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Wise Enough for Athena? Trivia Quiz

A quiz about Athena, the Greek goddess of Wisdom.

A multiple-choice quiz by Ellen1407. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Ellen1407

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
346,051

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
614

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. According to Hesiod, who was Athena's mother? Hint

Thetis

Iris

Hera

Metis

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Question 2 of 10

2. One of the most famous images of Athena is the Athena Parthenos which stood in the Parthenon at Athens. Who sculpted this cult statue? Hint

Pericles

Alcamenes

Lysippos

Phidias

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Question 3 of 10

3. Which god tried to rape Athena? Hint

Apollo

Hephaestus

Hades

Dionysus

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Question 4 of 10

4. According to the "Little Iliad" and Quintus Smyrnaeus's "Fall of Troy", to whom does Athena appear and instruct to build the wooden horse in order to defeat Troy? Hint

Teucer

Odysseus

Epeios

Idomenus

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Question 5 of 10

5. As well as Athena, which of these goddesses was also a virgin goddess? Hint

Artemis

Persephone

Hera

Demeter

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Question 6 of 10

6. In the contest against Poseidon for Athens, what did Athena give the Athenians as a gift to win their favour? Hint

Olive tree

The power of the aegis

Gold

Her girdle

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Question 7 of 10

7. It never does well to offend the gods in Ancient Greece, but what did Athena do to a woman who claimed to be more skilled at weaving than the goddess herself? Hint

Fired a lightening bolt at her.

Turned her to stone.

Turned her into a spider.

Banished her from Greece.

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Athena often favoured heroes and helped Heracles with some of the twelve labours set for him by Zeus's wife Hera. In which of the following did she not assist him? Hint

Slaying the Lernaean Hydra.

Obtaining the girdle of Hippolyta.

Capturing Cerberus in Hades.

Killing the Stymphalian birds.

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. Athena also favours Odysseus but what does she disguise him as towards the end of the "Odyssey" when he returns to Ithaca? Hint

A little girl

A beggar

A king from far away

A slave

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. In Homer Athena is often described as "the blue-eyed goddess".

True

False

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. According to Hesiod, who was Athena's mother?

Answer: Metis

Athena was the child of Metis and Zeus. Fearing he would be overthrown by his child, Zeus swallowed the pregnant Metis whole. Athena was then born from Zeus's head.

2. One of the most famous images of Athena is the Athena Parthenos which stood in the Parthenon at Athens. Who sculpted this cult statue?

Answer: Phidias

This statue was commissioned as part of the Periclean project which was to see the renovation of the Parthenon at Athens. Phidias was accused of embezzling the gold for the statue and died in prison. Today, only replicas of the statue remain.

3. Which god tried to rape Athena?

Answer: Hephaestus

Hephaestus, the lame smith god, tried to rape Athena but did not succeed. However, the myth goes that some on his semen fell to the earth in the process and from this the hero Erichthonius was born.

4. According to the "Little Iliad" and Quintus Smyrnaeus's "Fall of Troy", to whom does Athena appear and instruct to build the wooden horse in order to defeat Troy?

Answer: Epeios

Athena used her powers to send the idea of the Trojan horse to Epeios. Some sources cite the involvement of Odysseus but only Epeios in mentioned in the above two.

5. As well as Athena, which of these goddesses was also a virgin goddess?

Answer: Artemis

Athena and Artemis were two of three virgin goddesses on Mount Olympus, the other being Hestia, the goddess of the home and hearth.

6. In the contest against Poseidon for Athens, what did Athena give the Athenians as a gift to win their favour?

Answer: Olive tree

Poseidon gave the Athenians a sea but as the olive tree was more important economically to the city Athena won the city for herself. There was a sacred olive tree planted at the Acropolis in her honour.

7. It never does well to offend the gods in Ancient Greece, but what did Athena do to a woman who claimed to be more skilled at weaving than the goddess herself?

Answer: Turned her into a spider.

Arachne claimed to be a better weaver than Athena and was challenged to a contest by the goddess. When it was clear that Arachne's tapestry was better than hers, Athena turned her into a spider.

8. Athena often favoured heroes and helped Heracles with some of the twelve labours set for him by Zeus's wife Hera. In which of the following did she not assist him?

Answer: Obtaining the girdle of Hippolyta.

Athena also helped Heracles to steal the apples of the Hesperides.

9. Athena also favours Odysseus but what does she disguise him as towards the end of the "Odyssey" when he returns to Ithaca?

Answer: A beggar

Through Athena's magic Odysseus is transformed into a beggar and attempts to gain the trust of the swineheard Eumaeus and his son Telemachus.

10. In Homer Athena is often described as "the blue-eyed goddess".

Answer: False

Homer describes her as "the grey-eyed goddess" many times in both the "Iliad" and "Odyssey". This highlights her clarity of thought and wisdom.

Source: Author Ellen1407

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