Greek Mythology in Harry Potter Quiz

Answer: 3

Cerberus had the tail of a serpent, and three heads, each snarling at any person who tries to escape or sneak into the Underworld. J.K. Rowling must have known this, as Hagrid says that he bought Fluffy off a 'Greek chappie' he met in the pub. That's a description of Hades you don't usually see.

In the film of 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone' however, he refers to him as an Irish chappie. Obviously, some script writer didn't get the joke.

Answer: Flute

Harry uses the flute that Hagrid made and gave him for Christmas. In the film he doesn't play anything, Quirrel enchants a harp to play and leaves it there. Orpheus put Cerberus to sleep in the famous story of Orpheus and Euridice (pronounced You-rid-us-see.) Orpheus, the musician, fell in love with Euridice, like you do in myths.

But no sooner were they married than she was bitten by a snake and died. Orpheus was heartbroken, and was so desperate to get her back that he went down to the Underworld to find her.

He made his way past Cerberus by playing music to him, and then tried to persuade Hades himself to let her go. Hades was not swayed, but his wife Persephone convinced him to let Orpheus take Euridice. The God agreed, on the condition that as they walked out of the Underworld he must not look back at his wife.

He got past the Asphodel Fields and the River Styx, but just as they were about to step out into the sunlight, he looked back, and she was lost to him a second time. It just goes to show that looks can kill...

Answer: Lightning bolt

Zeus was the king of the Gods, with Hera as his queen. The lightning bolt was his symbol and a weapon he used; in fact, thunderstorms were said to occur when he was angry. He was quite a womaniser, and fathered many of the gods by Hera and others, including Hephaestus, Ares, Athene, Hermes, Artemis, Apollo, and Dionysus. (Please note that there are multiple accepted spellings for some of these names.)

Answer: Strict and clever

Hermione married Achilles' son Neoptolemus, but when Orestes killed him in a fight over her (she was originally engaged to him) she became his wife instead. Together they had the son Tisamenus, who was to rule in Mycenae.

Answer: Horse

When a new city was built the gods Poseidon and Athene argued over who would be patron of it. The builder of the city, King Cecrops, said that whoever gave him the most useful present could have the city. Poseidon immediately took a hippocampus and fashioned it into the world's first horse.

He gave this to King Cecrops, to pull carts, carry soldiers, and transport cargo. But he was only to be beaten by Athene, who gave King Cecrops the olive tree- olives to cook, make into oil to heat houses or cook by. Personally, I prefer horses, but I suppose I haven't really got a say.

Answer: Filch

Filch is the caretaker that always tries to catch people out doing things against the school rules. In the myth, Zeus flirted with Princess Io, but so that Hera wouldn't know he turned her into a little white calf. Hera guessed anyway, and sent Argus, the hundred- eyed beast, to watch over her. Zeus, desperate to get her back, told Hermes to try and lull Argus to sleep with music and stories, and then kill him when all of his eyes were closed.

This Hermes did, freeing the little calf, but Hera sent a gadfly to chase Io, and turned the dead Argus into a peacock, where you can still see his hundred eyes.

It's a pity Filch isn't so beautiful.

Answer: Snowy owl

Most gods had their own symbol, which they carried with them or appeared as. Here are some: Aphrodite (goddess of love) - a dove, Apollo (god of the sun and music) - a lyre or a laurel branch, Ares (god of war) a spear, Posiedon - a trident or horse, Artemis (goddess of the moon and the hunt) - a bow or deer.

Answer: A sphinx

King Laios and Queen Jocasta went to consult a blind oracle, who told them that their son would kill his father and marry his mother. The king immediately abandoned their only son, Oedipus, on a mountain to be eaten by wild animals. But he was rescued and given to King Polybus of Corinth, and grew up with him. Oedipus consulted another oracle, who told him the same thing- that he would kill his father and marry his mother. Thinking that Polybus was his father, he left Corinth. Walking into Athens, he met a man blocking his path.

He refused to move, so Oedipus killed him with his spear, not knowing that it was in fact his father. He then met the sphinx, who asked him a riddle. It was "What has four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon and three in the evening?" The answer is, in fact, a human being (as a baby it crawls, as an adult it walks, and as an old person walks with a slick.) Oedipus gave the answer, and the sphinx threw herself off of a cliff.

When he got to Thebes he was a hero.

They made him king, and offered to let him marry his their own queen, Jocasta, his mother. Twenty years later, they found out the whole story. Jocasta committed suicide, and Oedipus punished himself by clawing his own eyes out with a brooch. Seem familiar? It was the basis of the Tom Cruise film 'Minority Report' (Clawing out eyes, blind oracles, ring any bells?).

Answer: Professor McGonagall

Athene (Minerva) was the daughter of Metis, Zeus's first wife before Hera. However, before she had been born there was a prophecy that the child of Metis would be greater than Zeus. So, one night, Zeus opened his mouth and swallowed Metis whole. Some time later, he had a splitting headache, and when he hit his head with his fist, out rose Athene, fully dressed, fully grown and fully armed.

She had nestled in Zeus's brain, unborn. The prophecy of Metis's child no longer worried Zeus; he had always imagined a son...

Answer: Kala

Centaurs feature a lot in Greek Myth. I hope you enjoyed this quiz and perhaps learnt something about a great topic from it.