The Medusa Mythology Examination 1996-1997 Sponsored by the Maryland Junior Classical League This examination is composed of 50 questions. You will have 45 minutes to complete the exam. Please mark all answers on the provided answer-sheet. The questions will test your general knowledge of mythology. Remember to choose the **best** answer to each question. When you have completed the exam, please raise your hand so that your teacher will collect the exam. Relax, concentrate and good luck! ----- 1) According to Ovid, Jupiter finally decided to destroy the human race by _____. a. lightning bolts b. fire c. flood * d. burial with earth 2) After Jupiter destroyed humanity, what were used to repopulate the planet? a. stones * b. Lycaon's children c. snakes d. Gaia's kneecaps 3) What did Apollo kill to establish himself as a master of Delphi? a. a sphinx b. a griffin c. a chimera d. a python * 4) With which of the following is Artemis NOT generally associated? a. prophecy * b. the moon c. animals d. chastity 5) Which of the following does Jason NOT have to accomplish in order to acquire the golden fleece? a. wrestle a giant * b. yoke bulls c. sow dragon's teeth d. plow a field 6) Who was the Roman god of fire? a. Vulcan * b. Saturn c. Mars d. Ignis 7) Early Roman temples were divided into three portions: for the triad of Jupiter, Juno, and _____. a. Neptune b. Diana c. Mercury d. Minerva * 8) In honor of what god was the Festival of Lupercalia? a. Faunus* b. Jupiter c. Apollo d. Cupid 9) Who was the Trojan who survived to found the Roman race? a. Antenor b. Aeneas * c. Priam d. Hector 10) The youth Hyacinthus was killed with a discus by his friend Apollo. Whom do some believe caused the discus to hit Hyacinthus out of jealousy for his friendship? a. Aeolus b. Notus c. Eurus d. Zephyr* 11) All of the following were nymphs except _____. a. naiads b. bareads * c. oreads d. dryads 12) Who wore a lion skin and carried a club? a. Hercules * b. Aeneas c. Mars d. Vulcan 13) What is the magical herb which Hermes gave Odysseus against the power of Circe? a. nectar b. lotus c. ambrosia d. moly * 14) The sea nymph who was the mother of Achilles was ______. a. Peleus b. Thetis * c. Ariadne d. Aphrodite 15) Who was the Cyclops who terrorized the men of Odysseus? a. Poseidon b. Nausicaa c. Polyphemus * d. Antinous 16) Who was the father of Jupiter? a. Saturn * b. Atlas c. Uranus d. Apollo THE MARYLAND JUNIOR CLASSICAL LEAGUE'S "MEDUSA" MYTHOLOGY EXAMINATION FINAL COPY - FOR ADMINISTRATION ON APRIL 14 - 18, 1997 17) _____ guided souls to the underworld and carried the caduceus. a. Jupiter b. Mars c. Hercules d. Mercury * 18) Who was the father of Aeneas? a. Alcestis b. Anchises * c. Antinoos d. Ascanius 19) Dido, the queen of Carthage, had a nickname. What was it? a. Carissima b. Regina c. Elissa * d. Lavinia 20) ____ flew too close to the sun. a. Icarus * b. Phaethon c. Theseus d. Daedalus 21) Whom did Aurora turn into a grasshopper because he grew older and older, shriveling up, but could not die? a. Tithonus * b. Cephalus c. Memnon d. Sisyphus 22) Riding Pegasus, who killed the chimera? a. Perseus b. Glaucus c. Bellerophon* d. Polyidus 23) In which labor did Hercules acquire the poisoned arrows? a. Nemean lion b. Cerberus c. Lernean hydra * d. Stymphalian birds 24) _____ was Hercules' second wife, who unintentionally caused his death. a. Megara b. Hebe c. Deianira * d. Omphale 25) Who changed Odysseus' men to pigs? a. Alcinous b. Circe * c. Aeolus d. Calypso 26) Whose song was irresistible? a. the Planctae b. the Sirens * c. the Parcae d. Circe 27) Charon was _____. a. the King of Hades b. a ferryman in Hades * c. a judge in Hades d. a river in Hades 28) Oedipus is best known to us from a play by _____. a. Sophocles * b. Aeschylus c. Euripides d. Aristophanes 29) _____ is Creon's son, who died shortly after Antigone. a. Menoeceus b. Haemon * c. Agamemnon d. Tydeus 30) Cadmus and Jason share what in their legends? a. bulls b. Harpies c. doves d. dragon's teeth * 31) Jupiter visited Leda in the form of a(n) ______. a. bull b. eagle c. swan * d. rainstorm 32) What was Sibyl's fate? a. to grow old endlessly * b. to turn ugly c. not to be believed d. to die suddenly 33) Zeus snatched _____ and placed her in the stars after an enraged Hera had turned her into a bear. a. Artemis b. Callisto* c. Hero d. Amalthea 34) The _____ river is also known as the River of Forgetfulness. a. Styx b. Lethe * c. Phlegethon d. Acheron 35) Arachne lost what kind of a contest? a. singing b. flute playing c. running d. weaving * 36) Athena was born _____. a. from Hephaestus' head b. from Hera alone c. from Zeus' head * d. on the ocean 37) By trade Pygmalion was a _____. a. fisherman b. shepherd c. sculptor * d. huntsman THE MARYLAND JUNIOR CLASSICAL LEAGUE'S "MEDUSA" MYTHOLOGY EXAMINATION FINAL COPY - FOR ADMINISTRATION ON APRIL 14 - 18, 1997 38) A peal of thunder by Jupiter signalled the transformation of ants into humans, known as the _____. a. Pales b. Myrmidons * c. Gyges d. Bacchantes 39) Who was the goddess of the crossroads? a. Hecate * b. Niobe c. Selene d. Hecuba 40) The Furies, also known as the _____ were described by Vergil as living in the underworld, where they punished evildoers. a. Sileni b. Manes c. Larvae d. Erinyes * 41) There were three of these winged, dragon-like creatures, two of which were immortal. Who were they? a. Graiae b. Parcae c. Gorgons * d. Chimerae 42) Phineus, given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, had displeased Zeus, who inflicted a terrible punishment. Whenever Phineus was about to dine, these "hounds of Zeus" swooped down and defiled his food. a. Sirens b. Harpies * c. Scyllas d. Graiae 43) For the most part, the half-man, half-horse Centaurs were savage creatures. However, _____ was known everywhere for his goodness and wisdom. a. Creon b. Charon c. Chiron * d. Chios 44) What sort of nymph is a nereid? a. sea * b. tree c. stream d. grove 45) Which goddess was bid by Juno to travel to the house of Somnus, God of Sleep, and request that he send a dream to Alcyone telling of the fate of her husband Ceyx? a. Hebe b. Eris c. Iris* d. Selene 46) Whose mother was Medusa? a. Pegasus * b. Cerberus c. Poseidon d. Hydra 47) Who were the Penates? a. musicians b. household protectors * c. protectors of travelers d. craftsmen 48) The Muses function as _____. a. patronesses of Literature & Arts* b. fertility deities c. controllers of man's life thread d. attendants 49) Apollo bestowed upon _____ the art of prophecy, but when she did not return his love, he made it so that no one would ever believe her visions. a. Cassandra * b. Castalia c. Venus d. Teiresias 50) _____ was cursed by Juno to repeat whatever was last said to her. a. Io b. Europa c. Leda d. Echo * ----- (c) 1997-1998 The Maryland Junior Classical League No restrictions are laid upon the usage of this exam material, provided that the user notifies the Medusa Exam Committee (medusaexam@altavista.net) of their intent.