32 Greek Mythology Trivia Questions
Are you obsessed with the epic tales of Mount Olympus?
Do the adventures of Theseus and the labors of Hercules pique your interest?
If you answered yes, then this set of trivia is the perfect match for you.
The post here boasts some brain-tickling trivia questions based on Greek Mythology that will test your knowledge of the Olympian gods, legendary heroes, fearsome monsters, and the fantastical creatures that roamed the ancient Greek world.
So, let the games begin!
Greek Mythology Trivia Questions
- In Greek mythology, Athena is known as the goddess of wisdom, but her birth was quite unusual. How was Athena born according to the myth?
- Hercules, a famous hero in Greek mythology, was tasked with completing twelve labors. Name at least three of these labors.
- Echo was a mountain nymph who was known for her beautiful voice. She was cursed by a goddess which affected her ability to speak. Which goddess cursed her and what was the nature of this curse?
- In Homer’s epic “The Odyssey”, Odysseus encounters a Cyclops named Polyphemus. How does Odysseus manage to escape from the Cyclops’ cave?
- The Golden Fleece is a famous artifact in Greek mythology. Which hero is known for his quest to retrieve it, and from which region did he have to retrieve it?
- Pandora, in Greek mythology, was given a box (or jar) with specific instructions not to open it. What was released into the world when she opened it?
- Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, was abducted by a god, leading to significant consequences for the earth. Who abducted her, and what were the consequences for the earth?
- Daedalus and his son Icarus attempted to escape from Crete using wings made of feathers and wax. What lesson does the story of Icarus’s fall teach, and what was his mistake?
- According to Greek mythology, which Titan is credited with the creation of man, and what material did he use to create them?
- Athena became the patron goddess of a famous city after a contest with another god. Which city was this, and what gift did Athena offer to win over the people?
- The Trojan Horse was a pivotal element in the Trojan War. Who came up with the idea for the Trojan Horse, and what did it lead to?
- Medusa is a well-known figure in Greek mythology, primarily for her unique appearance. What was distinctive about Medusa’s appearance, and who ultimately killed her?
- A famous prophecy was given to Oedipus, leading to a tragic series of events. What was the prophecy, and how did it come true?
- Arachne, a mortal woman, was known for her skill in a particular craft. She challenged a goddess to a contest in this craft. Who did she challenge, and what was the outcome?
- The story of Orpheus and Eurydice is a tragic tale of love. What was Orpheus’s quest, and what was the condition he failed to meet that led to the permanent loss of Eurydice?
- Theseus is another famous hero in Greek mythology. He undertook a series of adventures, or labors. Name at least two of these labors.
- The Sirens were mythical creatures known for their enchanting music. What was said to happen to sailors who heard the Sirens’ song?
- Jason, in his quest for the Golden Fleece, sailed in a famous ship named after a certain group of heroes. What was the name of this ship?
- Achilles was a legendary Greek hero with a famous vulnerability. How did this vulnerability come about, and what part of his body was it?
- The Judgment of Paris was a significant event that led to the Trojan War. Which three goddesses were involved, and what did Paris have to judge?
- King Midas is famous for a wish that was granted to him, which turned out to be a curse. What was his wish, and why did it become a curse?
- The Labyrinth in Crete was built to contain a certain mythical creature. What was this creature, and who designed the Labyrinth?
- Actaeon, a hunter in Greek mythology, experienced a dramatic transformation after encountering a goddess. Who was the goddess, and into what was Actaeon transformed?
- The Muses in Greek mythology were sources of inspiration in various arts and sciences. How many Muses were there, and what did they represent?
- Atlas, a Titan, was famously punished by Zeus. What was his punishment and what did it involve him holding?
- Which god in Greek mythology is associated with wine, winemaking, grape cultivation, and ritual madness?
- The changing of the seasons in Greek mythology is attributed to the abduction of a certain goddess. Which goddess’s absence and return marked the changing of the seasons?
- Odysseus incurred the wrath of Poseidon, causing his journey home to be long and perilous. What did Odysseus do to anger Poseidon?
- Narcissus is a figure known for his extraordinary beauty and his tragic fate. What was this fate, and how did it come about?
- Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths, crafted something to trap his unfaithful wife, Aphrodite. What did he create?
- Aphrodite is known as the goddess of love and beauty. According to one myth, how was she born?
- Io was a lover of Zeus who was transformed to protect her from Hera’s wrath. What was she transformed into?
Answers:
- Athena was born from Zeus’s head, fully grown and in armor. She sprang out after Hephaestus split Zeus’s head open with an axe, following a severe headache.
- Three of Hercules’ twelve labors include slaying the Nemean Lion, capturing the Golden Hind of Artemis, and cleaning the Augean stables in a single day.
- Echo was cursed by Hera. Hera made it so Echo could only repeat the last words spoken to her, as punishment for distracting her with long-winded stories while Zeus flirted with other nymphs.
- Odysseus blinded Polyphemus with a sharpened stake while he slept. He then escaped with his men by hiding under the bellies of the Cyclops’ sheep.
- Jason, leader of the Argonauts, is famous for his quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece. He had to travel to Colchis to obtain it.
- When Pandora opened the box, she released all the evils of humanity – hardship, disease, and sorrow – leaving only Hope inside once she closed it again.
- Persephone was abducted by Hades, the god of the underworld. Her abduction caused her mother Demeter, goddess of the harvest, to neglect the earth, leading to barrenness and the creation of the seasons.
- The story of Icarus teaches a lesson about hubris and the dangers of overambition. Icarus’s mistake was flying too close to the sun, causing the wax in his wings to melt and leading to his fall into the sea.
- Prometheus is credited with the creation of man in Greek mythology. He formed humans out of clay and water.
- The city was Athens. Athena offered an olive tree, symbolizing peace and prosperity, which won over the citizens compared to Poseidon’s offering of a saltwater spring.
- The idea for the Trojan Horse was conceived by Odysseus. It allowed Greek soldiers to enter and open the gates of Troy from the inside, leading to the fall of Troy.
- Medusa was distinctive for having living venomous snakes in place of hair. She was ultimately killed by the hero Perseus.
- The prophecy stated that Oedipus would kill his father and marry his mother. This prophecy came true as Oedipus unknowingly killed his father, King Laius, and married his mother, Jocasta.
- Arachne challenged Athena, the goddess of wisdom and crafts, to a weaving contest. Arachne’s hubris led to her transformation into a spider by Athena, condemning her to weave for eternity.
- Orpheus’s quest was to retrieve his wife Eurydice from the underworld. The condition was that he should not look back at her until they had both reached the upper world. Orpheus failed to meet this condition, looking back prematurely and losing Eurydice forever.
- Two of Theseus’s labors include slaying the Minotaur in the Labyrinth of Crete and defeating the bandit Procrustes, who stretched or cut his victims to fit his bed.
- Sailors who heard the Sirens’ song were lured towards it, often leading to their ships being wrecked on the rocky coast where the Sirens lived.
- Jason’s ship was named the Argo, after its builders, the Argonauts.
- Achilles’ vulnerability was in his heel. When he was a baby, his mother, Thetis, dipped him in the River Styx to make him invulnerable, holding him by the heel, which remained untouched by the water.
- The goddesses involved were Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Paris, a prince of Troy, had to judge who was the most beautiful among them, leading to the events of the Trojan War.
- King Midas wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. This became a curse when his food and even his daughter turned to gold upon his touch.
- The Labyrinth was built to contain the Minotaur, a creature that was half-man and half-bull. It was designed by the architect Daedalus.
- Actaeon was transformed into a stag by the goddess Artemis after he accidentally saw her bathing. He was later killed by his own hunting dogs.
- There were nine Muses. Each Muse represented a different domain of the arts and sciences, such as history, tragedy, music, dance, and astronomy.
- Atlas was punished by Zeus to hold up the sky for eternity, a task often depicted as him holding the Earth on his shoulders.
- Dionysus is the god of wine, winemaking, grape cultivation, and ritual madness in Greek mythology.
- The changing of the seasons is attributed to Persephone’s abduction by Hades and her subsequent return. Her time in the underworld marks winter, and her return brings about spring.
- Poseidon became wrathful towards Odysseus after he blinded Poseidon’s son, the Cyclops Polyphemus.
- Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. Unable to leave the beauty of his reflection, he eventually turned into a flower bearing his name.
- Hephaestus created a magical, unbreakable net to trap Aphrodite and Ares, revealing their affair to the other gods.
- According to one myth, Aphrodite was born from the sea foam, emerging fully grown after Uranus’s genitals were thrown into the sea by Cronus.
- Io was transformed into a cow by Zeus, in an attempt to hide her from his wife Hera’s jealousy.