Greek & Roman Myths: How Much Do You Know? Quiz

Answer: Look back at her

When Orpheus had just stepped out into the sunlight he looked back at Eurydice to make sure she was there but it was too soon, she was still in the cavern. Orpheus grabbed for her as she began to return into the darkness but instantly she was gone. All Orpheus heard was one faint word "Farewell" This story is very sad but it is worth reading if you haven't yet.

It is the metaphor of samsara, found in Asian texts as well, illustrating the point if you have any attachments to the material world, death and suffering will follow you even from the Underworld.

Answer: Aglaia

There were two bands of beautiful sisters in Olympus, The Muses and the three Graces. Aglaia was the Grace of Splendor, Euphrosyne was the Grace of Mirth, and Thalia was the Grace of Good Cheer. The were the daughters of Zeus and Eurynome, a child of the Titan, Ocean.

Answer: A goat that Zeus fed from as an infant

According to one story Almatea was a goat whose milk the infant Zeud was fed. She was said to have a horn which was always full of the food and drink anyone wanted. It was known as the "Horn of Plenty".

Answer: Amazons

They were warrior women that were supposed to have lived around Caucasus. Their name obviously derives from A-mazia, which meant they cut off the left or right breast, because it interfered with their arrow-shooting abilities.

Answer: The daughters of Atlas

They were the daughters of Atlas seven in number. Their names were Electra, Maia, Taygete, Alycone, Merope, Celaeno, and Sterope. Orion pursued them but they fled before he could seize them. But still Orion persued them until Zeus, pitying them, placed them in the heavens as stars. Orion continues his pursuit, always unsuccessful, yet persistent.

While on earth one of them Maia, was the mother of Hermes and Electra was the mother of Dardanus, the founder of the Trojan race. Although it was agreed there were seven of them, only six stars are clearly visible in the night sky and the seventh can only be seen by someone with keen eyesight.

Answer: Homer

Homer wrote the Iliad and one of his famous pieces in the Iliad was the voyage of Odysseus (Ulysses) in the Odyssey. Of course, it was not really 'written' until hundreds of years after its composition.

Answer: Virgil

Virgil wrote the amazing Aeneid.

Answer: Pandora

Pandora's box is a well known story but if you haven't heard of it I suggest you read it because it is a good story.

Answer: Pontus

Nereus was called the Old Man of the Sea. His wife was Doris, a daughter of Ocean. They had fifty lovely daughters, the nymphs of the sea, called Nereids. One is well know for being Thetis, the mother of the hero Achilles. Another well know Nereid is Amphitrite, the wife of Poseidon. Pontus, which means the "Deep Sea" was his father and Mother Earth (Gaia) was his mother.

Answer: Tartarus

The underworld was sometimes thought to have been divided into two divisions, Tartarus and Erebus. Tartarus the deeper of the two is the prison of the sons of Earth. Erebus was the place where the dead pass as soon as they die. Acheron is the river of woe in the underworld and Lethe is the river of forgetfulness; these are obviously rivers of psychological states.

The Tibetan Book of the Dead and also the Egyptian Book of the Dead also have similar explanations as to the Avidya and nescience, which plunges people back into these dark and flaming fires of suffering.

Answer: Nymphs of the mountains

The Oreads were the nymphs of the mountain. Dryads are the nymphs of the tree or forest. Nereids are the nymphs of the sea. I'm not sure about the nymphs of the wind. I don't know if there are any.

Answer: Maenads

The Maenads (Bacchantes) were the followers of Dionysus (Bacchus). They were wine frenzied and were rather vicious.

Answer: Pygmalion

Pygmalion was a gifted young sculptor of Cyprus and he was a women hater. Nevertheless the statue he made and devoted all his genius to was that of a woman. He either could not dismiss what he disapproved from his mind as he did from his life or else he was bent of creating the perfect women and showing men the defiencies of the kind they had to put up with. Anyways once he finish the statue it looked so real and Pygmalion fell in love with her.

He prayed to Aphrodite to have a women just like his statue but she knew that the thing he wanted was his statue so she made her real.

When Pygmalion went to kiss his statue she began to come to life as if wax was melting from it's hard state. They soon married and Aphrodite graced the marriage with her presence. Pygmalion named her Galatea and their son Paphos gave his name to one of Aphrodite's favourite cities.

Answer: Daphne

Daphne was another one of those independent, love-and-marriage-hating young huntress. She was the first love of Apollo. Her father was the river god Peneus. He was greatly tried because she refused all the handsome and eligible young men who wooed her.

She wished to be like Artemis. Her father yielded and let her be who she wanted. But at last Apollo saw her and everything ended for her. He chased her and she was an excellent runner so it was hard for him to overcome her at first but eventually he soon gained. Apollo tried to yell to her in a reassuring voice and told her he loved her but that just made her run faster.

At last she was close to her father's river and yelled for his help. Hearing her cries he changed her into a Laurel tree. Apollo watched the transformation with much dismay and grief. Forever after that the Laurel tree was sacred to Apollo.

Answer: Cecrops

Cecrops was the first king of Attica. He had no human ancestors and he himself was only half human. He was said to have been half human and half dragon.

Answer: Athena

Athena and Poseidon both wanted to be the benefactor. To show how good Poseidon would be as a benefactor he struck the ground and created a saltwater spring. But Athena still did better. She made an Olive tree grow there and it became the most prized tree in all of Greece. In return for the great gift Cecrops decided that Athens was hers.

Answer: Psyche

The story of Cupid (Eros) & Psyche is by far my absolute favourite in all Greek Mythology. If you haven't read it I greatly suggest that you do. It is a great story and is worth reading.

Answer: True

Aeneas was always held to be the real founder of Rome because the actual founders Romulus and Remus were born in the city Aeneas' son built in Alba Longa.

Answer: Danaids

The Danaids were all suppose to kill their husbands on their wedding night and they did except one Hypermnestra. She fell in love with her husband Lynceus and she told him what was happening and helped him flee. Her father threw her in prison for her treachery.

In some stories Hypermnestra was reunited with her husband and lived happily ever after but in others it ends with her being locked up. Anyways her 49 other sisters are punished to suffer in Hades. The must forver try to fill and carry leaking jars of water.

Answer: Delos

Apollo and his twin sister Artemis were born on the island of Delos on Mount Cynthus. This is why Artemis is sometimes referred to as Cynthia because of her birth place.