![]() It is improbable that this image anticipates modern feminist reinterpretations of the Genesis text, where Eve represents the crowning achievement of God's Creation, the heroine who willingly assumes risks in order to obtain divine knowledge. Childless and idle, she sits with distaff and spindle in her right hand, but these resemble regal attributes more than implements of work: indeed, she is the only figure besides the Creator to appear enthroned in the entire cupola. Unlike similar images of Eve at her labors, where she traditionally sits nursing, this Eve is well-dressed, enthroned, and located more centrally than her bent-over, hard-laboring mate. In that scene, Eve is a paradoxical figure, for she appears glorified at the very moment of her banishment and shame. My own fascination with these mosaics grew out of what seemed to me a startling revision in the scene of the labors of Adam and Eve (Plate 2). Poor and rich, women and men, laity and clergy alike were to read this new account of the Genesis story because it was relevant to their late medieval lives. That this particular retelling was deemed urgent to that community is indicated by the prominence and visibility of these mosaics in the entryway of the city's most important public building. Thus the mosaics at San Marco, even though they repeat an old tale, also reflect the specific historical, political, and religious community of thirteenth-century Venice. Whether Milton or Michelangelo, Augustine or Blake, each re-creator of the myth revises and customizes the narrative to meet the needs of his or her historical situation. The story's agelessness, then, is due partly to the comforting repetition of traditional elements and partly to its seemingly infinite flexibility as it is adapted to changing religious and social demands of different epochs. While on the one hand the numerous retellings retain universal elements, consistent over almost three millennia, on the other hand each retelling is a unique revision. Why does God stand stiffly at the left in so many of the scenes and gesture with his hand? Why are some of the trees blue? These questions reveal one of the reasons for the longevity of this seemingly timeless myth. Yet as we scrutinize these mosaics, episode by episode, questions arise. Even though we all know the plot, we are drawn to "read" it one more time, revalidating our recollection of the story. Ishment for the first couple's disobedience. We modern viewers, like our thirteenth-century counterparts who first scrutinized these mosaics, recall the essential story line: God's creation of a blissful golden age, lost to future humans as pun. Male and female nudes, prominent trees, a serpent, and cosmic bodies-these are clearly players and props from the well-known story of Creation found in Genesis (see Excerpts). However, those of us who stand in the more intimately scaled narthex or atrium, the entryway of the church, and study the mosaic scenes in the southernmost dome (Plate 1) will be rewarded for our efforts. Whether because of the difficulty of viewing scenes located high in the vaults or our ignorance of medieval saints' lives, often our only way of answering the question, "What do these mosaics mean?" is to read a guidebook. They are visually exhilarating to experience, particularly because of their brilliant colors and pervasive gold in terms of their meaning, however, they usually remain less satisfying. You can even get married to another player for other benefits.Modern visitors who enter San Marco discover walls and domes covered with mosaics. Social Focus: Dragon Glory heavily emphasizes Guild play with Guild Wars and the guild shop. Where you place them in your formation will be key to your success and how well your heroes work together.ĭungeon Choice: Take on solo versions of dungeons by yourself, or team up with others to take on multiplayer dungeons! Hero Formation: Collect heroes as you adventure through the world and add them to your formation. Only you and your team of heroic Dragon Knights can save the world! The forces of darkness are gathering and trying to take over the world. Strange people and even stranger places will be met on your travels, as well as fearsome monsters and ancient treasures. In Dragon Glory players can set off on quests of epic proportions and explore a land of wonder, magic, and fantasy. Dragon Glory is a free-to-play fantasy MMORPG developed by 101XP, the studio that brought your Dragon Blood, and it can be played in your Internet browser. ![]()
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