Greek Mythology Quiz
Zeus, Athena, Heracles and the Minotaur: 15 questions on the gods, monsters and heroes of ancient Greece.
Who is the king of the gods on Mount Olympus?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Zeus
Zeus rules the sky and the Olympian gods after overthrowing his father Cronus. He wields the thunderbolt, and his brothers Poseidon and Hades took the sea and the underworld.
The three brothers drew lots for their realms, and the Romans later renamed Zeus as Jupiter, keeping his thunderbolt.
Which god served as messenger of the gods and wore winged sandals?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Hermes
Hermes carries messages for Zeus, guides travellers and escorts the souls of the dead to the underworld. His winged sandals, winged cap and herald's staff make him instantly recognisable.
On the day he was born Hermes stole Apollo's cattle, then made peace by giving him the lyre he had invented from a tortoise shell.
Which hero killed the Minotaur in the Labyrinth of Crete?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Theseus
Theseus volunteered as one of the Athenian youths sent as tribute to King Minos, killed the bull-headed Minotaur and found his way out using the thread given to him by Ariadne.
On the voyage home Theseus forgot to raise white sails, and his father Aegeus leapt into the sea that now bears his name.
What is the name of the three-headed dog that guards the entrance to the underworld?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Cerberus
Cerberus lets the dead enter the realm of Hades but allows none to leave. Capturing him without weapons was the twelfth and final labour of Heracles.
Orpheus lulled Cerberus to sleep with his music, and Aeneas's guide drugged him with a honey cake in Virgil's Aeneid.
Which boy flew too close to the sun on wings made of feathers and wax?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Icarus
Icarus and his father Daedalus escaped King Minos on wings Daedalus built. Ignoring his father's warning, Icarus flew too high, the wax melted and he fell into the sea.
The stretch of the Aegean where he drowned is still called the Icarian Sea, and the nearby island of Ikaria also bears his name.
Which Titan was condemned to hold up the sky for eternity?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Atlas
After the Titans lost their war against the Olympians, Zeus punished Atlas by forcing him to bear the heavens on his shoulders at the western edge of the world.
The Atlas Mountains of North Africa and the word atlas for a book of maps both take their name from him.
Which Titan stole fire from the gods and gave it to humankind?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Prometheus
Prometheus smuggled fire to mortals inside a fennel stalk. Zeus punished him by chaining him to a rock where an eagle ate his liver every day, only for it to regrow each night.
Heracles eventually shot the eagle and freed Prometheus, and the Titan's name is usually translated as forethought.
Which goddess sprang fully grown and armed from the head of Zeus?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Athena
Zeus swallowed the pregnant Metis after a prophecy that her child would overthrow him. Hephaestus later split Zeus's skull with an axe and Athena leapt out in full armour.
Athens is named after her, and she won the city in a contest with Poseidon by offering the olive tree.
According to Hesiod, who opened a jar and released every evil into the world?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Pandora
Pandora was the first woman, made by the gods on Zeus's orders. Curiosity led her to open the jar she had been given, releasing sickness and toil, with only hope left inside.
Hesiod wrote of a jar, or pithos, and the familiar box only appeared through a sixteenth-century Latin mistranslation.
Which musician descended into the underworld to bring back his wife Eurydice?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Orpheus
Orpheus charmed Hades and Persephone with his lyre and was allowed to lead Eurydice back, on condition he did not look at her until they reached the surface. He looked back and lost her.
The myth inspired Monteverdi's L'Orfeo of 1607, the oldest opera still regularly staged, and the recent Broadway hit Hadestown.
Which faithful wife unpicked a shroud every night to hold off her suitors while Odysseus was away?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Penelope
Penelope promised to choose a new husband once she finished weaving a burial shroud for Laertes, then secretly undid her work each night for three years to delay the suitors.
Odysseus proved his identity to her with a secret only he knew: their marriage bed was carved from a living olive tree.
What was the first of the twelve labours of Heracles?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Slaying the Nemean Lion
The lion's hide could not be pierced by any weapon, so Heracles strangled it with his bare hands and then used one of its own claws to skin it. He wore the pelt ever after.
The constellation Leo is traditionally said to be the Nemean Lion, placed in the sky by Zeus to honour the fight.
Which goddess threw the golden apple inscribed 'to the fairest' that set off the Trojan War?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Eris
Eris, goddess of discord, was not invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, so she tossed in a golden apple. Hera, Athena and Aphrodite each claimed it, and Paris judged for Aphrodite.
Aphrodite's bribe was the most beautiful woman alive, Helen of Sparta, whose abduction to Troy launched the thousand ships.
Which winged horse sprang from the blood of Medusa when Perseus beheaded her?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Pegasus
Pegasus was born from Medusa's severed neck along with the warrior Chrysaor. The hero Bellerophon later tamed him with a golden bridle and rode him to slay the Chimera.
When Bellerophon tried to fly Pegasus up to Olympus, Zeus sent a gadfly to throw him off, and the horse alone was welcomed.
Which hunter was turned into a stag by Artemis after he saw her bathing?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Actaeon
Actaeon stumbled upon Artemis bathing in a spring. The outraged goddess transformed him into a stag and his own hounds, failing to recognise their master, tore him apart.
Ovid names dozens of Actaeon's dogs in the Metamorphoses, and the scene was painted by Titian for King Philip II of Spain.
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All Literature quizzes →About the Greek Mythology Quiz
The myths of ancient Greece have been retold for nearly 3,000 years, from Homer and Hesiod to Percy Jackson and the movies. The Olympians ruled from Mount Olympus, Heracles sweated through twelve labours, and Theseus walked into the Labyrinth with nothing but a ball of thread.
This quiz covers the stories everyone half remembers: the king of the gods, the boy who flew too close to the sun, the hero who faced the Minotaur, and the jar that Pandora should never have opened. Later questions dig into the goddess who started the Trojan War and a hunter who met a grim end at the hands of Artemis. It suits students, mythology lovers and anyone who enjoys a good monster.
You will find 15 multiple choice questions here, each with four options. Difficulty: Easy. Most people finish in about 6 minutes, and every answer comes with a short explanation and one extra fact worth keeping.
How to play
Read the question and pick one of the four answers. The correct answer is revealed straight away with a short explanation, then press Next question to keep going. At the end you get your score out of 15 and a full review of your round. Play again any time and the questions arrive in a fresh order. There is no timer and no account.
Good to know before you play
How many questions are in the Greek Mythology Quiz?
There are 15 multiple choice questions covering gods, heroes and monsters, each with four options, an explanation and a bonus fact.
Which myths does the quiz cover?
The Olympian gods, the labours of Heracles, Theseus and the Minotaur, Icarus, Pandora, Orpheus, the Odyssey and the golden apple that led to the Trojan War.
Is this quiz suitable for kids and students?
Yes. It is rated Easy, the questions stick to the classic stories taught in school, and the explanations are written for all ages.
Answer key: all 15 questions with explanations
- Who is the king of the gods on Mount Olympus?
Zeus Zeus rules the sky and the Olympian gods after overthrowing his father Cronus. He wields the thunderbolt, and his brothers Poseidon and Hades took the sea and the underworld. The three brothers drew lots for their realms, and the Romans later renamed Zeus as Jupiter, keeping his thunderbolt. - Which god served as messenger of the gods and wore winged sandals?
Hermes Hermes carries messages for Zeus, guides travellers and escorts the souls of the dead to the underworld. His winged sandals, winged cap and herald's staff make him instantly recognisable. On the day he was born Hermes stole Apollo's cattle, then made peace by giving him the lyre he had invented from a tortoise shell. - Which hero killed the Minotaur in the Labyrinth of Crete?
Theseus Theseus volunteered as one of the Athenian youths sent as tribute to King Minos, killed the bull-headed Minotaur and found his way out using the thread given to him by Ariadne. On the voyage home Theseus forgot to raise white sails, and his father Aegeus leapt into the sea that now bears his name. - What is the name of the three-headed dog that guards the entrance to the underworld?
Cerberus Cerberus lets the dead enter the realm of Hades but allows none to leave. Capturing him without weapons was the twelfth and final labour of Heracles. Orpheus lulled Cerberus to sleep with his music, and Aeneas's guide drugged him with a honey cake in Virgil's Aeneid. - Which boy flew too close to the sun on wings made of feathers and wax?
Icarus Icarus and his father Daedalus escaped King Minos on wings Daedalus built. Ignoring his father's warning, Icarus flew too high, the wax melted and he fell into the sea. The stretch of the Aegean where he drowned is still called the Icarian Sea, and the nearby island of Ikaria also bears his name. - Which Titan was condemned to hold up the sky for eternity?
Atlas After the Titans lost their war against the Olympians, Zeus punished Atlas by forcing him to bear the heavens on his shoulders at the western edge of the world. The Atlas Mountains of North Africa and the word atlas for a book of maps both take their name from him. - Which Titan stole fire from the gods and gave it to humankind?
Prometheus Prometheus smuggled fire to mortals inside a fennel stalk. Zeus punished him by chaining him to a rock where an eagle ate his liver every day, only for it to regrow each night. Heracles eventually shot the eagle and freed Prometheus, and the Titan's name is usually translated as forethought. - Which goddess sprang fully grown and armed from the head of Zeus?
Athena Zeus swallowed the pregnant Metis after a prophecy that her child would overthrow him. Hephaestus later split Zeus's skull with an axe and Athena leapt out in full armour. Athens is named after her, and she won the city in a contest with Poseidon by offering the olive tree. - According to Hesiod, who opened a jar and released every evil into the world?
Pandora Pandora was the first woman, made by the gods on Zeus's orders. Curiosity led her to open the jar she had been given, releasing sickness and toil, with only hope left inside. Hesiod wrote of a jar, or pithos, and the familiar box only appeared through a sixteenth-century Latin mistranslation. - Which musician descended into the underworld to bring back his wife Eurydice?
Orpheus Orpheus charmed Hades and Persephone with his lyre and was allowed to lead Eurydice back, on condition he did not look at her until they reached the surface. He looked back and lost her. The myth inspired Monteverdi's L'Orfeo of 1607, the oldest opera still regularly staged, and the recent Broadway hit Hadestown. - Which faithful wife unpicked a shroud every night to hold off her suitors while Odysseus was away?
Penelope Penelope promised to choose a new husband once she finished weaving a burial shroud for Laertes, then secretly undid her work each night for three years to delay the suitors. Odysseus proved his identity to her with a secret only he knew: their marriage bed was carved from a living olive tree. - What was the first of the twelve labours of Heracles?
Slaying the Nemean Lion The lion's hide could not be pierced by any weapon, so Heracles strangled it with his bare hands and then used one of its own claws to skin it. He wore the pelt ever after. The constellation Leo is traditionally said to be the Nemean Lion, placed in the sky by Zeus to honour the fight. - Which goddess threw the golden apple inscribed 'to the fairest' that set off the Trojan War?
Eris Eris, goddess of discord, was not invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, so she tossed in a golden apple. Hera, Athena and Aphrodite each claimed it, and Paris judged for Aphrodite. Aphrodite's bribe was the most beautiful woman alive, Helen of Sparta, whose abduction to Troy launched the thousand ships. - Which winged horse sprang from the blood of Medusa when Perseus beheaded her?
Pegasus Pegasus was born from Medusa's severed neck along with the warrior Chrysaor. The hero Bellerophon later tamed him with a golden bridle and rode him to slay the Chimera. When Bellerophon tried to fly Pegasus up to Olympus, Zeus sent a gadfly to throw him off, and the horse alone was welcomed. - Which hunter was turned into a stag by Artemis after he saw her bathing?
Actaeon Actaeon stumbled upon Artemis bathing in a spring. The outraged goddess transformed him into a stag and his own hounds, failing to recognise their master, tore him apart. Ovid names dozens of Actaeon's dogs in the Metamorphoses, and the scene was painted by Titian for King Philip II of Spain.
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