The Futility of Prophecy and Vengeance

Cassandra’s cursed gift to see the future becomes a curse itself—not because her visions are false, but because they are ignored until too late. Troy falls not due to weakness, but due to the refusal to heed warnings. Parallels emerge in the cycle of vengeance: Troilus’s pursuit of Achilles, fueled by grief over Diomede’s death, leads only to his own destruction. The conflicts spiral destructively, each act of retribution begetting further bloodshed, culminating in Troilus’s fatal duel. The theme suggests that prophecies and vengeance share a tragic symmetry: both bind individuals to predetermined outcomes they cannot escape, making free will an illusion.