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Mary Renault Classic Fiction Trivia Quiz

Mary Renault was one of the greatest historical novelists of the 20th century, as well as a noted feminist. Here is an introduction to some of her most exciting books and the colourful charecters in them.

A multiple-choice quiz by Codomsn8. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Codomsn8

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
390,040

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
120

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. "The King Must Die" is an account of the early adventures of which legendary king of Athens? Hint

Theseus

Damocles

Minotour

Hercules

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Question 2 of 10

2. "The Praise Singer" is a fictional account of which famous Greek poet's life? Hint

Simonides

Sappho

Bacchylides

Menander

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Question 3 of 10

3. What did Alexander the Great reportedly foresee on his death bed, forming the inspiration for one of Renault's greatest novels? Hint

Chaos in the empire

Contests at my funeral games

The death of my queen

The rise of Rome

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Question 4 of 10

4. Which of Renault's novels deals with the love affair between Plato and the Greek general Dion? Hint

The Eumenides

Love Never Dies

Funeral Games

The Mask of Apollo

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Question 5 of 10

5. Which Athenian tyrant is assassinated in "The Praise Singer"? Hint

Hipparchos

Thasybullus

Hippias

Pisistratus

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Question 6 of 10

6. In "The Persian Boy", who is Bagoas? Hint

The poet who wins the soldiers' hearts

A Persian traitor

Alexander the Great's lover

The chief bodyguard of Darius

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which one of the following books by Mary Renault does NOT deal with ancient history? Hint

The Charioteer

The Bull from the Sea

The Nature of Alexander

Fire from Heaven

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Question 8 of 10

8. Mary Renault was born in England. In which other country did she spend many decades of her life? Hint

Ireland

USA

Greece

South Africa

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Question 9 of 10

9. "The Last of the Wine" - the earliest of Renault's historical novels in terms of date of composition - was set during the destructive war between which two Greek cities? Hint

Mycenae and Troy

Athens and Macedon

Sparta and Athens

Thebes and Sparta

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Question 10 of 10

10. Something to prepare you for a slightly trickier set of questions next time. In "The Bull from the Sea", the (female) love of Theseus' life comes from where? Hint

Troy

Crete

Pontos

Athens

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. "The King Must Die" is an account of the early adventures of which legendary king of Athens?

Answer: Theseus

Theseus volunteered to be one of a team of girls and boys who were sent each year by Athens to become sacrificial offerings in the Bull Ring in Crete. He led a successful revolt against the Cretan king and returned to Athens to take the throne.

2. "The Praise Singer" is a fictional account of which famous Greek poet's life?

Answer: Simonides

Simonides was famous for the beauty of his lyric poems and for his personal ugliness. He was commissioned by the Spartans to write the epitaph of the famous 300 - see the movie - killed by the Persians at Thermopylae.

3. What did Alexander the Great reportedly foresee on his death bed, forming the inspiration for one of Renault's greatest novels?

Answer: Contests at my funeral games

It was customary in Ancient Greece for athletic contests to be held to honour the spirit of a dead hero or leader. In Renault's "Funeral Games", the "games" are the violent contests between his generals and family to replace him after his premature death in 323 BC. There were no winners...

4. Which of Renault's novels deals with the love affair between Plato and the Greek general Dion?

Answer: The Mask of Apollo

Plato believed that the only way to run a government effectively was through a "philosopher king". The Sicilian nobleman Dion, his long-time lover, was his choice for the role. Unfortunately, Sicily did not prove a good choice of venue for such an altruistic experiment...

5. Which Athenian tyrant is assassinated in "The Praise Singer"?

Answer: Hipparchos

Hipparchos was one of the three sons of the Athenian "tyrant" Pisistratus. He was a gifted patron of the arts, but with an unfortunate tendency to make off with the (male) lovers of his rivals. One such attempt led to his assassination by the affronted couple, Harmodios and Aristigeiton, whose statues were subsequently erected in Athens as a monument to liberty...

6. In "The Persian Boy", who is Bagoas?

Answer: Alexander the Great's lover

Bagoas was a common name in Persia. Two eunuchs - both historical characters - feature in the novel. The first is a regicide made to drink poison by the last Persian Great King. The other is one of the same king's lovers, acquired by Alexander and thereafter one of his two closest partners.

7. Which one of the following books by Mary Renault does NOT deal with ancient history?

Answer: The Charioteer

"The Charioteer" is a novel dealing with a fraught homosexual relationship during the second world war. You deserve some credit if you chose "The Nature of Alexander", as that is the only work of non-fiction listed.

8. Mary Renault was born in England. In which other country did she spend many decades of her life?

Answer: South Africa

Renault and her female companion emigrated to South Africa a few years after World War 2. Ironically, it was there that they could find toleration for a relationship which was still illegal in Britain.

9. "The Last of the Wine" - the earliest of Renault's historical novels in terms of date of composition - was set during the destructive war between which two Greek cities?

Answer: Sparta and Athens

The disastrous Pelopennesian war in the late fifth century BC between Athens and Sparta forms the backdrop to this epic tale of romance, treachery and philosophy.

10. Something to prepare you for a slightly trickier set of questions next time. In "The Bull from the Sea", the (female) love of Theseus' life comes from where?

Answer: Pontos

Theseus as High King of Attica is obliged to marry Phaedra, the corrupt daughter of the last Cretan king, for reasons of state. But his love is given to Hippolyta, a Sarmatian warrior priestess whom he captures in Pontos (northern Turkey). Sadly, she is killed by her former former comrades in battle; he himself kills their son, on suspicion of having an affair with his wife, and then kills her too. Those were the days.

Source: Author Codomsn8

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