Cassandra

This beautiful and tragic song is about the Fall of Troy. Its title is the name of the Trojan princess and prophetess, Cassandra. She was the sister of Prince Hector, and the daughter of Priam and Hecuba. Apollo fell in love with her once and gave her the gift of prophecy. But she spurned his love, and to punish her (since he could not take back his gift) Apollo decreed that no one would ever believe Cassandra's predictions.

The result was that Cassandra could always foretell the future, but she was doomed never to be believed. People thought she was insane, because whenever she had a vision of the future, she went into a "divine frenzy" or fit. She warned her people not to let the Trojan Horse inside the city but no one listened to her. I'll try to explain the lyrics.

"Down in the street they're all singing and shouting Staying alive though the city is dead Hiding their shame behind hollow laughter While you are crying alone in your bed"

The Greeks came out of the Trojan Horse and burned the city at night. It is early morning now and the massacre of Trojan soldiers is over. Perhaps this describes the Trojan women who are left alive to be taken as slaves by the Greeks.

"Pity Cassandra that no one believed you But then again you were lost from the start Now we must suffer and sell our secrets Bargain, playing smart, aching in our hearts"

"Lost from the start" because of Apollo's curse. "Suffer, brain, playing smart" means they must sell themselves to the Greeks hoping they will end up with a kind and civilized master. (In Euripides' play, one woman wishes to go to Athens.)

"Sorry Cassandra I misunderstood Now the last day is dawning Some of us wanted but none of us could Listen to words of warning"

No one believed her. And "the last day is dawning" because on this same day, they are going to sail aboard the Greek ships that will take them to slavery.

"But on the darkest of nights Nobody knew how to fight And we were caught in our sleep Sorry Cassandra I didn't believe You really had the power I only saw it as dreams you would weave Until the final hour"

See, the Greeks fell on the Trojans in the night when they were asleep.

"So in the morning your ship will be sailing Now that your father and sister are gone There is no reason for you to linger You're grieving deeply but still moving on"

She will be boarding Agamemnon's ship. He is the most powerful of the Greek chiefs, and the brother-in-law of Helen. Her "father and sister" are Priam, the father of Hector, and Polyxena. The latter was supposed to have been Achilles' bride, but Achilles died long before this day. And the Greeks sacrificed the girl on his tomb.

"You know the future is casting a shadow No one else sees it but you know you're fate Packing your bags, being slow and thorough Knowing, though you're late, that ship is sure to wait"

She sees her own death is coming soon. Agamemnon will take her home as his prize of honor. There he will ask his wife to honor Cassandra as a captive princess. But Clytemnestra (Agamemnon's wife) will murder them both in cold blood during dinner. Cassandra will warn the king about his fate, but again she will not be believed.

"I watched the ship leaving harbor at midnight Sails almost slack in the cool morning rain She stood on deck, just a tiny figure Rigid and restrained, blue eyes filled with pain Sorry Cassandra I misunderstood...."

So the day ends and the ships sail. A fellow Trojan woman is speaking. She describes Cassandra, the prophetess no one would believe.

There are so few songs like this. It is one of my favorites by the great Abba.