Cassandra

Cassandra originated from Greek mythology. The name probably comes from the Greek words “kekasmai” and “aner” which together mean ‘shining upon men.’ The name is also associated with ‘she who fills men with love.’ In the Greek legend, Cassandra was the mortal daughter and Trojan princess of King Priam, ruler of ancient city-state of Troy (circa 1300 B.C.). The god of poetry and prophesy, Apollo, was so enchanted by this beautiful woman he gave her the power to foretell the future. But when Cassandra rejected Apollo’s advances, he cursed her by declaring that no one would believe her prophesies. As the Trojan War proceeds, the Greeks hide inside the wooden horse. Foreseeing their eminent demise, Cassandra pleads with her fellow Trojans not to wheel the horse inside the gates of Troy – but of course they don’t believe her. As we all know, despite Cassandra’s desperate efforts, Troy is sacked by the Greeks. In the later Greek tragedies written by Aeschylus, Euripides and Sophocles, Cassandra is depicted as a madwoman, helpless and tormented in the grip of her prophetic powers which everyone ignores. The play “Agamemnon” by Aeschylus written in the 5th century B.C. tells the story of Agamemnon, King of Argos, and his homecoming after the Trojan War. Agamemnon takes Cassandra as a war-prize back with him to Greece. His angry wife Clytemnestra has been lying in wait to kill Agamemnon and also decides to murder Cassandra. Possessed by Apollo’s prophesies, Cassandra sees all too clearly her pending fate. She has no choice but to walk squarely into her own death, which she does so bravely. Cassandra is used as a metaphor for situations in which valid warnings are disbelieved or ignored. The name Cassandra was used occasionally in the Middle Ages but considered much more of a rare and exotic name. It has come back into favor in modern times.