In Trojan War mythology, Cassandra was the Trojan princess whose prophecies were destined not to be believed.
Cassandra was a daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba. Apollo granted her the gift of prophecy, but after she rejected him, he cursed her so that her true predictions would always be dismissed. The exact details of the curse vary among ancient sources.
She is traditionally said to have warned the Trojans about the danger of the wooden horse. Her warnings were ignored, making her one of the clearest symbols in Greek literature of truth recognized too late.
Cassandra is sometimes confused with Helenus, her brother, who was also a prophetic figure in Trojan mythology. Unlike Cassandra, Helenus’ advice could be accepted and used by others. Later Greek tragedy expands Cassandra’s story after the fall of Troy.