A molecular biologist from Madurai, our quizmaster enjoys trivia and music and is working on a rock ballad called ‘Coffee is a Drink, Kaapi is an Emotion’. @bertyashleyQuiz | Easy like Sunday morning: What have the Roman gods given our language?This 1652 painting by Dutch artist Jan Lievens shows the crowning of Pax. The figure in chains under her feet is Mars, the god of war.  START THE QUIZ
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Janus was an ancient Roman god after whom January is named. He had two faces, each looking in opposite directions, hence giving an opportunity to look back and look forward, which is how one feels at the beginning of the year. What other word, with the meaning someone who usually takes care of gates and buildings, comes from Janus?

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Ceres was one of the most important goddesses in Roman culture. She was the goddess of fertility, and motherhood. She was also the goddess of a food item, which was eventually named after her. What is this that usually starts your day?

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Vortumna was the goddess of luck and vengeance, and the mistress of destiny. She was known as the ‘turner’ because she turned the giant wheel of the year, stopping it at either happiness, sorrow, life, or death. What word do we get from her name, and consequently what phrase from her action?

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This word actually means “under the influence of the planet Jupiter” as it came from the astrological belief that those born under the sign of Jupiter had a certain disposition. What term is this which comes from the Roman god ‘Jove’ after whom the planet is named?

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The Roman god, Vulcan, was the god of metalworking and the forge because he had control over one of the basic elements of Earth. This led to his name becoming the origin of a geographical entity most associated with that element. Which element did he have control over and what was named after him?

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The goddess of dawn and poetry in Roman mythology was someone who renewed herself every morning and flew across the sky to announce the arrival of her brother, the sun. She also gives her name to an atmospheric phenomenon caused by magnetic particles in the night sky?

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In Roman mythology, Liber Pater was the god of wine, and the ancient festival named after him was held to celebrate the rights one gets when coming of age. What word do we eventually get from his name?

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Nyx, daughter of Chaos, was the Roman goddess who was also the personification of a particular time period. She lived at the end of the Earth and wore jet-black robes. What word do we eventually get from her name?

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Fons was a Roman god who was the son of Janus after whom a certain type of reservoir is named. Originally built to give citizens their basic requirement, they soon became very fancy and decorative landmarks. What are these?

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Pax was a Roman goddess, the daughter of Jupiter and Justice. She was used by emperor Augustus to help stabilise the Roman empire after years of civil war. What term in English do we get from her, which we wish for all in the new year?
Published – January 02, 2025 09:36 am IST