Classical Origins of Western Culture

Self-Quiz on Vergil's Aeneid (Book 6)

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1. What prophecy does the Sibyl, Apollo's priestess, give Aeneas?

Rome will be a great imperial city
Aeneas will win glory beyond his wildest dreams
the people of Italy will welcome Aeneas as their liberator
new wars, and a new Achilles, await Aeneas in Italy

2. The Sibyl tells Aeneas that in order to go down to the underworld, he must first

pluck a golden bough
bury his friend Misenus
sacrifice black animals
all of the above

3. How do the souls of the dead cross the river Styx?

the gods send breezes to waft them across
the ferryman Charon takes them across in his boat
those who are righteous have the strength to swim across; the unrighteous can never cross
the souls cross on a bridge guarded by demons armed with spears

4. Aeneas meets his helmsman Palinurus, who had been knocked overboard, then killed when he came ashore. Palinurus cannot enter Hades because

his corpse has not been buried
the gods will never forgive him for his pride
he neglected his duty
the Sibyl is angry with him and puts a curse on him

5. In the Fields of Mourning, Aeneas meets Dido. He attempts to placate her, and Diodo responds by

bitterly cursing Aeneas and all his descendants
weeping and falling into Aeneas' arms
praying to Venus to witness all that she has suffered
fleeing from Aeneas, without a word, to rejoin her husband Sychaeus

6. Among men famous in war, Aeneas meets Deiphobus, son of Priam. Deiphobus has been

mutilated by Menelaus after being betrayed by Helen
killed in a duel with Achilles
held as a prisoner of war for six years after the fall of Troy
killed while defending Priam in the inner courtyard of the palace

7. In the underworld, the wicked

share the same fate as those who have been virtuous
are imprisoned in Tartarus and severely punished
are never allowed to enter the underworld at all
are kept in limbo for three years and then allowed to mingle with the other souls

8. In the Blessed Groves Aeneas meets his father Anchises. Anchises tells Aeneas that the souls of the dead

are rewarded or punished for all eternity
have godlike powers which they can exercise on earth by sending dreams and portents
are incapable of real thought or emotion because their sinews have been destroyed in death
are reborn after a thousand years have passed

9. Anchises shows Aeneas

the tablets on which the Roman code of laws is inscribed
a great temple in which all the great exploits of Romans are portrayed in sculpture
the souls of famous Roman leaders yet to be born
all of the above

10. Anchises tells Aeneas that the Romans will

destroy their enemies, both foreign and domestic, without mercy
impose the rule of law, spare the conquered, and battle down the proud
be superior to the Greeks in literature and the arts
build magnificent public works, such as aqueducts and baths, by using their superior engineering skills

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Format and code "borrowed" from Timothy Shortell's Sociology 19 website (2/99)