Phrases, Myths and Ancient History

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. The name of a mythical robber has entered English as an adjective to describe a habit (so prevalent amongst old-fashioned and uninspired schoolteachers) of enforcing conformity without regard for natural variation or individuality. What is the English word? Rigid Strict Stringent Procrustean

2. The word halcyon, meaning idyllic and peaceful, is in fact the name of a mythical bird. True False

3. 'Draconian', meaning excessively harsh and unforgiving in terms of the law, is a word we often associate with despots and tyrants. What is its origin? The practice of chaining minor offenders to a post (dracon) for whipping The root of the Greek word for 'dragon' An Athenian legislator named Draco A hellish monster mentioned in Hesiod's 'Theogony'

4. A minor Greek sea god, whose ability to change shape at will with ease, has given his name to the English language in the form of a word which means varying and flexible (the South African national flower is also named for him). What is the English word? Answer: (One Word)

5. The King of Epirus fought a battle against the Romans in 279 BC. What has been his contribution to the English language? Epirean defeat The Marathon Mexican wave Pyrrhic victory

6. A cynic is a person who believes that people are motivated by self-interest. In Greek philosophy, it referred specifically to a group of philosophers who were openly contemptuous of wealth and pleasure. Many theories abound regarding the origin of the group's name: which Greek word is the most popular origin of 'cynic'? academy wastrel sneer dog

7. Although when they were first invented matches were known colloquially as 'lucifers', a British company chose the name of the Roman goddess of the hearth for their product. What was her name? Answer: (One Word (think Swan____ - specifically a Roman goddess))

8. We all know what an Achille's Heel is: a unique and individual weakness in each and every one of us. At the battle of Troy, Achilles received an arrow in his heel which killed him instantly. This, sadly, was owing to the foolish mistrust of his mother. Rather than submerge her son fully in the river at birth as she had been told by the oracle, she held on to his heel, fearing he might drown. What was the name of the magical river whose waters should have provided Achilles with complete invulnerability? Styx Phrygian Aegean Delta

9. 'Ostracism', the practice of excluding someone from a society or group, in fact had far worse implications in Ancient Greece: banishment for a period of either five or ten years. What does the Greek word 'ostra', from which ours derives, literally mean? secret ballot shard of pottery black ball eviction

10. A mentor is a trusted and experienced advisor, one to whom we look for example and guidance either in academia or in a given trade. Whence does the word come? From the root 'mens- mentis' meaning 'wise' From the Latin for 'mint' (as in the place where money is made) It has no basis in either myth or ancient history It is the name of a character from Homer's 'Odyssey'