TEST no. 1/September 25/26, 2006
The first test will be given on September 25 for the Monday/Wednesday
class, and September 26 for the Tuesday night class. It will be based
on
the
assigned
readings from the Iliad, the course notes (commentaries and class notes
on
the website) on the Iliad, and our discussions in class and on the
listserv.
Please arrive on time; you will have one hour and fifteen minutes
to complete the test. When you finish the test, I urge you to read it
over
carefully and check your work. Once you are done, you may hand it in
and leave
the classroom. Please do not talk, take out books, or disturb other
students who are still taking the test. Students in the Tuesday night
class will be expected to return to the classroom at 8 PM for a
fifty-minute presentation on Archaic Greece, as indicated on the
syllabus
The test will have four parts. You may do them in any order, and you
will
write your answers on the test sheets. Please do not have any
other
papers or books out during the test.
1. 10-20 identifications: You will have to fill in the
blank
with the appropriate name (1 point each). I will not expect perfect
spelling,
but your answer must be reasonably close to the correct spelling and
unambiguous.
________________ I told Achilleus the story of Meleagros.
(answer: Phoinix)
________________ I was the wife and sister of Zeus. (answer: Hera)
________________ Thetis asked me to make a new shield for her
son. (answer: Hephaistos)
2. 3-6 quotations: You will be given 3-6 quotations and you
will be asked a total of 10-15 short answer questions about the
quotations
(1 point each + 1 extra point for each quotation on which you answer
all
questions correctly):
“Come then, do not take your sword in your hand, keep clear of fighting,
though indeed with words you may abuse him, and it will be that way.
And this also will I tell you and it will be a thing accomplished.
Some day three times over such shining gifts shall be given you
by reason of this outrage.”
Who is speaking? (answer: Athene) To whom? (answer:
Achilleus) Who was about to be attacked with a sword? (answer:
Agamemnon)
“...you are only my third slayer,
And put away in your heart this other thing that I tell you.
You yourself are not one who shall live long, but now already
death and powerful destiny are standing beside you,
to go down under the hands of Aiakos’ great son, Achilleus.”
Who is speaking? (answer: Patroklos) To whom? (answer:
Hektor) The speaker says, “you are only my third slayer”.
Name one of the other two “slayers” (answer: Apollo or Euphorbos)
3. 3-5 questions: You will be asked to answer these with a couple
of sentences in the spaces provided. These answers need not be
long,
but, for full credit, they must be correct and precise (5 points each).
How did Achilleus’ plans change after each of the three “ambassadors”
presented Agamemnon’s offer of compensation?
Sample answer: First, he said he was going home. Then, he said he
would decide the next day whether to go home. Finally, he said he
would
stay, but not fight until Hektor threatened his ships.
Briefly describe two specific parts of the larger story of the Trojan
War that Homer includes in the Iliad:
Sample answer: The Catalogue of the Ships lists all of the Greeks who
went to Troy. Paris fights a duel with Menelaos to determine who
should have
Helen.
4. 1 essay. You will have a choice of two or three topics, and
they will
be based on the commentaries and
discussion questions on the website. You will be
graded on your ability to use accurate and relevant references to
specific
material in the Iliad to answer the question directly and persuasively.
Length
alone will not raise your score, but more complete answers - with more
relevant
material from the text and our discussions - will receive higher scores
than
less complete ones. (20 points/allow yourself enough time!).
More sample
answers to parts 3 and 4 are available.
As I explain on the syllabus, I will derive a letter grade from your
raw
score (total number of points) by using a curve based on the
distribution
of scores within the class. Please do not waste time trying to
calculate
your own score, based on answers you may have missed etc. - leave the
grading
to me!