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Vol. 14 : Cassandra

The princess Cassandra was a very beautiful young woman, so beautiful that Apollo had fallen in love with her.

"Cassandra, I will show you the future," the god of prophecy whispered to her one day. "I will give you the gift of foresight. In exchange, you must give me your love."

Cassandra was a virgin, and she wanted to remain a virgin. But ever since she was a child, she had seen the seers in the temple of Apollo and wanted to be one herself.

So she hesitated, but finally she agreed.

"Then you must sleep in my temple tonight," Apollo said.

She did this, and in the darkness two snakes entered the hall and licked her eyes and ears, and when she woke, she was able to see the future.

"Now," said Apollo. "You must give me what you promised."

She shook her head.

Apollo laughed. "You cannot be serious?"

"I do not want to be your lover," Cassandra said.

Apollo became furious. "You, ungrateful woman! Are you refusing me, after what I have done for you?"

Cassandra nodded, terrified.

Suddenly, Apollo became quiet.

"Then give me one kiss," he said. "Just one kiss. That is all I ask."

She could not refuse him, so she moved toward him, and just as her lips touched his, he spat into her mouth. She stepped back in horror.

"From now on," Apollo said, laughing cruelly, "even though you will be able to see the future, no one will believe what you say."

And so that is why, years later, she remained silent when Paris was found alive. That is why, now, Priam would not listen to her when she told him that Troy would burn.

"Apollo, you have destroyed me," she shouted as Hector locked her away.