The celestial Queen
More than merely little points in the sky – ‘petit points’ – Cleopatra used the stars to manipulate the present and anticipate the future. In tough times – plague, famine, war – the stars helped her lead her people and come out stronger than before. The fated sky was Cleopatra’s compass and guide. Astrology, based on the direct correlation between astronomical phenomena and experiences in the human world, was fundamental in the belief system of the Ancient Egyptians. Not surprisingly, growing up, Cleopatra was taught a combination of astrology and astronomy – there was no differentiation yet – and her royal entourage always included some well-respected astrologers. The ‘Celestial Queen’ is even believed to have commissioned the stunning starry ceiling of the Dendera Temple: one of the best-preserved ancient diagrams of the cosmos, featuring the Egyptian gods as signs of the zodiac.
« The myths of the world resemble each other as dialects of a single language,” Joseph Campbell said. And indeed, it feels like through these archetypes, Cleopatra is speaking to us across oceans of time and vast, starry skies. “I may have been a queen and a goddess,” she seems to say, “but really I was a lot like you: a human, marveling at the workings of the universe.”
Marlies Says
fall|winter 20 preview
In January, I presented my newest FW20 collection during a show full of dance and entertainment in Rotterdam. All my work as a feminist designer is inspired by muses, powerful female icons from past and present. And for FW20, my muse will be crime writer Agatha Christie. A few months from now, you will get to discover the collections, and see how they tell stories like Agatha’s thrilling books do..
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Dr. Bram Bakker is a psychiatrist, a writer, a runner and a provocateur. With his many bestselling books and columns – and yes, even his own theatre show – he urges us to think outside the box when it comes to our mental health. Not crazy about popping pills? Bram shared some interesting alternatives with me, from throwing out our phones to running ‘till we puke’.
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All the single ladies, listen up! With single women rapidly becoming the majority, it is high time to stop feeling singled out. This Singles Day, let’s celebrate our freedom and independence by sharing all those solo milestones that make us go: ‘You’ve got this!’.