythology begins with Homer, who wrote The Iliad, The Odysseyand 33 Homeric Hymns. Hesiod, another early writer, created a genealogy of the gods called:
A.   The Labyrinth
B.   The Theogeny
C.   The Pantheon
D.   The Metamorphosis
Question #6
In the play Oedipus Rex, when King Oedipus learns that his wife has hanged herself, he is consumed by grief and humiliation. What does he do?
A.   Stabs out his own eyes
B.   Punishes the messenger
C.   Declares a year of mourning
D.   Makes a offering to Apollo
Question #7
Winter happens every year because the earth goddess Demeter is sad that her daughter Persephone must live with her husband Hades. Persephone lives in the underworld for one season because:
A.   Hades is one of the four main gods
B.   she ate a pomegranate seed
C.   she accepted the gift of a golden apple
D.   Demeter lied to Zeus
Question #8
One of the labors of Heracles was to clean the Augean stables. He accomplishes this in one day with help from:
A.   the hundred-handed giants
B.   a river, which he diverted
C.   Athena, tamer of horses
D.   the blood of Hydra, which burns the filth away
Question #9
Both Odysseus and Achilles attempt to avoid fighting in the Trojan War. Achilles’ mother hides her son by disguising him as a:
A.   shepherd in the wilderness
B.   farmer plowing a field
C.   cup-bearer of Zeus
D.   daughter of a king
Question #10
There is a substantial record of Hebrew mythology because that culture created the oldest written language still in use today. The basis of Hebrew is a language group called:
A.   Semitic
B.   Phoenician
C.   Cuneiform
D.   Arabic
Question #11
In The Iliad, the war is going badly for the Greeks because Achilles refuses to fight. His best friend Patroclus encourages the Greek soldiers by entering the battle wearing the:
A.   breastplate of Zeus
B.   armor of Achilles
C.   cloak of Athena
D.   helmet of invisibility
Question #12
According to Hebrew mythology, Yahweh commands Abram to circumcise all males in his household, including boys at the age of:
A.   eight days
B.   eight years
C.   13 days
D.   13 years
Question #13
The Roman Republic grew strong by defeating the Carthaginians and taking control of the Mediterranean. The Roman general who ended the Punic Wars was:
A.   Scipio Africanus
B.   Caesar Augustus
C.   Julius Caesar
D.   Hannibal
Question #14
In The Iliad, Achilles kills Hector and drags his naked body behind his chariot. This is a violation of one of Zeus’s highest laws, which is:
A.   fathers must be honored
B.   all who die must be buried
C.   chariots are only for the gods
D.   one must be humble in victory
Question #15
According to Hebrew mythology, Yahweh tests Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son Isaac. According to Islamic mythology, Allah asks Abraham to sacrifice Ishmael. The Islamic sacrifice is stopped by:
A.   a tribe of people
B.   an angel
C.   a rainbow appearing
D.   the prophet Mohammed
Question #16
Before the play Oedipus Rex begins, Oedipus becomes King of Thebes by answering the riddle of the Sphinx: "What goes on four legs in the morning, two in the day, and three at night?" What is the answer?
A.   A wounded bull
B.   A man
C.   A hundred-handed giant
D.   Insects
Question #17
In The Iliad of Homer according to Donna Rosenberg, who were the Myrmidons?
A.   A city near Troy allied with the Greeks
B.   The Greek army
C.   Goddesses of vengeance
D.   Elite Trojan soldiers
Question #18
In The Book of Genesis Chapter 16, Sarai encourages Abraham to "go into my maid; that I may obtain children by her." When her maid Hagar becomes pregnant, Sarai is "despised in her eyes." Sarai reacts by:
A.   praying to Yahweh
B.   sending her into the desert
C.   forgiving her
D.   dealing harshly with her
Question #19
In The Aeneid, Aeneas is a prince of Troy who escapes the burning of the city. He finds refuge in Carthage, because Queen Dido:
A.   has promised King Latinus
B.   is a daughter of Jupiter
C.   welcomes him like a son
D.   falls in love with him
Question #20
In the play Oedipus Rex, Oedipus first learns that he is was the man who murdered King Laius from Tiresias. Tiresias is: 
A.   His brother in law
B.   A messenger
C.   An old shephead
D.   A blind prophet
Question #21
The goddess Athena was born in an unusual way, wearing full armor and springing up fully-grown from:
A.   the head of Zeus
B.   the genitals of Uranus
C.   a swan's egg
D.   the foam of the sea
Question #22
According to Christian mythology, Jesus is “Christos,” which means “savior,” and a reliever of suffering from Hebrew mythology called the:
A.   Epistle
B.   Rabbi
C.   Messiah
D.   Nazarene
Question #23
The play Oedipus Rex begins with a plague raging through the city of Thebes. King Oedipus has sent Creon, the queen's brother, to learn how the plague can be cured.  Creon returns with the solution to the problem, given to him by whom?
A.   The blind prophet Tiresias
B.   The Oracle of Delphi
C.   Asclepius, god of medicine
D.   King Polybus of Corinth
Question #24
In The Aeneid of Virgil, the harpy predicts that Aeneas will not triumph until he has become so hungry he "eats his tables." What do the "tables" turn out to be?
A.   A golden bough
B.   Honey cakes topped with fruit
C.   His own words, written down
D.   Medicine provided by Venus

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