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Quiz for Primary Source 3.2: Thucydides on the Great Plague at Athens

Question

1. As Thucydides described it, the disease that struck Athens in 430 B.C.E.

killed most of its victims less than 24 hours after the first symptoms emerged.

led to a painless death, but was highly contagious.

killed its victims after a week or more of agony.

first revealed itself with uncontrollable vomiting.

Correct. The answer is c. As Thucydides described it, the agony associated with the disease “seemed almost beyond the capacity of human nature to endure.”

Incorrect. The answer is c. As Thucydides described it, the agony associated with the disease “seemed almost beyond the capacity of human nature to endure.”

Question

2. According to Thucydides, how did the people of Athens respond to the disease?

They demonstrated the depths of their commitment to each other and their community.

They blamed their enemies and redoubled their effort to win the war.

They became convinced they had offended the gods and sought to appease them.

They became indifferent to law and morality.

Correct. The answer is d. In Thucydides’ account, the people of Athens gave themselves up to pleasure and forgot entirely about law and morality.

Incorrect. The answer is d. In Thucydides’ account, the people of Athens gave themselves up to pleasure and forgot entirely about law and morality.

Question

3. What disease do modern scholars believe struck Athens?

Typhoid

Bubonic Plague

Cholera

Smallpox

Correct. The answer is a. Thucydides’ description of the symptoms, combined with evidence from the remains of victims of the disease, has led many scholars to believe that Athens was struck by a typhoid epidemic.

Incorrect. The answer is a. Thucydides’ description of the symptoms, combined with evidence from the remains of victims of the disease, has led many scholars to believe that Athens was struck by a typhoid epidemic.

Question

4. In his account of the disease, Thucydides concentrated on

listing the sins that led the gods to punish Athens.

describing the political consequences of the epidemic.

describing the symptoms and behavior of individuals who contracted the disease.

identifying the conditions and behavior that led to the epidemic.

Correct. The answer is c. Thucydides went into great detail about the symptoms and course of the disease, taking care to give an accurate and objective account.

Incorrect. The answer is c. Thucydides went into great detail about the symptoms and course of the disease, taking care to give an accurate and objective account.