Ancient Greek And Ancient Roman Cities - 876 Words

There are many similarities between Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman cities, mainly because Roman cities were highly influenced by the Greek. Roman culture reflects the Greek’s culture, their mythologies are closely related and so are the characteristics of the architecture. From one grew the forms of the other and the result created were two beautiful cities with massive amounts of history. This paper will go over the three main areas in which Greeks influenced the Romans the most. The first being, the cities and their layout, the second is, architectural characteristics and lastly is the influence of religion and religious manners. The layout of a typical Greek city was built on a hill, called an acropolis. Here the city s chief temple, the city s treasury, and some other public buildings were located along with the city’s center called the â€Å"Agora†. It was essentially the public meeting place or area where vendors and sellers would set up theirs stands and sell. Greek cities were surrounded by high walls and as time progressed the walls were made stronger with stone and brick. Outside these walls were public spaces like large gymnasiums, public baths and open theatres, these public spaces provided some shade for activities such as music, discussions and more. Similar to the Greek, Roman cities were built around a forum then surrounded by walls, usually made of stone and later concrete. The forum was an open space surrounded by public buildings, it functionedShow MoreRelatedComparing Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman Architecture Essay1132 Words   |  5 PagesThe two ancient civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome were the best of the best during their time periods. Ancient Greece began around 2000 B.C. by the inhabitants known as the Mycenaean’s, followed by the Minoans. The Minoans built the foundation of Greece. The Roman Empire was founded around 753 B.C. by the two twins, Romulus and Remus. Romulus ended up killing Remus a nd built the city of Rome on one of seven rolling hills. Architecture was very important to both civilizations and they wereRead MoreGreek And Roman Ideas778 Words   |  4 Pages Greek and Roman Ideals When considering the ancient Greek and Roman ideals you can see the distinct similarities in their art, government, monotheism, and architecture. The Romans duplicated many of the Greek styles and modified them to suit their lifestyles. Greece and Rome influences can be seen in art today with the use of concepts, techniques, and styles that were founded by the Greek classical ideal. These include techniques for carving sculptures and the construction of massive metropolitanRead MoreGreek And Roman Civilizations : Greece And Ancient Civilizations1498 Words   |  6 Pages Greek and Roman Civilizations In examining the impact that the ancient world has had on modern Western civilization, the two ancient civilizations which are frequently understood as having had the greatest influence are Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. These two civilizations would eventually come to shape much of what would become the modern European culture, politics and society, and by extension, a vast proportion of global culture and society. In examining the trajectory of modern historyRead MoreThe Religious And Social Differences Between Ancient Greece And Rome Essay1423 Words   |  6 PagesThe Religious and Social Differences between Ancient Greece and Rome In modern day, everyone tends to think of the Roman gods when they think of Greece, or when they think of the ancient gods in general. Juno versus Hera, Jupiter versus Zeus, and Mars versus Ares are some examples of their different and separate deities; not just their names, but their personalities as well. There are many differences between the two religions, as well as differences between each culture’s social standings. NotRead MoreGreek And Roman Civilizations : Greece And Ancient Civilizations1503 Words   |  7 Pages Greek and Roman Civilizations In examining the impact that the ancient world has had on modern Western civilization, the two ancient civilizations which are frequently understood as having had the greatest influence are Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. These two civilizations would eventually come to shape much of what would become the modern European culture, politics and society, and by extension, a vast proportion of global culture and society. In scrutinizing the trajectory of modern historyRead MoreEssay on The Roman and Grecian Effects on Society1261 Words   |  6 Pagesempires from early in human history. Much influence can be found from the Roman and Grecian empires, more than from any other sources. The basic forming of our own government can be traced back to the ideals that formed the Roman and Greek governments, paying attention their strengths and also to what caused the demise of those societies as well. (teachergenius.teachtci.com) Let us examine the Roman influences and facts first. Roman Governmental Influence: There was almost a caste system of sorts, anRead MoreHow Strongly Ancient Societies Affected The Formation Of Today s Society1434 Words   |  6 Pagesinvestigate how strongly ancient societies affected the formation of today’s society, by analyzing several characteristics basically originating from civilisations of Ancient Antiquity such as Greece and Rome. The civilized culture is dated back to ancient Greeks and Romans. Their contribution to philosophy, literature and politics has undeniably helped to form notions of modern Western cultures. This is because, assorted essential features in the life of Ancient Greeks and Romans which will be broadlyRead MoreRoman Art Of Ancient Rome1707 Words   |  7 PagesThe art of Rome is considered completed art of ancient society. Legitimately argue that, although Roman masters continued the tradition of Hellenic, yet the art of ancient Rome - an independent phenomenon, determined by the course and the co urse of historical events, and living conditions, and the originality of religious beliefs, character traits of the Romans, and other factors. Roman art as a special artistic phenomenon began to study only in the twentieth century is essentially realized onlyRead MoreAncient Greeks And The Roman Empire1085 Words   |  5 Pagesbuilt, by the Ancient Greeks, in a day.† (Crest) Ancient Greece was founded in 800 B.C. and was seen to be the first technical, civilized society. Within this society there were large advances in art, poetry and technology. Despite these advances Greece finally fell to the Romans in the Battle of Corinth in circa 146 B.C. and was established as a Province of the Roman Empire. This occupation, by the Empire of Rome inside of Greece was a symbolic moment of their history. The Romans witnessed theRead MoreThe Civilization Of Ancient Rome1595 Words   |  7 Pagescivilization of Ancient Rome thrived from the sixth century BC to the fifth century AD. The Roman Empire was the second empire to conquer most of the Mediterranean Sea basin, the first being the Ancient Greeks. After taking over the f ormer Greek Empire, the Romans assimilated many aspects of Greek culture into their own, including the Greek Architecture. The main attributions to Ancient Roman architecture are cement, the arch, the vault, the dome and centralized road systems. The Roman Architectural

Performance Enhancing Drugs - 4152 Words

David Stone Performance-Enhancing Drugs and Athletes There has been a debate of epic proportion for the past few decades on whether professional athletes from around the world have the right to use performance-enhancing drugs. As for now these world athletes are not permitted to use most of the performance-enhancing drugs that are available by the World Anti-Doping Agency. The athletes are randomly tested by their professional leagues. Each American league has their own method of dealing with athletes who abuse banned substances. These methods of punishment can range from a fine to expulsion from the league. The use of illegal drugs to enhance performance is called doping. What doping involves is misusing medicinal†¦show more content†¦Fans have demonstrated a willingness to support drug-aided athletes like major league baseball player Mark McGwireÂ… He is the first athlete in history to break a record while publicly admitting his use of performance-enhancing drugsÂ… It is time to recognize that the use of performa nce-enhancing drugs is here to stay and that elite athletes will go to extreme lengths to succeed (Barnard). There are two very big myths surrounding society and their thoughts on these drug-aided athletes. One of the myths is that fans wont pay to see drug-aided athletes perform, something that McGwires example seems directly to contradict. It is said that more people turn up to watch McGwire warm up than attend most matches (Barnard). The second myth is that athletes that use these performance-enhancing drugs do not have to work as hard. These drugs actually allow the athlete to train harder and longer. The body can only take an athlete so far, but if he or she is on a performance-enhancing drug they can get more out of a day of training. Athletes train themselves to be the best at what they do. They will push themselves close to death. Among world-class athletes, the lure of steroids is not that they magically transform performance, no drug can do that, but that they mak e it possible to train harder (Gladwell). Performance-enhancing drugs may be looked down upon but it has not stopped the initial public from watching and enjoying these athletes performances.Show MoreRelatedPerformance Enhancing Drugs. . Performance-Enhancing Drugs1580 Words   |  7 PagesPerformance Enhancing Drugs Performance-enhancing drugs (PED s) have been an issue for many decades now for the medical and sports field. Olympic and professional athletes have been using them to gain an upper hand on the competition, but some may ask if it s really worth it? Studies show that performance-enhancing drugs have been proven to negatively affect the health of athletes who take them. Simply put, performance-enhancing drugs could either improve athletic performance or can be extremelyRead MorePerformance Enhancing Drugs For Sports1227 Words   |  5 PagesPerformance Enhancing Drugs Sport records are becoming harder   to break and seeing records are starting to become a thing of the past.. Players aren’t being able to hit these home runs or score long touchdown’s. Injured   players are getting kicked off the team or even quit because they can’t get to their peak performance that they were at before they got injured.   If more players were to use performance enhancing drugs they would be able to compete to the performance of past players. A performanceRead MoreThe Prohibition Of Performance Enhancing Drugs1257 Words   |  6 PagesContinue the Prohibition of Performance Enhancing Drugs Sporting competitions either nationally or internationally have regulations to prohibit or inhibit the use of performance enhancing drugs (PED’s). There been a case for the lifting of these regulations to create sporting fair across all types of people. Craig Fry, an advocate for the use of performance enhancing drugs in elite sporting competitions and author of â€Å"Bring Truth into Play by Saying Yes to Drugs in Sport†, is an Australian healthRead More Performance Enhancing Drugs Essay1759 Words   |  8 PagesPerformance Enhancing Drugs   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When most people think of performance-enhancing drugs the first thought that comes to their minds is the illegal ones like steroids, but today there are more non-illegal drugs like creatine and androstenedione for people today. Creatine is a chemical produced by the kidney and found in meat product. It helps muscles recover after a workout, which in turn helps athletes bulk up faster (Gregorian 5). Creatine is used by many of the nations top college sports teamsRead Moreâ€Å"Performance-Enhancing Drugs in the Workplace† Essay1392 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Performance-Enhancing Drugs in the Workplace† Performance-enhancers are becoming more common in our everyday life, despite our efforts to ban them. This raises the questions, should we just accept these drugs and use them to our advantage? Or should we continue to resist these drugs and not take advantage of their performance-enhancing capabilities? When you start talking about organizations like the military, where Soldiers are ask to go beyond the normal physical and mental stress of a regularRead MorePerformance Enhancing Drugs For Professional Sports1703 Words   |  7 Pagesthe use of performance enhancing drugs. The debate on whether or not performance enhancing substances should be allowed in professional sports has been going on for years, decades even. Many believe that using steroids and other performance enhancers should automatically disqualify an athlete from ever being able to be a member of the Hall of Fame, in sports in general, not just in Major League Baseball. However, there is an argument to be made to make the use of performance enhancing drugs legal inRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemma Of Performance Enhancing Drugs1364 Words   |  6 Pagesway. In this paper, the ethical dilemma of performance enhancing drugs being used in sports will be addressed and be given solution based on the Christian worldview. Ethical Dilemma This case involves Paul, who is a promising young athlete, who works hard and has a good spot on his team. He is constantly putting in training to get better and it has been paying off. He notices that some of his teammates have been trying out a new performance enhancing drug. It is not illegal, but it still improvesRead MoreSports and Performance Enhancing Drugs Essay1221 Words   |  5 PagesPerformance enhancing drugs in todays pro sports have become a big deal, because of health stimulants and the benefits that such studies have on good development of the person and on fair athletic games. Pediatricians or trainers can play a huge role in helping the athlete or player that is using or taking performance enhancing drugs. By taking factual info about the true benefits and medical problems of these drugs and giving information about healthy food and working out. Tries to create a changeRead MorePerformance Enhancing Drugs Should Be Banned1645 Words   |  7 Pagesrules by using performance enhancing drugs each year. Performance enhancing drugs help athletes to becomes bigger, faster, and overall better at their individual sport. This process is called doping. Doping can be defined as using drugs and various substances to better perform at a particular task. Furthermore, these athletes act in the moment and fail to see all aspects of these performance enhancing drugs. Contradictorily, some individuals argue that performance enhancing drugs should in fact beRead MoreEthical Dilemmas : Performance Enhancing Drugs1674 Words   |  7 PagesEthical Dilemmas: Performance Enhancing Drugs Today’s society places high-performance athletes on a pedestal and our youth look to become the next superstar. The question plaguing young athletes is â€Å"how can I get there?†. Physical development must be considered for any athlete and this consequently introduces the topic of performance enhancing drugs. These substances can cause physical development to occur faster than the natural rate, making the athlete a step above â€Å"the rest†. Ethical, moral

Shadow Kiss Chapter 6 Free Essays

string(63) " so that his face was in my line of sight, almost beside hers\." SIX THERE HAD ONLY BEEN THREE other witnesses to what had happened out on the quad. Yet, unsurprisingly, everyone seemed to know about it when I returned to the commons later on. Classes were done, but plenty of students moved about in the corridors, off to study or retake tests or whatever. We will write a custom essay sample on Shadow Kiss Chapter 6 or any similar topic only for you Order Now They tried to hide their glances and whispers, but they didn’t do a very good job. Those who made eye contact with me either gave me tight-lipped smiles or immediately looked away. Wonderful. With no psychic link to Christian, I had no clue where to find him. I could sense that Lissa was in the library and figured that would be a good place to start looking. On my way there, I heard a guy’s voice call out behind me. â€Å"Took things a bit far, didn’t you?† I turned around and saw Ryan and Camille walking several steps back. If I’d been a guy, the appropriate response would have been, â€Å"You mean with your mom?† Because I was not a guy, though, and because I had manners, I just said, â€Å"Don’t know what you’re talking about.† Ryan hurried to catch up with me. â€Å"You know exactly what I mean. With Christian. I heard that when Stan attacked, you were just like, ‘Here, take him,’ and walked away.† â€Å"Oh good God,† I groaned. It was bad enough when everyone was talking about you, but why did the stories always end up changing? â€Å"That is not what happened.† â€Å"Oh yeah?† he asked. â€Å"Then why did you get called in to see Alberta?† â€Å"Look,† I said, not feeling so well mannered anymore, â€Å"I just messed up the attack†¦you know, kind of like you did earlier when you weren’t paying attention in the hall?† â€Å"Hey,† he said, flushing slightly. â€Å"I ended up getting in on that – I did my part.† â€Å"Is that what they’re calling getting killed nowadays?† â€Å"At least I wasn’t a whiny bitch who refused to fight.† I had just about calmed down after speaking with Dimitri, but now my temper was rising already. It was like a thermometer ready to burst. â€Å"You know, maybe instead of criticizing others, you should pay more attention to your own guardian duties.† I nodded toward Camille. She had thus far been quiet, but her face showed me she was eating all of this up. Ryan shrugged. â€Å"I can do both. Shane’s farther behind us, and the area ahead is clear. No doors. Easy.† He patted Camille’s shoulder. â€Å"She’s safe.† â€Å"It’s an easy place to secure. You wouldn’t do so well in the real world with real Strigoi.† His smile faded. Anger glinted in his eyes. â€Å"Right. The way I hear it, you didn’t do such a great job out there either, at least not as far as Mason was concerned.† Taunting over what had happened with Stan and Christian was one thing. But implying that I was at fault for Mason’s death? Unacceptable. I was the one who’d kept Lissa safe for two years in the human world. I was the one who had killed two Strigoi in Spokane. I was the only novice at this school with molnija marks, the little tattoos given to guardians to mark Strigoi kills. I’d known there had been some whispers about what had happened to Mason, but no one had ever actually said anything to me. The thought of Ryan or anyone else thinking I was to blame for Mason dying was too much. I blamed myself plenty enough already without their help. The thermometer broke. In one smooth motion, I reached past him, grabbed Camille, and swung her up against the wall. I hadn’t thrown her hard enough to hurt her, but she was clearly startled. Her eyes widened in shock, and I used my forearm to pin her, pressing it against her throat. â€Å"What are you doing?† exclaimed Ryan, peering back and forth between our faces. I shifted my stance slightly, still keeping the pressure on Camille. â€Å"Furthering your education,† I said pleasantly. â€Å"Sometimes places aren’t as easy to secure as you think.† â€Å"You’re crazy! You can’t hurt a Moroi. If the guardians find out – â€Å" â€Å"I’m not,† I argued. I glanced toward her. â€Å"Am I hurting you? Are you in extreme pain?† There was a hesitation; then she gave as much of a shake of her head as she could manage. â€Å"Are you uncomfortable?† A small nod. â€Å"See?† I told Ryan. â€Å"Discomfort isn’t the same thing as pain.† â€Å"You’re insane. Let her go.† â€Å"I’m not done, Ry. Pay attention because here’s the point: Danger can come from anywhere. Not just Strigoi – or guardians dressed up like Strigoi. Keep acting like an arrogant asshole who thinks he knows everything† – I pressed my arm in a little harder, still not enough to affect her breathing or cause real pain – â€Å"and you miss things. And those things can kill your Moroi.† â€Å"Okay, okay. Whatever. Please, stop it,† he said. His voice wavered. There was no more attitude. â€Å"You’re scaring her.† â€Å"I’d be scared too, if my life was in your hands.† The scent of cloves alerted me to Adrian’s presence. I also knew that Shane and a few others had come to watch. The other novices looked uncertain, like they wanted to pry me off but were afraid of getting Camille hurt. I knew I should let her go, but Ryan had just made me so angry. I needed to prove a point to him. I needed to get him back. And really, I didn’t even feel sorry for Camille either since I was sure she’d done her fair share of gossiping about me too. â€Å"This is fascinating,† said Adrian, his voice as lazy as usual. â€Å"But I think you’ve made your point.† â€Å"I don’t know,† I said. The tone of my voice managed to be both sweet and menacing at the same time. â€Å"I still don’t think Ryan gets it.† â€Å"For God’s sake, Rose! I get it,† cried Ryan. â€Å"Just let her go.† Adrian moved around me, going over to stand beside Camille. She and I were pressed close together, but he managed to squeeze in so that his face was in my line of sight, almost beside hers. You read "Shadow Kiss Chapter 6" in category "Essay examples" He wore that goofy smirk he normally had, but there was something serious in his dark green eyes. â€Å"Yes, little dhampir. Let her go. You’re done here.† I wanted to tell Adrian to get away from me, that I would be the one to say when this was finished. Somehow, I couldn’t get the words out. A part of me was enraged at his interference. The other part of me thought he sounded†¦reasonable. â€Å"Let her go,† he repeated. My eyes were all over Adrian now, not Camille. Suddenly, all of me decided he sounded reasonable. Completely reasonable. I needed to let her go. I moved my arm and stepped away. With a gulp, Camille darted behind Ryan, using him like a shield. I saw now that she was on the verge of tears. Ryan simply looked stunned. Adrian straightened up and made a dismissive gesture toward Ryan. â€Å"I’d get out of here – before you really annoy Rose.† Ryan, Camille, and the others slowly backed off from us. Adrian put his arm around me and hurried me away toward the library. I felt weird, kind of like I was waking up, but then, with each step, things grew clearer and clearer. I pushed his arm off me and jerked away. â€Å"You just used compulsion on me!† I exclaimed. â€Å"You made me let her go.† â€Å"Someone needed to. You looked like you were seconds away from strangling her.† â€Å"I wasn’t. And I wouldn’t have.† I pushed open the library door. â€Å"You had no right to do that to me. No right at all.† Compulsion – making people do what you wanted – was a skill all vampires had to a very small degree. Using it was considered immoral, and most couldn’t control it well enough to do any real damage. Spirit strengthened the ability, however, making both Adrian and Lissa very dangerous. â€Å"And you had no right to tackle some poor girl in the hall just to soothe your own hurt pride.† â€Å"Ryan had no right to say those things.† â€Å"I don’t even know what ‘those things’ are, but unless I’ve misjudged your age, you’re too old to be throwing a tantrum over idle gossip.† â€Å"Throwing a – â€Å" My words fell short as we reached Lissa working at a table. Her face and feelings told me trouble was coming. Eddie stood a couple feet away from her, leaning against a wall and watching the room. His eyes widened when he saw me, but he didn’t say anything at my approach. I slid into the chair opposite Lissa. â€Å"Hey.† She looked up and sighed, then returned her attention to the textbook open in front of her. â€Å"I wondered when you’d turn up,† she said. â€Å"Did you get suspended?† Her words were calm and polite, but I could read her underlying feelings. Annoyed. Even a little angry. â€Å"Not this time,† I said. â€Å"Just got stuck with community service.† She said nothing, but the irate mood I sensed through the bond remained unchanged. Now I sighed. â€Å"Okay, talk to me, Liss. I know you’re mad.† Adrian looked at me, then her, and then me again. â€Å"I feel like I’m missing something here.† â€Å"Oh, great,† I said. â€Å"You went and busted up my fight and didn’t even know what it was about.† â€Å"Fight?† asked Lissa, confusion joining her anger. â€Å"What happened?† repeated Adrian. I nodded to Lissa. â€Å"Go ahead, tell him.† â€Å"Rose got tested earlier and refused to protect Christian.† She shook her head, exasperated, and fixed me with an accusatory glare. â€Å"I can’t believe you’re seriously still mad enough to do something like that to him. It’s childish.† Lissa had jumped to the same conclusions as the guardians. I sighed. â€Å"I didn’t do it on purpose! I just sat through a whole hearing on this crap and told them the same thing.† â€Å"Then what happened?† she demanded. â€Å"Why did you do it?† I hesitated, unsure what to say. My reluctance to talk didn’t even have anything to do with Adrian and Eddie overhearing – though I certainly didn’t want them to. The problem was more complex. Dimitri had been right – there were people I could trust, and two of them I trusted unconditionally: him and Lissa. I’d already held back from telling him the truth. Would I – could I – do the same with her? Although she was mad, I knew without a doubt that Lissa would always support me and be there for me. But just like with Dimitri, I balked at the idea of telling my ghost story. Also just like with Dimitri, it left me in the same bind: crazy or incompetent? Through our bond, I felt her mind, pure and clear. There was no taint, no darkness, or sign of madness – and yet, something tingled in the background. A slight stirring. Antidepressants took awhile to fully get into and out of one’s system, but her magic was already waking up after one day. I thought back to my ghostly encounters, dredging up the memory of that sad, translucent Mason. How could I even begin to explain that to her? How could I bring up something as weird and fantastic as that when she’d been trying so hard to get a little normality in her life and now faced the challenge of getting her magic under control? No, I realized. I couldn’t tell her. Not yet – especially when it suddenly occurred to me that there was still something else big I needed to let her know about. â€Å"I froze,† I said finally. â€Å"It’s stupid. I’d been so cocky about being able to take out anyone, and then Stan †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shrugged. â€Å"I don’t know. I just couldn’t react. It†¦ it’s really embarrassing. And him of all people.† Lissa studied me intently, looking for any sign of dishonesty. It hurt to think that she’d mistrust me, except†¦well, I was actually lying. As I’d told Dimitri, though, I could be a good liar when I wanted to be. Lissa couldn’t tell. â€Å"I wish I could read your mind,† she mused. â€Å"Come on,† I said. â€Å"You know me. Do you really think I’d do this? Abandon Christian and make myself look stupid on purpose just to get back at my teachers?† â€Å"No,† she said finally. â€Å"You’d probably do it in a way where you wouldn’t get caught.† â€Å"Dimitri said the same thing,† I grumbled. â€Å"I’m glad everyone has so much faith in me.† â€Å"We do,† she countered. â€Å"That’s why all of this is so weird.† â€Å"Even I make mistakes.† I put on my brash, overconfident face. â€Å"I know it’s hard to believe – kind of surprises me myself – but I guess it has to happen. It’s probably some kind of karmic way to balance out the universe. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fair to have one person so full of awesomeness.† Adrian, blessedly silent for a change, was watching the two of us talk, much as one would look back and forth at a tennis match. His eyes were narrowed slightly, and I suspected he was studying our auras. Lissa rolled her eyes, but fortunately, the anger I’d felt earlier lightened. She believed me. Her gaze then lifted from my face to someone beyond me. I felt the happy, golden emotions that signaled Christian’s presence. â€Å"My loyal bodyguard returns,† he declared, pulling up a chair. He glanced at Lissa. â€Å"Are you done yet?† â€Å"Done with what?† she asked. He inclined his head toward me. â€Å"Giving her a hard time about how she threw me into the deadly clutches of Alto.† Lissa blushed. She was already feeling a little bad about jumping on me, now that I’d defended myself sufficiently. Christian’s flippant, knowing observation just made her feel more foolish. â€Å"We were just talking about it, that’s all.† Adrian yawned and slouched back in his chair. â€Å"Actually, I think I’ve figured it all out. This was a scam, wasn’t it? A scam to scare me off since I’m always talking about you being my guardian. You thought if you pretended to be a bad guardian, I wouldn’t want you. Well, it’s not going to work, so there’s no point in risking anyone else’s life.† I was grateful he didn’t mention the incident in the hall. Ryan had absolutely been out of line, but as more time passed, it became harder and harder for me to believe I’d snapped like that. It was like something that had happened to someone else, something that I’d simply been watching. Of course, I seemed to be snapping over everything lately. I’d been mad about getting Christian, mad about the guardians’ accusation, mad about – Oh, right. It was probably time for me to drop the bomb. â€Å"So, um †¦ there’s something you guys should know.† Four sets of eyes – even Eddie’s – turned to me. â€Å"What’s wrong?† asked Lissa. There was really no easy way to tell them, so I just pushed forward. â€Å"Well, it turns out that Victor Dashkov was never found guilty of what he did to us. He’s just been locked up. But they’re finally going to have an official trial – in another week or so.† Lissa’s reaction to hearing his name was similar to mine. Shock shot through the bond, followed immediately by fear. A slide show of images flashed through her mind. The way Victor’s sick game had made her question her sanity. The torture his henchman had subjected her to. The bloody state she’d found Christian in after he’d been attacked by Victor’s hounds. She clenched her fists on the table, knuckles going white. Christian couldn’t sense her reaction the way I could, but he didn’t need to. He moved his hand over hers. She barely noticed. â€Å"But†¦ but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She took a deep, steadying breath, fighting to stay calm. â€Å"How could he not be guilty already? Everyone knows†¦. They all saw†¦.† â€Å"It’s the law. They supposedly have to give him a fighting chance.† There was confusion all over her, and slowly, she came to the same realization that I had last night with Dimitri. â€Å"So†¦wait†¦ are you saying there’s a chance they might not find him guilty?† I looked into her wide, frightened eyes and couldn’t bring myself to tell her. Apparently, my face said it all. Christian slammed his fist against the table. â€Å"This is bullshit.† Several people at other tables glanced over at his outburst. â€Å"This is politics,† said Adrian. â€Å"People in power never have to play by the same rules.† â€Å"But he nearly killed Rose and Christian!† cried Lissa. â€Å"And he kidnapped me! How can there be any question?† Lissa’s emotions were all over the place. Fear. Sorrow. Anger. Outrage. Confusion. Helplessness. I didn’t want her delving into those dark feelings and hoped desperately that she’d grow calm again. Slowly, steadily, she did – but then I started getting angry again. It was like Ryan all over. â€Å"It’s a formality, I’m sure,† said Adrian. â€Å"When all the evidence is in, there probably isn’t going to be much of a debate.† â€Å"That’s the thing,† I said bitterly. â€Å"They’re not going to have all the evidence. We aren’t allowed to go.† â€Å"What?† exclaimed Christian. â€Å"Then who’s testifying?† â€Å"The other guardians who were there. We apparently can’t be trusted to keep the whole thing quiet. The queen doesn’t want the world to know that one of her precious royals might have done something wrong.† Lissa didn’t seem to take offense at me trashing royals. â€Å"But we’re the reason he’s on trial.† Christian stood up, glancing around as though Victor might be in the library. â€Å"I’m going to go take care of this right now.† â€Å"Sure,† said Adrian. â€Å"I bet going in there and kicking down the door will change their minds. Take Rose with you, and you guys’ll make a really good impression.† â€Å"Yeah?† asked Christian, clenching the back of his chair and fixing Adrian with a stormy glare. â€Å"You have a better idea?† Lissa’s calmness began to waver again. â€Å"If Victor was free, would he come after us again?† â€Å"If he gets loose again, he won’t stay that way for long,† I said. â€Å"I’ll make sure of it.† â€Å"Careful there,† said Adrian. He seemed to find all of this funny. â€Å"Even you couldn’t get away with a royal assassination.† I started to tell him that I’d practice on him first, but then Eddie’s sharp voice interrupted my thoughts. â€Å"Rose.† Instinct born from years of training instantly kicked into place. I looked up and immediately saw what he’d noticed. Emil had just entered the library and was scanning for novices, taking notes. I shot up out of my chair, taking a position not far from Eddie that gave me a view of Christian and most of the library. Damn it. I had to get a grip, or I’d end up proving Ryan right. Between my brawl in the hall and now this Victor thing, I was completely neglecting my guardian duties. I might not even need Mason to fail this. Emil hadn’t seen me sitting and socializing. He strolled by, glanced at us, and made a few notes before heading off to scout the rest of the library. Relieved at escaping my close call, I tried to gain control of myself. It was hard. That black mood had seized me again, and listening to Lissa and Christian rage over Victor’s trial wasn’t really helping me relax. I wanted to go over there and weigh in. I wanted to yell and rant and share my own frustration. But that wasn’t a luxury I had as a guardian. My first duty was to protect Moroi and not give into my own impulses. Over and over, I repeated the guardian mantra: They come first. Those words were really starting to annoy me. How to cite Shadow Kiss Chapter 6, Essay examples