Read the sentence.
Upon returning to Athens after defeating the Minotaur in Crete, Theseus replaced King Aegeus, leading Athens into a new era of success.
Which part of Theseus does the sentence best summarize?
• the main resolution
• the main setting
• the main conflict
• the main character
11 answers
• the main character
Theseus
Theseus, the son of Aegeus, the king of Athens, was also the city of Athens' greatest hero. He was not as physically powerful as his cousin, Hercules, but he possessed other heroic qualities, such as courage, resourcefulness, and the pursuit of excellence. He was raised in his mother's land, but once she told him who his father was, he decided to go to Athens to claim his birthright. Theseus always wanted to be a great hero, like Hercules, and now what he wanted most was to enter Athens worthy of being the son of the king. Therefore, although he could have taken a safe journey by sea to Athens, he instead chose the dangerous route by land. The route, which passed the six entrances to the Underworld, was littered with violent brigands. Theseus believed he could achieve greatness by defeating these brigands, who tormented travelers, and indeed carried this out.
Of all his adventures, the one for which Theseus is best known is his confrontation with the Minotaur on the island of Crete. The king of Crete, Minos, was the son of a god, Jupiter, and a human, Europa. The Minotaur, a fearsome beast that was part man, part bull, was born to Minos's wife. The story went that King Minos was once given a white bull to sacrifice to Poseidon, but the bull was so beautiful he decided to sacrifice another bull instead. In revenge, Poseidon caused King Minos's wife, Pasiphae, to fall madly in love with the white bull. The Minotaur was their offspring. As it grew older, it grew wilder and fed on humans, so King Minos had him confined in a labyrinth built by the great artisan, Daedalus.
One day, news reached King Minos that one of his sons was killed in Athens. He launched a war on that city. In exchange for peace, he demanded tribute in the form of seven Athenian boys and seven girls. They were to be delivered to Crete every seven years and sacrificed to the Minotaur.
King Minos himself would travel to Athens and choose the boys and girls to ensure that they were the children of lawful citizens. They would be taken to Knossos in Crete and thrown into the labyrinth, where they would wander through the long, twisting maze, until they came face to face with the Minotaur.
Theseus witnessed the suffering this penalty had on his fellow citizens. When the time came for the fathers to present their children for selection, the Athenians accused King Aegeus of causing this misery, shouting that their true-born children had to die so that his foreign-born child could become king. Hearing this, Theseus volunteered to go as one of the sacrificial party to slay the monster. The Athenians were moved by this noble action of their prince, but his father begged him not to go. Theseus would not be swayed and promised his father that he would put up white sails on his journey back if he succeeded and he would have his crew put up black sails if he was killed. Then he went to the temple of Apollo to say his last prayers.
Theseus arrived in Crete, whereupon King Minos's daughter, Ariadne, fell in love with him at first sight.
Daedalus warned Ariadne that even should Theseus kill the Minotaur, he would never find his way out of the labyrinth. So to help her beloved, Ariadne gave him a sword and a ball of thread and instructed him on how to make his way through the labyrinth. Following Daedalus's instructions, he went forwards and down, never left or right. Theseus found the Minotaur asleep and pounced on him, pinning him to the ground. He killed the beast and used his sword to decapitate it. Once the Minotaur was dead, Theseus used the thread to retrace his steps and lead the other captive Athenians out.
Unfortunately, on the voyage home, events took place that caused Theseus to forget to put up white sails.
When King Aegeus saw the black sails of his son's ship in the distance, he threw himself off a cliff.
Theseus became ruler of Athens and was known for his charity to the poor and for organizing a commonwealth so that Athenian citizens could vote and govern themselves. Athens thereafter became one of the most prosperous cities on Earth.
In Theseus, the author gives King Minos some characteristics of a Greek hero by
* identifying his group of followers.
* pointing out his supernatural gifts.
* illustrating his character faults.
* showing his speech-making talents.
Theseus, the son of Aegeus, the king of Athens, was also the city of Athens' greatest hero. He was not as physically powerful as his cousin, Hercules, but he possessed other heroic qualities, such as courage, resourcefulness, and the pursuit of excellence. He was raised in his mother's land, but once she told him who his father was, he decided to go to Athens to claim his birthright. Theseus always wanted to be a great hero, like Hercules, and now what he wanted most was to enter Athens worthy of being the son of the king. Therefore, although he could have taken a safe journey by sea to Athens, he instead chose the dangerous route by land. The route, which passed the six entrances to the Underworld, was littered with violent brigands. Theseus believed he could achieve greatness by defeating these brigands, who tormented travelers, and indeed carried this out.
Of all his adventures, the one for which Theseus is best known is his confrontation with the Minotaur on the island of Crete. The king of Crete, Minos, was the son of a god, Jupiter, and a human, Europa. The Minotaur, a fearsome beast that was part man, part bull, was born to Minos's wife. The story went that King Minos was once given a white bull to sacrifice to Poseidon, but the bull was so beautiful he decided to sacrifice another bull instead. In revenge, Poseidon caused King Minos's wife, Pasiphae, to fall madly in love with the white bull. The Minotaur was their offspring. As it grew older, it grew wilder and fed on humans, so King Minos had him confined in a labyrinth built by the great artisan, Daedalus.
One day, news reached King Minos that one of his sons was killed in Athens. He launched a war on that city. In exchange for peace, he demanded tribute in the form of seven Athenian boys and seven girls. They were to be delivered to Crete every seven years and sacrificed to the Minotaur.
King Minos himself would travel to Athens and choose the boys and girls to ensure that they were the children of lawful citizens. They would be taken to Knossos in Crete and thrown into the labyrinth, where they would wander through the long, twisting maze, until they came face to face with the Minotaur.
Theseus witnessed the suffering this penalty had on his fellow citizens. When the time came for the fathers to present their children for selection, the Athenians accused King Aegeus of causing this misery, shouting that their true-born children had to die so that his foreign-born child could become king. Hearing this, Theseus volunteered to go as one of the sacrificial party to slay the monster. The Athenians were moved by this noble action of their prince, but his father begged him not to go. Theseus would not be swayed and promised his father that he would put up white sails on his journey back if he succeeded and he would have his crew put up black sails if he was killed. Then he went to the temple of Apollo to say his last prayers.
Theseus arrived in Crete, whereupon King Minos's daughter, Ariadne, fell in love with him at first sight.
Daedalus warned Ariadne that even should Theseus kill the Minotaur, he would never find his way out of the labyrinth. So to help her beloved, Ariadne gave him a sword and a ball of thread and instructed him on how to make his way through the labyrinth. Following Daedalus's instructions, he went forwards and down, never left or right. Theseus found the Minotaur asleep and pounced on him, pinning him to the ground. He killed the beast and used his sword to decapitate it. Once the Minotaur was dead, Theseus used the thread to retrace his steps and lead the other captive Athenians out.
Unfortunately, on the voyage home, events took place that caused Theseus to forget to put up white sails.
When King Aegeus saw the black sails of his son's ship in the distance, he threw himself off a cliff.
Theseus became ruler of Athens and was known for his charity to the poor and for organizing a commonwealth so that Athenian citizens could vote and govern themselves. Athens thereafter became one of the most prosperous cities on Earth.
In Theseus, the author gives King Minos some characteristics of a Greek hero by
* identifying his group of followers.
* pointing out his supernatural gifts.
* illustrating his character faults.
* showing his speech-making talents.
* illustrating his character faults.
Read the passage from Theseus.
Theseus always wanted to be a great hero, like Hercules, and now what he wanted most was to enter Athens worthy of being the son of the king. Therefore, although he could have taken a safe journey by sea to Athens, he instead chose the dangerous route by land.
The route, which passed the six entrances to the Underworld, was littered with violent brigands.
What aspect of ancient Greek daily life does this passage reveal?
• Ocean travel was risky.
• Ocean travel was common.
• It was unusual to travel to Athens.
O It was common to travel to the Underworld.
Theseus always wanted to be a great hero, like Hercules, and now what he wanted most was to enter Athens worthy of being the son of the king. Therefore, although he could have taken a safe journey by sea to Athens, he instead chose the dangerous route by land.
The route, which passed the six entrances to the Underworld, was littered with violent brigands.
What aspect of ancient Greek daily life does this passage reveal?
• Ocean travel was risky.
• Ocean travel was common.
• It was unusual to travel to Athens.
O It was common to travel to the Underworld.
Ocean travel was risky.
Read the excerpt from "Persues."
He announced that he was about to be married, and he called his friends together for a celebration, including Perseus in the invitation. Each guest, as was customary, brought a gift for the bride-to-be, except Perseus alone.
Which aspect of Greek life does this excerpt reveal?
• that marriage ceremonies took place in summer
• that music was played at wedding celebrations O that a wedding feast was paid for by the bride's
family
O that people gave gifts to the woman getting married
He announced that he was about to be married, and he called his friends together for a celebration, including Perseus in the invitation. Each guest, as was customary, brought a gift for the bride-to-be, except Perseus alone.
Which aspect of Greek life does this excerpt reveal?
• that marriage ceremonies took place in summer
• that music was played at wedding celebrations O that a wedding feast was paid for by the bride's
family
O that people gave gifts to the woman getting married
that people gave gifts to the woman getting married
Read the passage from "The Beginnings of the Maasai."
Now Enkai lives at the top of Mount Kenya, and we Maasai still live below, herding cattle down in the plains. It's not a bad life, especially when Enkai is the Black God, providing for us. And when the cattle or other children cause problems, I just warn them that they never know when I might suddenly develop my godly powers.
The main purpose of the passage is to illustrate the relationship between the Maasai and
• Mount Kenya.
• the children.
• the cattle.
O their god.
Now Enkai lives at the top of Mount Kenya, and we Maasai still live below, herding cattle down in the plains. It's not a bad life, especially when Enkai is the Black God, providing for us. And when the cattle or other children cause problems, I just warn them that they never know when I might suddenly develop my godly powers.
The main purpose of the passage is to illustrate the relationship between the Maasai and
• Mount Kenya.
• the children.
• the cattle.
O their god.
their god.
When Cepheus consents to give his daughter Andromeda to the sea serpent, it reflects the ancient Greek values of
justice and morality.
• intelligence and strength.
• home and family.
sacrifice and humility.
justice and morality.
• intelligence and strength.
• home and family.
sacrifice and humility.
sacrifice and humility.