Mythic Creatures Quiz
Updated: Jan 15
Twenty questions to test your knowledge about mythic creatures.
What type of creature is the Medusa?
Gorgon
What winged beast emerged from Medusa's body when she was slain?
Pegasus
Who is the half-human hero who slayed Medusa?
Perseus
Which Trojan prince was chosen by Zeus to judge the fairest of all the goddesses?
Paris
The Trojan War was fought between the Trojans and who—the Persians, the Greeks, or the Phoenicians?
Greeks
Before Helen became Helen of Troy, she was Helen of where—Mycenae, Athens, or Sparta?
Sparta
How many Muses are there in Greek mythology—3, 6 or 9?
Nine
Name any one of the Muses.
Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia, or Urania
Which Muse is associated with epic poetry?
Calliope
Why is the planet Jupiter (Roman name for Zeus) named after the king of gods?
It is the largest planet in the solar system.
Of the planet Jupiter's many moons, the largest are known as the Galilean Moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto—what is their relationship, mythically speaking, to Zeus/Jupiter?
Zeus (Jupiter) seduced all of them. Io was a mortal priestess, Europa a Phoenician princess, Ganymede a Trojan prince, and Callisto, a nymph of Artemis.
The god Hephaestus has a physical disability—what is it?
He is lame, after being thrown from Mount Olympus as a baby. There are differing versions of the incident.
What did Tantalus steal from the gods?
He stole nectar and ambrosia to give to humans.
What was Tantalus' punishment?
He is condemned to eternal hunger and thirst.
In 'Oedipus Rex' by Sophocles, Oedipus solves the riddle of which mythical creature?
Sphinx
In 'The Bacchae' by Euripides, King Pentheus refuses to acknowledge which god?
Dionysus
The 'Oresteia' trilogy by Aeschylus is about the murder of which Greek king?
Agamemnon
The hero Cadmus is instructed by the Oracle of Delphi to choose a location for his city by following what sort of beast—serpent, cow, or donkey?
Cow
Cadmus grew an army of warriors by planting a slain dragon's what—scales, claws or teeth?
Teeth
If I was visiting the ancient 'Cadmea,' which modern Greek city would I be in?
Thebes
Who is Charon and what is his grisly job?
Charon is the ferryman to Hades, responsible for transporting the souls of the dead across the River Styx.
What instrument does Apollo play—lyre, aulos, or pan flute?
Lyre
The group of heroes who accompanied Jason to retrieve the Golden Fleece were known as The Argonauts—how did they gain that name?
The ship they sailed in was called 'Argos.'
What was the name of the dragon that guarded the Golden Fleece?
Ladon
What is the name of the god that is half-man, half-goat?
Pan, god of the untamed wilderness.
Who killed the Hydra?
Heracles (Hercules)
Why was the Hydra so hard to kill?
The Hydra had many heads and, when one was cut off, two more would grow in its place.
What is the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Athena?
Minerva
Which of the Olympian gods did the human, Psyche, marry?
Eros, god of love, desire, and attraction.
Who was turned into a spider after challenging Athena in a weaving contest?
Arachne
Daphne was a nymph pursued by Apollo. To protect her from Apollo's advances, Daphne's father, a river god, turned her into what sort of tree—laurel, olive, or date palm?
Laurel tree. Apollo declared the laurel sacred and adopted it as his symbol.
Artemis turned the hunter Actaeon into a stag after he accidentally saw her doing what?
Bathing
Clytie, a water nymph, was in love with the sun god Helios, but he rejected her for another. The gods took pity on her and turned her into what sort of plant?
A sunflower
What weapon does Zeus wield?
Thunderbolt
Is the monster Charybdis a danger to shepherds, sailors, or stonemasons?
Sailors. Charybdis is a sea monster in Greek mythology, often depicted as a giant whirlpool.
BONUS RIDDLE: I am a symbol of ingenuity and flight, 'Twas my father's design that gave me height; The heavens beckoned, but the sun's rays burned; Harsh lesson learned when to earth I returned. Who am I?
Icarus, the boy who flew too high to the sun
How did you do? Tell us in the comments!
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