Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow is a 2003 side scrolling and platforming video game developed and published by Konami for the Game Boy Advance. In the game, it is the year 2035 and Dracula has been sealed in his castle since being defeated in 1999. Soma Cruz, a teenager with occult power, has been told that Dracula's reincarnation will acquire his powers, and Cruz battles dark figures in the castle who also wish to inherit these powers. The game incorporates the combination of elements from platform games and role-playing video games that were initially utilized in an earlier Castlevania game Symphony of the Night. Aria of Sorrow introduces several new features to the series, such as the "Tactical Soul" system and a futuristic storyline, a contrast to the medieval setting of many other Castlevania games. The game sold poorly in Japan but was commercially successful in the United States. It was praised by several video game publications, with many considering it one of the best games in the series since Symphony of the Night. A sequel was released in Japan in 2005. (Full article...)
"St Simeon Stylites" is a poem written by Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, in 1833 and published in his 1842 collection of poetry. The poem describes the actions of Simeon Stylites, the first pillar saint (a mediaeval Christian movement in which hermits, in the hopes of becoming closer to God, would perch atop tall columns for years, as a form of asceticism), who counts his various physical acts and hopes that he has earned his place in heaven. It captures Tennyson's feelings following the death of a close friend, Arthur Hallam, and contains feelings of self-loathing and regret. The work has ironic overtones that give it the appearance of a satirical work.
This illustration, from a 1901 edition, illustrates the following lines:
"And yet I know not well,
For that the evil ones come here, and say,
'Fall down, O Simeon; thou hast suffered long
For ages and for ages!'"
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