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CASSANDRA
by
KERRY GREENWOOD
BLURB
Cassandra is the second in The Delphic Women trilogy.
Doomed, magnificent Troy is burning...
Cassandra, the golden-haired princess cursed with the gift of prophecy, and Diomenes, the Achaean with the healing hands, become puppets of the gods.
Their passions are thwarted, their loves betrayed, their gifts rendered useless for the sake of a wager between two immortals.
Will Cassandra and Diomenes find each other in the light of the burning city?
And, if they do, can their love survive the machinations of malicious gods and men?
Acknowledgements
With thanks to David Greagg, Jenny Pausacker,
Susan Tonkin, Stuart Reeh, Edward Jarrett, Sarah Jane Reeh,
Andrea Walker, Vanessa Craigie, Themetrula Gardner,
Irene Kazantzidis, and Danny Spooner.
The Cast
Trojans
Aegyptusa shipmasterAeneasson of AphroditeAnchisesfather of AeneasAndromachewife of Hector and mother of AstyanaxAstyanaxson of Andromache and HectorBriseisTrojan woman captured by Achilles and claimed by AgamemnonBashtian Egyptian womanCassandradaughter of Priam and Hecube and priestess of ApolloCerasusson of PriamCleaa Trojan womanCycnean Achaean ex-slave, now a Trojan girlDardanusfirst king of TroyDeiphobosson of PriamDionfisherman and priest of PoseidonEirene`peace', a Trojan girlElenitwin brother of Cassandra, priest of ApolloErecthison of PriamEthipia shipmasterEumidesa trader, Trojan slave in MycenaeGanymedea Trojan prince kidnapped by ZeusHectorson of Priam, captain and `bulwark' of the cityHecubethe QueenIdumepriest of AdonisIrisa Trojan girlLania woman of TroyMaerona Trojan boyMysionpriest of ApolloNyssathe twins' nurseOenonwife of Pariki, mother of CorythusPandarusTrojan heroParikison of PriamPerseismistress of maidensPolitesson of PriamPolyxenadaughter of Priam, sister of CassandraPsychean archer of TroyPriamthe King, `the ransomed one'Sarpedona hero of TroySirianthisa soldier of TroyStathia mou or cat, Egyptian beast, friend of HectorTheonesa shipmasterTithonthe healer, priestess of the MotherTrossecond king of Troy, the holy city of Ilium
Amazons
Aigleia`eagle-eyed'Charis Eris`strife'Hippia`horse-woman'Myrine / Penthesileia / Tydialeader of the Amazons, daughter of Ares
Achaeans (also called Argives)
Achillesson of Thetis, leader of the MyrmidonsAgamemnonson of Atreas of MycenaeAriasa heroArionof Telamon, `dolphin-rider', a bardAtreidaecollective title for the brothers Agamemnon and MenelausCalchashigh priest of ApolloCastor & Polydeusestwin brothers of EleneClytemnestradaughter of Zeus and Leda, half-sister of Elene, married to AgamemnonDikaoslord of TirynsDiomedesahero of AetoliaElenedaughter of Zeus and Leda, most beautiful woman in the world, married to MenelausElisawoman of MycenaeHermaphroditusa nymph who had her wish grantedIphigeniadaughter of Agamemnon, sacrificed for a wind at AulisMenelausbrother of Agamemnon, prince of Sparta and husband of EleneMemonapprentice to the bard ArionNeoloptolemusson of Achilles by Deidama, born after Achilles left Sciros where he had hidden among the girlsNestorthe old man, `honey voiced', went with the Argonauts and then to TroyOdysseusprince of Ithaca, called Kokkinos `red-head'Palamedesof Euboea, father of Chryseis and lover of Myrses, responsible for bringing Odysseus to the TrojansPatrocleslover of Achilles, killed by HectorPerseusfounder of Mycenae, demigodPhiloctetesan archer, marooned and retrieved on prophecy of Eleni of TroyPithiasa goatherd of MycenaeTelamonmarried the kidnapped Hesione, princess of TroyThersitesan Achaean soldierTyndareusking of Sparta, foster father of EleneTalthybiusherald of the Arrgives
Healers
Achisa Kritian healerAsiusa healerChryseisdaughter of Palameses, wife of DiomenesDiomenespriest of Asclepius, also called Chryse `the golden'Glaucusmaster of Epidavros, priest of AsclepiusItarnesa healer and Diomenes' best friendLepitha Corinthian healerMacaonthe surgeon, son of GlaucusPodilariusthe physician, son of GlaucusTelopsa healerThoriaona healerTiraesan old man
Patients (or Suppliants)
Cleonean Achaean womanMilaniona soldierMyrseslover of PalamesesPaisa pregnant womanPilasman of Kokkinades
Notes of the House of Atreus
First was Tantalus, son of Zeus, who liked offending gods. Stole nectar and ambrosia and sold it to men. Tattled about Olympus. He cooked and served up his son Pelops to Zeus, who took offence, and sent him to stand in crystal water he could never drink, and in biting range of apples he could never eat. Zeus resurrected Pelops, replacing his cooked shoulder with an ivory one.
Pelops, king of Phrygia, inherited mischievous tendencies. Courted Hippodemia, princess of Pisa. Her father challenged each suitor to a chariot race which he always won. She got tired of this and sawed the royal axle half through. Wheel fell off, Pelops won, and killed Oenomaus. Hippodemia married Pelops and bore Thyestes and Atreus.
Atreus married Aerope but she fell in love with Thyestes and bore him two children, who Atreus cooked and served up to his brother at a reconciliation supper. At this point the Gods cursed the House of Atreus and one cannot blame them.
Atreus' sons were Menelaus of Mycenae who married Elene (Helen), and Agamemnon, who married Elene's mortal sister Clytemnestra.
Agamemnon sacrificed his own daughter, Iphigenia, at Aulis for wind to Troy. Subsequently, Clytemnestra took up with Aegisthis, Agamemnon's nephew, (incestuous child of Thyestes and his own daughter, born as a revenger for his father) and together they killed Agamemnon when he came home from Troy.
Gods
Achaean
Aphroditeof Cyprus, `the Stranger', goddess of erotic love, also known as IshtarApollothe Archer, `Sun Bright', Sun God, patron of Asclepius the HealerAresgod of warArtemisthe virgin hunterAsclepiusson of Apollo, patron of medicineAtheneProncea the virgin, his sisterAttisthe