Why Cassandra of Troy Still Haunts Us (and my book)
In Greek mythology, Cassandra of Troy had the gift of prophecy–but no one ever believed her. Her tragedy has haunted storytellers for centuries, and it’s one that directly shaped my own heroine, Raye, in The Last Heir of Xenia.
There are many different versions of the minutiae of Cassandra’s curse. The basic necessities are that Cassandra, a daughter of Priam of Troy (you know…the Troy that fell over one woman: Helen) was sought after by Apollo. Apollo, god of oracles, saw this human woman and was smitten. He propositions her, and she accepts, so he gives her the gift of prophecy. (This is where it gets muddy) However, whenever he came to collect (whether it was marriage, sex, or devotion–the usual expectations of a god’s favor) she denied him—and so he cursed her so that no one would ever believe her. She would know the truth, see the fall of Troy and the deaths of her family members, but no one would trust her word.
Cassandra by Evelyn De Morgan (1898, London)
Cassandra in front of the burning city of Troy, depicted with disheveled hair denoting the insanity ascribed to her by the Trojans.
After she endures all of that, she then seeks shelter in the temple of Athena. Only to have Ajax the lesser abduct and rape her. After the fall and sacking of Troy, she is then taken as a concubine for King Agamemnon. He takes her home only for both of them to be slaughtered by Clytemnestra, Agamemnon’s upset wife. Not so much upset that he brought home a concubine, as that would have been “normal,” but more-so because when Agamemnon went to leave for Troy the winds would not blow without a sacrifice, and thus he kills his only daughter Iphagenia.
Ajax and Cassandra by Solomon J. Solomon (1886)
Ajax depicted ripping Cassandra away from Athena’s statue within the temple after the sacking of Troy.
A real tragedy.
Her story has stuck with me, because I have also been dismissed and not believed when I know I’ve been right. I also just really resonate with stories of women that are victims of circumstance, especially those that highlight how cruel men really are. This is something women are still struggling with to this very day. I don’t want to speak for Cassandra, but I think she would also pick the bear…iykyk!
“Have I missed the mark, or, like true archer, do I strike my quarry?
Or am I prophet of lies, a babbler from door to door?”
Only I wanted Cassandra to have a different ending. I wanted to pay homage to her story, but rewrite the ending so she gets everything she deserves. And Raye was born. Raye (FMC) is gifted foresight, but because of something her father did she is also cursed to never be believed. She too sees death and destruction brought upon her home much like Cassandra. However, in my story Ajax becomes Jax—not her destroyer, but her strength. The two of them grow stronger together, even after it seems all hope is lost.
Cassandra’s curse is a reminder that being right isn’t always enough—it’s being believed that matters. Through Raye, I wanted to explore what it means to carry truth no one will hear, and the strength it takes to keep speaking anyway.
Do you have a myth, story, or character that’s stuck with you over the years? I’d love to hear what echoes in your imagination.
🌟 This week I’m sharing daily posts about what inspired and built The Last Heir of Xenia. A couple of these posts are subscriber-only—join me there for the full journey.
