CLAS EXAM 2025 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
When we say that myths present humans at an "ontological disadvantage," we mean that... -
ANS Ancient humans could not do the miraculous things that gods did.
One of the things that the story of Daphne does is... - ANS Explain where the laurel tree
came from
Who turns Daphne into a tree - ANS Peneus
What is one significance of the fact that the myths of Daphne and Callisto are set right after the
great Flood? - ANS It implies that this is how the world as we know it originated
When Wendy Doniger said that "myths are mercenaries" she meant - ANS Myths can be
made to express a wide range of values and emotions, depending on what the narrator wants
What was the attitude towards rape in real ancient Greek culture? - ANS A man had the right
to kill someone who raped his daughter or wife
In Ovid's story, Arachne was by profession - ANS A weaver
One of the possible things that the myth of Callisto was about is - ANS Explaining where a
constellation came from
1 @COPYRIGHT THEBRIGHT 2025/2026
, In the Athenian version of Arachne's story, what trait associated with spiders came into play? -
ANS Spiders are lustful
Which of the characters that we have met this week is an especially good example of hubris? -
ANS Arachne
Many stories about the early days of the cosmos include descriptions of power passing from an
older entity to another, younger one. This is called - ANS Succesion
One distinctive feature of the Greek tale about the early days of the cosmos that we discussed
in class is - ANS Lust is an important element from the start
What does the word "chaos" mean in Greek? - ANS Yawning Gap
Who comes up with the idea of giving Cronus an emetic? - ANS Metis
What final enemy must Zeus defeat? - ANS Typhon
Who is born from Sky's castrated genitals? - ANS Aphrodite
How does Zeus get rid of Metis - ANS He swallows her
Who told the most famous ancient story about the origin of the cosmos? (As retold in Chapter 1
of Gods and Mortals) - ANS The poet Hesoid
What creatures are eventual descendants of Earth's marriage to Sea? - ANS Monsters
2 @COPYRIGHT THEBRIGHT 2025/2026
ANSWERS
When we say that myths present humans at an "ontological disadvantage," we mean that... -
ANS Ancient humans could not do the miraculous things that gods did.
One of the things that the story of Daphne does is... - ANS Explain where the laurel tree
came from
Who turns Daphne into a tree - ANS Peneus
What is one significance of the fact that the myths of Daphne and Callisto are set right after the
great Flood? - ANS It implies that this is how the world as we know it originated
When Wendy Doniger said that "myths are mercenaries" she meant - ANS Myths can be
made to express a wide range of values and emotions, depending on what the narrator wants
What was the attitude towards rape in real ancient Greek culture? - ANS A man had the right
to kill someone who raped his daughter or wife
In Ovid's story, Arachne was by profession - ANS A weaver
One of the possible things that the myth of Callisto was about is - ANS Explaining where a
constellation came from
1 @COPYRIGHT THEBRIGHT 2025/2026
, In the Athenian version of Arachne's story, what trait associated with spiders came into play? -
ANS Spiders are lustful
Which of the characters that we have met this week is an especially good example of hubris? -
ANS Arachne
Many stories about the early days of the cosmos include descriptions of power passing from an
older entity to another, younger one. This is called - ANS Succesion
One distinctive feature of the Greek tale about the early days of the cosmos that we discussed
in class is - ANS Lust is an important element from the start
What does the word "chaos" mean in Greek? - ANS Yawning Gap
Who comes up with the idea of giving Cronus an emetic? - ANS Metis
What final enemy must Zeus defeat? - ANS Typhon
Who is born from Sky's castrated genitals? - ANS Aphrodite
How does Zeus get rid of Metis - ANS He swallows her
Who told the most famous ancient story about the origin of the cosmos? (As retold in Chapter 1
of Gods and Mortals) - ANS The poet Hesoid
What creatures are eventual descendants of Earth's marriage to Sea? - ANS Monsters
2 @COPYRIGHT THEBRIGHT 2025/2026
