Circle the letter of the one best answer.

Which of the following terms describe the behavior of both Achilleus and Agamemnon in
Iliad, Book 1?

a. reckless and unpredictable

b. prideful and stubborn
c. dishonest and unprincipled
d. vain and boastful

The main lesson of this portion of the Iliad concerns the:

a. price of honor.
b. wisdom of the gods.
c. power of kings.
d. consequences of war.

The plague that strikes the Greek army represents the:

a. unworthiness of the army’s cause.
b. intervention of the gods in human affairs.
c. inevitability of death.
d. destructiveness of Achilleus’ anger toward Agamemnon

The dispute between Achilleus and Agamemnon involves a conflict between which of the
following?
a. courage and intelligence
b. good and evil
c. gods and humans
d. ability and authority

As an epic hero, what is Achilleus’ primary motive for engaging in the war?
a. demonstrating his bravery and valor
b. carrying out the schemes of the gods
c. avenging the misdeeds of the Trojans
d. protecting the freedom of his people

The phrase “Hera the goddess of the white arms” is an example of which of the following
epic conventions?
a. Homeric speech
b. in medias res
c. stock epithet
d. invoking the muse

Agememnon’s primary motive for claiming Briseis is to:

a. measure Achilleus’ loyalty to the army.
b. preserve his own reputation.
c. test Achilleus’ sense of honor.
d. arouse the envy of his soldiers.

Achilleus might have willingly surrendered his prize to Agamemnon if:

a. the gods had not intervened in the dispute
b. Agamemnon’s selfishness had not angered Apollo.
c. he were a less capable warrior than Agamemnon.
d. Agamemnon did not have a wife.

Homer uses the oath that Achilleus makes before returning to Olympos to:
a. convey Achilleus’ thoughts and feelings.
b. examine the logic of Achilleus’ thought processes.
c. reveal the shortcomings of Achilleus’ character.
d. foreshadow the resolution of Achilleus’ character.
How is Achilleus portrayed at the end of the passage?
a. frustrated but optimistic
b. sad and hopeless
c. disappointed but accepting
d. bitter and vengeful

A central idea of Book VI is the conflict a warrior experiences between:

a. duty and family.
b. courage and fear.
c. fate and self-determination.
d. sorrow and happiness

In Book VI Homer contrasts the characters of Paris and Hektor by showing that Paris is:
a. more devoted to his family than Hektor.
b. more self-pitying than Hektor.
c. more accepting of death than Hektor.
d. more concerned with his own honor than Hektor.

To what is Helen referring when she calls herself “a nasty witch evil-intriguing?”
a. her supernatural powers
b. her beauty, which gave rise to the Trojan War
c. her ill will toward the Trojans
d. her selfishness, which has made Paris unhappy

In Book VI, Homer contrasts the traits of experience and innocence by describing
Hektor’s interaction with:
a. Paris. b. Helen. c. Astyanax. d. Andromache

Which contrasting elements of Hektor’s character are revealed in Book VI?

a. modesty and immodesty
b. selfishness and generosity
c. determination and indecision
d. bravery and tenderness

Which of the following is a central idea of Book XVIII?

a. Fate favors those who are fearless.
b. In any battle, good prevails over evil.
c. The destiny of humans is beyond their power to influence.
d. A warrior’s loved ones must be braver than the warrior himself.

Which image on the shield of Achilleus echoes a scene from Book VI?
a. the elders meeting in the sacred circle
b. the wives and children on the rampart of the city
c. the assembly in the market square
d. the procession of brides through the city

In Book XVIII, what is Achilleus’ strongest motivation for returning to fight the
Trojans?
a. reclaiming his stolen shield
b. returning Helen to Menelaos
c. proving his courage to Thetis
d. avenging the death of Patroklos

On Achilleus’ shield, the god Ares and the goddess Athene represent which of the
following?
a. fate b. harmony c. honor d. virtue

Both Achilleus and Hektor face the warnings that they will die in battle with:

a. disbelief and bravado.

b. resentment and fear.
c. sadness and registration.
d. anger and defiance.