A lot of people may have felt that they were rowing in the wrong place in the trireme. This is a self-assessment questionnaire to decide which position you are most naturally suited to.
1.Your height is.... •(a) 5 feet, 11 & 3/4 inches (no, really, you just look taller, that's all •(b) As tall as it takes so as not to have to row down there •(c) OK, just show me how to tie one of these bowline knots
2.The role of the Thranite is to.... •(a) Prevent the Zygian from interfering with the Thalamian's blade •(b) Prevent the Thalamian from interfering with the Zygian's blade •(c) Figure out how to get a suntan on their other side
3.The role of the Zygian is to.... •(a) Set the rhythm of the whole boat •(b) Keep the Thalamian quiet •(c) Wear clean socks
4.The role of the Thalamian is to.... •(a) Set the rhythm of the whole boat •(b) Look after the water bottles •(c) Thalamian? What's a Thalamian?
5.The Thalamian behind you catches a crab. You think.... •(a) I hope their restraining rope is doing its job •(b) Serve them right for getting in my way! •(c) Crab? What's a crab?
6.How many Thalamians does it take to change a light bulb? •(a) None: they'd get a Thranite to do it •(b) Three: one to change the bulb and two to sit around and complain about the conditions they have to work in •(c) A Thalamian wouldn't bother, they're used to the dark
7.You have just been told that you achieved a maximum speed of 9.7 knots. You think.... •(a) Dammit, we'd have made 10 knots if everyone had pulled as hard as I did •(b) Wow, If I'd known we were that close to 10 knots I'd have pulled harder •(c) Close enough, can we go home now?
8.Returning from a 4 hour morning outing, do you.... •(a) Head for the nearest beach •(b) Head for the nearest bed •(c) Head for the nearest bar
9.The most memorable part of rowing a trireme was.... •(a) Sharing the experience •(b) Sharing the cameraderie •(c) Sharing the bodily fluids
10.Boris and Ford are.... •(a) The life and soul of the Trireme •(b) These funny voices in your head which kept telling you to do crazy things •(c) Aaaaaaaaaaargh! Nurse! Nurse! Those nightmares - they've come back!
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If you were a Thalamian and scored... 0-4: You probably complained a lot, but you secretly enjoyed it and wouldn't have been happy rowing anywhere else 5-9: You hated every minute of it, and aspire to Zygianity. 10-20: I think your head must have hit one cross-beam too many.
If you were a Zygian and scored...
0-4: You are an unusually sensitive and caring person 5-9: Born and bred a Zygian, always were, always will be. Sorry. 10-20: You're probably wondering why your Thalamian never talks to you any more
If you were a Thranite and scored...
0-10 : You probably didn't mix much with other Thranites. Tiresome, aren't they? 11-15: Nice to think you talked to your triad occasionally. 16-20: I bet you came back with a good sun-tan, didn't you? 21-30: You've probably spent too long out in the sun
Askoma ---Leather sleeve for keeping seawater from entering through the thalamian oarports.
Keleustes (pl. Keleustai) ---The bo'sun who controls the oarcrew
Thalamian ---English term from Greek thalamios, the name for the oarsmen in the lowest file of the trieres
Thole, tholepin ---The pin of wood forming, with the oarloop, the fulcrum of the oar.
Thranite ---English term from Greek thranites, the name for the oarsmen in the uppermost file of the trieres
Trierarch ---The captain of a trieres
Zygian ---English term from Greek zygios, the name for the oarsmen in the (vertically) middle file of the trieres
Visitor since 2nd April 1997.
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