学文网Cassandra was a Trojan princess,Paris's younger sister.She was loved by sun god Apollo,who promised to bestow (把……赠与) on her the power of prophecy.Cassandra accepted the offer,received his gift, but refused her favors to the god. Apollo revenged (报复)himself by ordaining (命令)that her prophecy should never be believed.
When the wooden horse was pulled inside the city, all the Trojans indulged2 themselves into cheerful festivity except Cassandra.She rushed out of the palace, tousling(弄乱) her hair and claiming, "Can't you see the evils3 surging (波涛般汹涌奔腾) inside the horse? Can' t you see our city flooded with blood,and flared (燃烧)with flame? Can't you see the gate of Hades(冥王) is opening to you?" The Trojans were so carried off(夺走，拿走) by their triumph (胜利)over the Greeks that they failed to pay due(应有的，充分的) attention to her warning.
After Troy was sacked (劫掠，洗劫), Cassandra fell to Agamemnon, the supreme commander of Greek army, in the distribution(分发，分配) of the booty(战利品). Once again Cassandra foresaw4 the murder of Agamemnon by his wife,but she kept the prophecy to herself because she wouldn't warn the worst enemy of Troy of the impending(逼近的） danger.Cassandra was killed right after Agamemnon's death. "The prophecies of Cassandra" therefore means the prediction （断言）that is true but not believed.
卡桑德拉是特洛伊城的一位公主，帕里斯的妹妹。太阳神阿波罗爱上了她，并承诺赐予她预知未来的能力。卡桑德拉答应了这一提议，接受了太阳神的赐予，但不肯对他有所偏爱。太阳神于是报复她，令她的预言无人相信。
当木马被拖人特洛伊城中时，所有的特洛伊人都沉浸在一片欢呼喜庆中，只有卡桑德拉不然。她披头散发地冲出王宫，大声疾呼：“你们看不见木马内涌动的邪恶吗?你们看不见我们的城市血流成河、火光冲天吗?你们看不见冥府之门正在向你们洞开吗？”但是，陶醉在战胜希腊人喜悦中的特洛伊人没能对她的警告予以充分的重视。
特洛伊被洗劫后，分配战利品时，卡桑德拉落入了希腊***最高统帅阿加孟农的手中。她再一次预见了阿加孟农将被他妻子谋杀，但她没有说出自己的预言，因为她不想让特洛伊人最坏的敌人得知即将来临的灾难。卡桑德拉在阿加孟农被谋杀不久后也被杀害。“卡桑德拉的预言”因此意味着灵验但却不为人相信的预言。
注释：
1．prophecy n.预言
2．indulge vt.使（自己）沉溺（于）
3．evil n.邪恶，罪恶
4．foresee vt．预见，预知