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Mythology Mash Up Trivia Quiz

Heroes and Gods of Legend are a fascinating subject. This quiz crosses pantheons and hits on tidbits that I've found to be quite interesting. I hope you enjoy it.

A multiple-choice quiz by maxmcd. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
maxmcd

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
327,062

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
1179

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. To what mythological grouping of Gods do English speaking countries owe most of the names of the days of the week? Hint

Roman

Norse

Greek

Indian

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Question 2 of 10

2. King Arthur wielded the legendary sword Excalibur. According to the "Post Vulgate Cycle" and a famous British comedy troupe, how was he said to come to possess it? Hint

He pulled it from a tree after it was thrust there by the God, Odin

A "farcical" aquatic ceremony

It was won in battle against the dragon Vermithrax

It was bestowed to him by his father, Uther Pendragon

3. According to the Volsunga Saga, Sigurd, wielded the reforged sword of his father to great effect. His steel was so mighty he was able to cleave an anvil in two, and then went on to defeat the dragon Fafnir with it. By what name was this blade known? Hint

Gram

Stormbringer

Durendal

Grospoliner

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Question 4 of 10

4. Rome, while a mighty empire, was not very creative when it came to Gods. In fact most of them are borrowed from the Greek pantheon with a name change. Vulcan, the Roman God of Fire and Smithery was the equivalent to what Greek God? Hint

Hephaestus

Ares

Zeus

Dionysus

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Question 5 of 10

5. Who hung for nine days and nights on Yggdrasil, was pierced by a spear and gave up an eye for the "Secrets of the Universe"? Hint

Odin

Gilgamesh

Zeus

Prometheus

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Question 6 of 10

6. Odysseus, King of Ithaca, participated in the Trojan War. During his return trip he was delayed quite a while. All told, how long was he away from home? Hint

7 years

3 years

20 years

10 years

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Question 7 of 10

7. Baldur, the God of Light and Truth in Norse mythology, was made invulnerable to almost everything by his mother, Frigg, getting promises to do him no harm made by almost every substance. What item, which she neglected to get a promise from, ultimately killed him? Hint

Mistletoe

Thor's hammer

Honeysuckle

Nutmeg

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Question 8 of 10

8. Having offended Poseidon by stating her daughter's beauty was equal to that of his daughters, the Nereides, Cassiopeia found her kingdom of Joppa attacked by Cetus. It was determined by Oracle that King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia must sacrifice their daughter to save the Kingdom. They exposed the daughter to the beast only to have the beast thwarted by a great hero. What are the names of the daughter and her savior? Hint

Megara / Heracles

Andromeda / Perseus

Helen / Paris

Ariadne / Theseus

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Question 9 of 10

9. The Labyrinth on Crete was home to the terrible Minotaur, a half man / half bull monstrosity. King Minos, the ruler of Crete, demanded that Athens send tribute of seven youths and seven maidens to be sacrificed to the Minotaur or Crete would attack Athens. We all know that an Athenian Prince defeated the Minotaur with the help of a Cretan Princess, but who was the designer of the maze? Hint

Daedalus

Icarus

Theseus

Dionysus

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Question 10 of 10

10. Which hero of Ancient Greece flew upon the back of Pegasus and slew the mighty Chimera? Hint

Orpheus

Heracles

Bellerophon

Perseus

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. To what mythological grouping of Gods do English speaking countries owe most of the names of the days of the week?

Answer: Norse

Tuesday is named for Tyr (Tiw), Wednesday comes from Odin (Woden), Thor gives us Thursday, and Friday honors Frey. The Norse pantheon accounts for 57% of day names. The other three days get their names from heavenly bodies, Monday for the moon, Sunday for the sun, and Saturday for Saturn.

2. King Arthur wielded the legendary sword Excalibur. According to the "Post Vulgate Cycle" and a famous British comedy troupe, how was he said to come to possess it?

Answer: A "farcical" aquatic ceremony

Arthur received Excalibur from The Lady of the Lake. The "farcical aquatic ceremony" answer was my tribute to "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" as quoted by Dennis: "Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate of the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony."

Answer: Gram

Stormbringer was the name of the cursed sword of Elric in the "Elric of Melnibone" series of fantasy novels and short stories by Michael Moorcock. Durendal was wielded by Roland, and Grospoliner is from the manga and anime series "Silent Mobius".

Answer: Hephaestus

Hephaestus was the maker of Poseidon's trident and Zeus' lightning bolts. Zeus was the king of the Gods and God of the Sky, Ares was the God of War, and Dionysus was the God of Wine.

5. Who hung for nine days and nights on Yggdrasil, was pierced by a spear and gave up an eye for the "Secrets of the Universe"?

Answer: Odin

As Odin hung on the World Tree, Yggdrasil, he visited one branch each night and the world it contained and received a rune, after he completed that ordeal he went to the well of Mimir and pledged an eye for drink of the Mead of Inspiration. After receiving this wisdom he was able to develop an additional nine runes, and he became all knowing.

6. Odysseus, King of Ithaca, participated in the Trojan War. During his return trip he was delayed quite a while. All told, how long was he away from home?

Answer: 20 years

The Trojan War was said to have lasted 10 years. The Greeks were finally able to defeat the Trojans after Odysseus came up with the idea for the Trojan Horse. On his return trip he stayed on the Island of Circe for a year, was held captive by Calypso for seven years, then took another three years trying to survive the wrath of Poseidon for killing his son, Polyphemus the Cyclops, before making it back home to Penelope. And there's no mention of Penelope giving Odysseus the third degree!

Answer: Mistletoe

Loki, the trickster god, found out from Frigg she hadn't gotten a promise from mistletoe. He then had Baldur's blind brother, Hod the God of Darkness and Winter, cast a branch of mistletoe at Baldur, which struck him in the chest, killing him instantly. The death of Baldur signaled the beginning of Ragnarok, or the world's end.

Answer: Andromeda / Perseus

In the movie "Clash of the Titans", Perseus defeats the Kraken (rather than Cetus) with the head of Medusa, using Pegasus to get around. In classical myth, however, Perseus flew using winged sandals like the God Hermes.

Answer: Daedalus

Daedalus was thought to be the best mortal craftsman of all times, so much so that his sister entrusted her son Perdix to his tutelage. Perdix was so gifted a student that Daedalus grew jealous of him and pushed him from the Acropolis of Athens. Athena took pity on Perdix and transformed him into a bird, the partridge, before he fell to his death.

As punishment Daedalus was banished from Athens.

10. Which hero of Ancient Greece flew upon the back of Pegasus and slew the mighty Chimera?

Answer: Bellerophon

The Chimera was said to be a lioness with a serpent for a tail and the head of a goat in the middle of her back. She was the daughter of Typhon and Echidna (the Mother of all Monsters), could breathe fire, and was the scourge of Lycia. Bellerophon killed her by putting a block of lead on a spear, charged the Chimera while astride the mighty Pegasus and rammed the block down her throat.

When the Chimera tried to breath fire the lead melted and caused poor thing to suffocate.

Source: Author maxmcd

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor LadyCaitriona before going online.
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