There was no winner
this time. If you would like to have a go before seeing the answers below (sorry - no
prize) click here
_______________________________
1. At the opening of The Iliad, the Trojan war has been going on for...
a. six months
b. three years c. nine years
d. hasnt yet begun
2. Akhilleus was rightly pissed off at Agamémnon, but it was really Apollo who
brought about the quarrel between the two. The sun god had been appealed to by a priest
who had it in for Agamémnon because he...
a. ransacked the priests temples b. refused to
release the priests daughter for ransom
c. took the priests wife and daughter as his
concubines
d. ignored the priests pleas for money and
sacrifice
3. In the first battle scene between the Trojans and the Akhaians, Meneláos is about to kill Paris
when Aphrodítê intervenes and...
a.veils them both in dusk
b. temporarily blinds Meneláos c. hides Paris in
mist
d. bears Paris off in a dark cloud
4. A short while later, Meneláos is wounded by this Trojan soldier ...
a. Aineías
b. Simoéisios
c. Hektor d. Pándaros
5. Both sides offered sacrifices to the gods of either a hundred oxen or cattle at
the same time or the sacrifice of a large number of other animals. This sacrifice is
called a..... hekatomb
6. The gods aided both the Trojans and Akhaians. Hêra and Athêne were big
cheerleaders and occasional interveners on behalf of which side? Akhaians
7. A Trojan soldier is flung from his chariot at the feet of Meneláos to whom he
begs for his life, promising "no end of ransom" from his father; Meneláos
consents, but who steps in, calls him a "soft heart," spears the guy, then jumps
on the spear and breaks it off? a. Agamémnon
b. Odysseus
c. Aías Telamonios
d. Short Aías
8. Of whom was it said by a Trojan augur: "I call him most formidable of
Akhaians now . . . / the fellow fights like one possessed: no man / can equal him in
fury"?
a. Akhilleus
b. Merínones c. Diomêdês
d. Idómeneus
9. Who spoke the words: "When Dawn with rosy fingers eastward made the tenth
day bright ? Glaukos
10. During a break in battle, Antênor advises the Trojans to...
a. stand firm and protect Helen b. give her back to
the Atreidai
c. let the soldiers have their way with her
d. sacrifice the troublesome "cow" to
Apollo
11. Hektors team of horses was called "Tawny and Whitefoot" and...
a. Raven and Dawn
b. Lightning and Blackwing
c. Goldy and Ambrosia d. Dusky and Dapple
12. When the men didnt want to fight, they were often called a "pack of
dogs," or a soldier was referred to as a ... a. woman
b. rat
c. goat
d. ninny
13. Match the epithet with the name by putting the corresponding number in the
box:
a. grey-eyed
7
1. Hêra
b. breaker of wild horses
5
2. Myrmidons
c. lionhearted breaker of men
6
3. Odysseus
d. lord of the warcry
4
4. Diomêdês
e. arms white as ivory
1
5. Hektor
f. the great tactician
3
6. Akhilleus
g. brothers-in-arms of Pêleus son
2
7. Athêne
14. When Agamémnon wants to make peace with Akhilleus, he offers to
return Akhilleus slave girl Briseis, whom he had stolen, saying... a. they never slept
together
b. they only fooled around a bit
c. he only coupled with her once
d. he was getting tired of her anyway
15. He was an old, wise Akhaian, but still fought like hell...
a. Euaimôn
b.Tydeus c. Nestor
d. Pêleus
16. Akhilleus only joined the battle after the death of ...
a. his mother, Thetis
b. Teukros
c. Polypoites d. Patróklos
17. Which Trojan was left strutting around in Akhilleus armor? Hektor
18. Before the Akhaians, with Akhilleus in the lead, go to battle the Trojans,
there is a big discussion about whether or not they should first...
a. bathe b. eat
c. cut their hair
d. make love to their women
19. The first Trojan to fight Akhilleus was... a. Aineías
b. Hektor
c. Paris
d. Xánthos
20. To avenge the death of his beloved companion, Akhilleus not only dragged
around the body of Hektor behind his chariot, he also...
a. tortured 12 of the bravest Trojans
b. blinded 12 sons of Priam
c. raped 12 Trojan virgins
d. cut the throats
of 12 Trojan boys
21. Which sport was not undertaken at the funeral games arranged by
Akhilleus?
a. wrestling
b. chariot racing
c. javelin throwing
d. discus throwing
e. running
f. archery g. swimming
h. boxing
i. spear fighting
22. King Priam retrieved Hektors body by offering Akhilleus all sorts of
great loot, including...
a. 20 pubescent beauties b. 10 bars of gold
c. a golden chariot
d. a good set of cutlery
23. At the time of Hektors death, how long had Helen been in Troy?
a. 10 years
b. 15 years c. 20 years
d. 30 years 24. After the death of Hektor, his wife Andrómakhê predicts that their baby
son will be snatched away and ...
a. held for ransom by the Akhaians b. hurled to death
from Troys walls
c. thrown into the sea
d. rescued by Aineías
25. In Wolfgang Petersens Troy (2004), several liberties are taken
with the original text. Perhaps the most egregious license in the film comes with the
death of two principal characters, who, according to Homer and many other ancients, lived
on long after the Trojan war. They are... a. Meneláos and
Agamémnon
b. Agamémnon and Akhilleus
c. Meneláos and Hektor
d. Hektor and Akhilleus