Cassandra suffers from the pangs of inspiration and prophetic vision

 

Cassandra suffers from the pangs of inspiration and prophetic vision-Discuss Cassandra's plight in brief.

 

Ans. Paul Harvey has rightly called Cassandra, 'a sombre figure in Greek Legend". Daughter of King Priam of Troy she was loved by Apollo But she refused to offer him her virginity. Distraught Apollo made useless her the gift of prophesy, once he bestowed upon her. Destiny compelled her to accompany Agamemnon as his concubine. How could she love and compromise with man who destroyed her beloved city Troy, slaughtered her parents, brothers, sisters, kill her near and dear ones. Agamemnon, after walking on the Red Carpet spread for him by Clytemnestra, told her pointing at Cassandra "This maid, of countless spoils, the flower and crown, was given to me by the army'.

 

Clytemnestra, half in scorn and half in anger asked Cassandra to follow her to the palace. Cassandra would not move. She knew all about the conspiracy and could foresee her impending doom. In fact she was in a state of ecstasy and there was a deluge of prophesy came from her mouth. It was all about the house of Atreus. She could see in her clear vision the feast of Thyestes, being fed with the flesh of his own children. She could also foresee the slaughter of Agamemnon. She uttered  her last prayer for revenge and then stepped forward to the palace to meet her doom. A victim of circumstances Cassandra was assailed as much by man as by god. Indeed this unfortunate flower that blossomed in the palace of Troy, suffered all through from pangs of inspiration and prophetic vision.