Weekly Wisdom Quiz

Anger and Alexander

Dear Classical Wisdom Reader,

Welcome back to the Weekly Wisdom Quiz!

This is a fun chance to test your knowledge of the ancient world.

As always, all of our questions are based on articles and resources posted on Classical Wisdom this past week. A full roundup of the resources, as well as the answers, are all available just below the questions.

Let’s get to it…

---

1. Plato compared the human soul to what in his dialogue Phaedrus?

A) A burning flame
B) A chariot with two horses
C) A ship on the sea of fate
D) A labyrinth

2. Aspasia, one of the most influential women of ancient Athens, was the lover of which great statesman?

A) Socrates
B) Pericles
C) Solon
D) Alcibiades

3. What rhetorical skill was Aspasia believed to have taught Socrates?

A) Stoic reasoning
B) Inductio (leading someone to a conclusion through questioning)
C) The art of war propaganda
D) The dialectical method

4. According to the discussion on anger, what did Marcus Aurelius recommend doing each morning to prepare for daily frustrations?

A) Meditating for an hour
B) Listing all the annoying people he would encounter
C) Practicing sword fighting to release aggression
D) Writing letters to his enemies

5. What unusual occurrence happened to Alexander’s body after his death, according to ancient sources?

A) It was stolen by Roman invaders
B) It showed no signs of decay for six days
C) It turned to gold overnight
D) It was buried in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon

6. How did Aspasia gain influence in Athenian society despite the restrictions on women?

A) She disguised herself as a man to attend debates
B) She was a hetaira, an educated courtesan with access to powerful men
C) She inherited political power from her family
D) She became a high priestess of Athena

7. In The Iliad, how does Achilles express his Thumos after the death of Patroclus?

A) He refuses to fight and retreats from battle
B) He mourns quietly and leaves Troy
C) He slaughters countless Trojans and desecrates Hector’s body
D) He prays to Zeus for revenge

8. What was the final prophetic statement made to Alexander by the Hindu sage Calanus?

A) "Beware of the Persians!"
B) "We shall meet in Babylon."
C) "Your empire will fall to the Romans."
D) "The gods have forsaken you."

---

---

Answers

1. B) A chariot with two horses (A Tradition of Thumos)

2. B) Pericles (Aspasia: Ancient Athens’ Most Important Woman)

3. B) Inductio (leading someone to a conclusion through questioning) (Aspasia: Ancient Athens’ Most Important Woman)

4. B) Listing all the annoying people he would encounter (‘Is Anger an Issue?’ video event.)

5. B) It showed no signs of decay for six days (The Mysterious Death of Alexander The Great)

6. B) She was a hetaira, an educated courtesan with access to powerful men (Aspasia: Ancient Athens’ Most Important Woman)

7. C) He slaughters countless Trojans and desecrates Hector’s body (A Tradition of Thumos)

8. B) "We shall meet in Babylon." (The Mysterious Death of Alexander The Great)

🏛️ The Wisdom Scale:

🧠 0-2 correct: Novice Philosopher – The journey of wisdom begins with a single step. Keep reading, young thinker!
📜 3-4 correct: Aspiring Sophos – You’re on your way! More scrolls and symposiums await you.
🏛 5-7 correct: Agora Adept – Your grasp of ancient wisdom is growing. The ancients would nod in approval.
⚡ 8 correct: Master of the Classics – You are a true sage! The spirits of Plato and Aristotle smile upon you.

---

Want to challenge your friends? Share this quiz and see who among you is the true Master of the Classics!

Stay wise, and see you next week for another round of The Weekly Wisdom Quiz.

All the best,

Sean Kelly

Managing Editor

Classical Wisdom