Fátima Reyes, Grade 11
UWC Costa Rica
Dressed in my white linen dress, I get onto the rustic wooden boat. I check that the square sail is well-adjusted and make sure I have enough provisions for the trip. I have packed several freshwater bottles, alongside some artisanal bread, grapes, melons, plums, honey, and some salt. After securing my packages, I move to the hidden control panel, lift one of the floor’s wood plank, and stare at the blank screen. I must make sure to insert the right dates and coordinates. The slightest mistake might take me on a trip with no return.
Year: 51 BC
Coordinates: 29º 32’ 0.3768’’ N
31º 16’ 14.5020’’ E
Coordinates: 29º 32’ 0.3768’’ N
31º 16’ 14.5020’’ E
Confirm trip to the Nile River, during the end of the Ptolemaic Kingdom.
I close my eyes, and when I open them, I find myself floating through the Nile River. It is the break of dawn. As I admire the sunrise, I station my boat on the river banks and prepare for my trip. I put on my black wig and ornament my kalasiris with jewelry. I must denote wealth if I want to be admitted into the royal palace, where a fellow traveler awaits me, posing as a priest. Although he knows I am coming, it takes more than some fortunate relations to be allowed into the royal family’s circle. And so, as the morning sun begins to warm the desert, I head to Alexandria.
When I arrive in the city, it is already past noon. I had to stop to rest, hydrate, and eat several times during my journey; it will take some time before I adjust to the dry heat of Egypt. I don’t walk too much before I spot my guide. He welcomes me, addressing me as Peseshet, the name I have chosen as my new identity. He walks me to his house while explaining he is unable to take me to the palace yet. When we arrive, he is saluted as Priest Shoshenq by a servant. I can tell he is unsettled by my presence, but my companion is quick to appease him by introducing me as his sister, and an swnw (doctor) in training. He orders the servant to prepare a room for me and, as we wait, updates me on the city’s current political and social climate.
Cleopatra VII has just ascended to the throne after the unstable reign of her father and her older sister’s assassination by the former. She is already known for her beauty, her witty, and her ingenuity. The well-educated pharaoh is adored by many and despised by a larger number across the sea. Rumors indicate, says Shoshenq, that she has already begun her romance with Julius Caesar in a desperate attempt to restore her kingdom’s strength and secure her power.
After the servant guides me to my new room, Shoshenq visits me to make sure I am comfortable. I assure him of my wellbeing, and he invites me to dine after a couple of hours of rest. I try to sleep on the wooden bed, but my 21st-century body finds it unsuited. Like with everything else in this time, it will take time and effort for me to adapt. Unable to find proper rest, I contemplate my journey so far. I, just like Shoshenq before me, decided to visit Ancient Egypt for research purposes. I was enchanted by the possibility of meeting Cleopatra VII, the Last Pharaoh, and experience the absorption of Egypt by the Roman Empire. She is, after all, one of the most politically powerful and culturally influential women of history, its first femme fatale. With her death, a new kingdom is born. And I will be able to witness it all.
The servant enters my room. He tells me Shoshenq and his wife are waiting for me to dine. I am introduced to Meleager, wife to my friend and mother to his unborn child. I hope that she, an actual swnw, will welcome me into the House of Life, where I will become her apprentice. I try to showcase my knowledge of Egyptian medicine, being extremely careful not to reveal any dubious information. Finally, while we finish dinner, she offers me to travel with her the next day and observe her work. I am thankful for the invitation, and knowing a great day awaits me, excuse myself and go to sleep.
The exciting thoughts of exploring Alexandria and become a swnw lull me to sleep. Maybe I will meet the pharaoh, and witness first hand her charm. Maybe I will meet the Roman generals she used in her favor. Maybe, with a bit of luck, I will make it out alive and tell the story.
I close my eyes, and when I open them, I find myself floating through the Nile River. It is the break of dawn. As I admire the sunrise, I station my boat on the river banks and prepare for my trip. I put on my black wig and ornament my kalasiris with jewelry. I must denote wealth if I want to be admitted into the royal palace, where a fellow traveler awaits me, posing as a priest. Although he knows I am coming, it takes more than some fortunate relations to be allowed into the royal family’s circle. And so, as the morning sun begins to warm the desert, I head to Alexandria.
When I arrive in the city, it is already past noon. I had to stop to rest, hydrate, and eat several times during my journey; it will take some time before I adjust to the dry heat of Egypt. I don’t walk too much before I spot my guide. He welcomes me, addressing me as Peseshet, the name I have chosen as my new identity. He walks me to his house while explaining he is unable to take me to the palace yet. When we arrive, he is saluted as Priest Shoshenq by a servant. I can tell he is unsettled by my presence, but my companion is quick to appease him by introducing me as his sister, and an swnw (doctor) in training. He orders the servant to prepare a room for me and, as we wait, updates me on the city’s current political and social climate.
Cleopatra VII has just ascended to the throne after the unstable reign of her father and her older sister’s assassination by the former. She is already known for her beauty, her witty, and her ingenuity. The well-educated pharaoh is adored by many and despised by a larger number across the sea. Rumors indicate, says Shoshenq, that she has already begun her romance with Julius Caesar in a desperate attempt to restore her kingdom’s strength and secure her power.
After the servant guides me to my new room, Shoshenq visits me to make sure I am comfortable. I assure him of my wellbeing, and he invites me to dine after a couple of hours of rest. I try to sleep on the wooden bed, but my 21st-century body finds it unsuited. Like with everything else in this time, it will take time and effort for me to adapt. Unable to find proper rest, I contemplate my journey so far. I, just like Shoshenq before me, decided to visit Ancient Egypt for research purposes. I was enchanted by the possibility of meeting Cleopatra VII, the Last Pharaoh, and experience the absorption of Egypt by the Roman Empire. She is, after all, one of the most politically powerful and culturally influential women of history, its first femme fatale. With her death, a new kingdom is born. And I will be able to witness it all.
The servant enters my room. He tells me Shoshenq and his wife are waiting for me to dine. I am introduced to Meleager, wife to my friend and mother to his unborn child. I hope that she, an actual swnw, will welcome me into the House of Life, where I will become her apprentice. I try to showcase my knowledge of Egyptian medicine, being extremely careful not to reveal any dubious information. Finally, while we finish dinner, she offers me to travel with her the next day and observe her work. I am thankful for the invitation, and knowing a great day awaits me, excuse myself and go to sleep.
The exciting thoughts of exploring Alexandria and become a swnw lull me to sleep. Maybe I will meet the pharaoh, and witness first hand her charm. Maybe I will meet the Roman generals she used in her favor. Maybe, with a bit of luck, I will make it out alive and tell the story.
Bibliography
https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-45177534
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cleopatra-queen-of-Egypt
https://historia.nationalgeographic.com.es/a/cleopatra-reina-mas-joven-egipto_6795
https://sarahamla.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/research-paper-outline/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clothing_in_ancient_Egypt#Pharaohs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ancient_Egyptians#C
https://bit.ly/2XyvDVV
https://bit.ly/31raH4f
https://bit.ly/2DApHou
https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-45177534
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cleopatra-queen-of-Egypt
https://historia.nationalgeographic.com.es/a/cleopatra-reina-mas-joven-egipto_6795
https://sarahamla.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/research-paper-outline/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clothing_in_ancient_Egypt#Pharaohs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ancient_Egyptians#C
https://bit.ly/2XyvDVV
https://bit.ly/31raH4f
https://bit.ly/2DApHou
Image Citation: https://bit.ly/2EVI0VM
|
www.unitedworldwide.co