Greek Prophetess-cassandra :: essays research papers

THE CURSED PROPHETESSOracle, in the Ancient Greek world, was a shrine where peoplewent to seek advice from prophets or prophetesses (individuals who hadspecial powers to speak on behalf of a deity or foretell the future). Besidesreferring to an altar, the word vaticinator also refers to the prophet orprophetess, and to his/her prophecy (Cassandra). The Ancient Greekswholly believed in these sacred persons. When disease would crooked acity, the people would go to the shrines to ask a prophet to speak on behalf of the gods. Once the Greeks knew the cause of the plague, they would doeverything in their immortal power to coax the gods to relieve themfrom their suffereing. In the same way as Oedipus, the king of Thebes, asked Tiresias (a prophet) to speak for the gods explaining why his peoplewere suffering, in Oedipus Rex. The Ancient Greeks believed their fatelay in the powers and oracle of the prophets and prophetesses. There wasone prophetess, however, that was an exception to this belief. AlthoughCassandra was the most beautiful and intelligent prophetess, in Greekmythology, her prophecies were neer believed.Stories of gods falling in love with or lusting after little beautifulwomen appear everywhere in Greek mythology, and the case of Cassandrais no exception. Greek gods chose their prey because of somedistinguished characteristic or part of their geneology. Cassandra was alovely young woman, and described by Homer as the most beautiful ofPriams daughters. Apollo, similarly, was the most handsome of theyoung gods. Cassandra describes Apollo as someone who struggled to raise me, breathing ardent for me (Lefkowitz 15).Cassandra, daughter of Queen Hecuba and King Priam of Troy,was a beautiful young woman blessed with the gift of prophecy by the godApollo. In return, she was supposed to love him, but at the last minute sheshunned Apollo. As an act of revenge, Apollo added a twist to her giftCassandra was doomed to tell the truth, but never to be believed (Coh en50). Cassandra has always been misunderstood and misinterpreted as amadwoman or crazy doomsday prophetess. She has always been shownin paintings with her long hair flying around her shoulders in what wasconsidered lunatic fashion, scantily clad, and helpless on her knees in theface of her predicted doom. However, there is so much more toCassandra than her maddened predictions and pitiable treatment. Cassandra was a great, intelligent heroine who was cuss by the gods fornot playing by their rules. She is a tragic figure, not a madwoman