Berens' Myths and Legends, The Seven Against Thebes, part 56: the Argives fight for Thebes and the heroes die

Tests: 2 of 13 right · Exam: 2 of 4 right · Kind: ★ · Understood: 11 of 17 · Run: 2026-10-18, commit f3c23ea72

Lesson 550 of the books course of Mova's primary school, as Mova's small model took its tests: it had read this lesson and the ones before it and learned from their exercises. Each test shows the options in the order the student saw them, its choice, the right answer, the score of every option and why it chose.

Every question of this lesson and each of its options parsed by Mova, with trees and pragmatics: the lesson's questions in the corpora.

Test 1 · ★ · wrong ✗

Dude, did you get why Polynices gave Eriphyle that sick necklace?

1. To bribe her into a fight with the gods — no support
2. To make her convince her husband to join — no support
3. So she'd nag her son into the army and then come to war herself — ← Mova's choice · score 1
4. To make her talk her hubby into joining the war — ✓ the right answer · no support

Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 3 with score 1, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 550, line 8: «What: Eriphyle takes the bribe, and "Amphiaraus was compelled to join the army."», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same thing acted on «bribe» (+2). Against it: the same doer «eriphyle» (-1). The right option, 4, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 2 · ★ · wrong ✗

Wait, so the little baby at Nemea got eaten by a snake?

1. Yeah, while they were off looking for a spring — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. No, the Argives threw him in a river at Nemea — no support
3. Yeah, while the Argives were off hunting for water — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. No, the baby was actually kidnapped by Hypsipile's people and the snake came later — no support

Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 3 · ★ · wrong ✗

Bro, Menoeceus just jumped off the walls? Mad!

1. Yeah, he stabbed himself on the walls so the oracle would be fulfilled and Thebes could be saved — score 8
2. No, he was pushed off by Creon himself — no support
3. Yeah, he stabbed himself to save the city — ✓ the right answer · score 7
4. Yeah, he stabbed himself on the walls — ← Mova's choice · score 8

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score 8, tied with another option at 8 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 550, line 2: «Thebes can only be saved by a sacrifice, so brave Menoeceus kills himself on the walls, and then the brothers Eteocles and Polynices die in single combat.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same thing acted on «menoeceus» (+3); the same place «walls» (+3); the same doer «brave menoeceus» (+1); a different action (counts against) (+1). The right option, 3, scored 7. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 4 · ★ · wrong ✗

So Antigone got buried alive for burying her bro, lol?

1. Yeah, Creon's guards starved her in a cell — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Nah, she was exiled to Argos instead of buried — no support
3. Yeah, Creon was salty and walled her up in a vault where she later hanged herself — no support
4. Yeah, Creon was salty and sealed her in a vault — ✓ the right answer · no support

Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 5 · ★ · wrong ✗

Did the two brothers actually fight each other, like one on one?

1. Yeah, they duelled at the gates of Thebes and Polynices lived while Eteocles died in the fight — ← Mova's choice · score 5
2. Yeah, Eteocles and Polynices duelled and both died — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Yeah, they fought at the gates and Creon won — score 5
4. Nah, they agreed to share the throne in peace — score 5

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 with score 5, tied with another option at 5 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 550, line 2: «Thebes can only be saved by a sacrifice, so brave Menoeceus kills himself on the walls, and then the brothers Eteocles and Polynices die in single combat.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «die» (+4); the same doer «brothers» (+1). The right option, 2, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 6 · ★ · wrong ✗

Ngl, what was up with Eriphyle taking another bribe?

1. She got a robe and kept quiet at home — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. She accepted a gift and urged her son away — no support
3. She got the veil and sold out her son again — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. No bribe, she only argued with Polynices about the necklace in Argos at the palace — no support

Why: Nothing it remembers matched the question, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 7 · ★ · wrong ✗

Whoa, Alcmaeon killed Laodamas, right? That's pure rage

1. Yeah, Laodamas died by his hand in battle — ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Nah, Laodamas survived and Alcmaeon was the one who died later in a grove of Apollo — no support
3. Nah, Laodamas killed Alcmaeon instead — no support
4. Yeah, Alcmaeon speared him at the gates — ← Mova's choice · score 5

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score 5, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 550, line 4: «Ten years later the sons of the dead heroes, the Epigoni, attack, Eriphyle is bribed again with Harmonia's veil, and Alcmaeon kills Laodamas.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same thing acted on «laodamas» (+3); the same doer «alcmaeon» (+1); a different action (counts against) (+1). The right option, 1, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 8 · ★ · right ✓

So the seer told them to bounce from Thebes? Real talk?

1. Yeah, he told them to leave with families — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 7
2. Nah, he said to fight to the end — score 3
3. Nah, he told them to stay and fight Adrastus — score 3
4. Yeah, he told them to flee with kids — score 3

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 with score 7, against 3 for the next best. Its support: lesson 266, line 11: «The princess asks how he will get the egg out, and Jack says "With a crooked stick", the answer she needs.», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «get out» (+5); the same doer «jack» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 9 · ★ · wrong ✗

Who even were the Epigoni? Like, the new squad?

1. The sons of the dead heroes, who came back to Thebes to get revenge on Creon's family — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Friends of the dead, come to bury them — no support
3. The new army of the Argive exiles — no support
4. The sons of the dead heroes, come to get revenge — ✓ the right answer · no support

Why: Nothing it remembers matched the question, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 10 · ★ · right ✓

Was Haemon pining for Antigone or was it just a fling?

1. He was betrothed to her and died for her — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 5
2. He had a fling with her in Argos — no support
3. He was her cousin and sold out Thebes — no support
4. He was betrothed to Ismene and died in battle — score 5

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 with score 5, tied with another option at 5 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 550, line 3: «Creon forbids burial, Antigone defies him and is shut in a tomb, and Haemon and Eurydice both die of grief.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «die» (+4); the same doer «haemon» (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 11 · ★ · wrong ✗

Wait, who gave the Argives their water? Was it Lycurgus?

1. Lycurgus, who led them to a spring — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Adrastus, who dug a well and led them to a hidden spring in the hills above Nemea — no support
3. Hypsipile, who led them to a secret spring — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. Amphiaraus, who found a river nearby — no support

Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 12 · ★ · wrong ✗

Why'd Adrastus have to run off on his fast horse? Was it sus?

1. Because he was chased by Creon — no support
2. To find a fresh horse — ← Mova's choice · score 1
3. Because the Argives got routed and he was the only leader left — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. Because the Thebans had killed his son and he was grieving alone — no support

Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 2 with score 1, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 221, line 19: «The king wants the horse because he is interested in "every thing out of the common", and the Indian will sell it "on one condition".», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same thing acted on «horse» (+2). Against it: the same doer «king» (-1). The right option, 3, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 13 · ★ · wrong ✗

Okay, but who was the blind old seer? Was he like a total legend?

1. Tiresias, the old Argive seer who had lived for a hundred years in exile on Lemnos — ← Mova's choice · score -2
2. Tiresias, who was over a hundred years old — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Teiresias, who was sent for by Creon — no support
4. Tiresias, who was a famous seer in Thebes — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 with score -2, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 254, line 5: «At the eldest brother's house he learns he must tie his horse to a tree and call the swans to carry him over black water.», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same doer «jack» (+1). Against it: a different action (counts against) (-3). The right option, 2, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 1 · formal language · right ✓

Which hero, having been bribed with the necklace of Harmonia, compelled Amphiaraus to join the expedition against Thebes?

1. Eriphyle — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 9
2. Adrastus' daughter Deipyle the Argive — score 9
3. Hermione — score 9
4. Antiope — score 9

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 1 with score 9, tied with another option at 9 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 550, line 8: «What: Eriphyle takes the bribe, and "Amphiaraus was compelled to join the army."», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «compel» (+6); the same thing acted on «amphiaraus» (+3). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 2 · formal language · right ✓

To what city did the Argive host, after the death of the infant, proceed in order to lay siege?

1. Thebes — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. The city of Cadmus on the Ismenus — no support
3. Back to Argos through Nemea and Lerna — no support
4. Corinth — no support

Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 3 · formal language · wrong ✗

By what means did the seer Tiresias declare that the defence of the city could be preserved?

1. By the voluntary death of the youngest of Cadmus' house, offered together with the eldest daughter at dawn on the walls — no support
2. By a voluntary sacrifice of the youngest of the house of Cadmus — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. By abandoning the city to the Argive army and their gods — ← Mova's choice · score 9
4. By the willing death of the youngest son of the house of Creon — no support

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 3 with score 9, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 550, line 5: «Blind Tiresias tells the Thebans they must abandon their city with their wives and families, and they have no choice but to flee.», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «abandon» (+6); the same thing acted on «city» (+3). The right option, 2, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 4 · formal language · wrong ✗

Which leader of the Thebans, slain by Alcmaeon, was the son of Eteocles?

1. Polynices — ← Mova's choice · score 3
2. Haemon — score 3
3. Laodamas — ✓ the right answer · score 3
4. Creon — score 3

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 1 with score 3, tied with another option at 3 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 252, line 9: «The mother begs her brother, "You are the man must bring our babes / To wealth or misery."», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same thing acted on «man» (+3); the same light verb (be, have, do, get, go) (+1). Against it: the same circumstance (-1). The right option, 3, scored 3. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

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