"Yes," Kassandra blurted out,"she is as lovely as the Beautiful One herself," and then was shocked at herself. She murmured to Andromache, almost in apology, "Since childhood I have seen through Paris's eyes," and stopped. She could say nothing about the curious intensity with which she had reacted to Oenone, or Helen, not even to Andromache, who had been brought up among Amazons and would probably understand. "Some day I will tell you all—but for now, tell me what is happening."
"You did not know Menelaus had come?"
"No; what is he like?"
"No more like his brother Agamemnon than I am like Aphrodite," Andromache said. "He came, weak and stammering, and demanded that we render up Helen to him, and Priam said, laughing, that perhaps, perhaps, mind you, we would return Helen when he brought Hesione back to Troy with a dowry to pay for the years she remained unwed; and Menelaus said that Hesione had a husband, who had taken her with no dowry, perhaps impressed by the fact that she was the sister of the King of Troy, and he at least was no stealer of women from their husbands."
"That must have pleased Father," Kassandra said, grimacing.
"Then," Andromache went on, "Menelaus told him Hesione would not return to Troy and suggested that Priam send an envoy and ask Hesione herself if she wished to return—without her child, of course, since the child was a good Spartan and belonged to Hesione's husband."
"And what said my father to that?" Kassandra asked.
"He said to Hecuba that Menelaus had played into his hands; and he sent for Helen and asked her in Menelaus's presence, "Do you wish to return to your husband, my lady?""
"And what did she answer?"
"She said No, my lord, and of course Menelaus just stood and looked at her as if she were cutting him to pieces.
"Then Priam said: "So, Menelaus, you have had your answer."
"And what said Menelaus to that?" Kassandra asked.
"He made matters worse by saying, "Will you listen to what an unfaithful whore wants? I tell you, she is mine, and I will take her," and he tried to grab her wrist and drag her away."
"And did he?" Kassandra asked, thinking that if Menelaus had indeed acted with so much resolution, it might have impressed even Priam.
"Oh, no," Andromache replied. "Hector and Paris both jumped forward and grabbed him, and Priam said, "Thank your own Gods, Lord Menelaus, that you are my guest, or I would let my sons have their way with you; but no offense shall be offered to any guest under my roof." And Menelaus began to stammer -with rage this time - and said, "Guard your tongue, old man, or you will have no roof from which I need to drag her." Then he said something filthy to Helen - I would not repeat it in these sacred precincts," added Andromache with a superstitious gesture, "and flung down the cup he was drinking from and said he wouldn't accept hospitality from a - a pirate who sent his sons out to steal women."
Kassandra's eyes were wide; she had never seen anyone except his own sons defy Priam.
Andromache went on, "Then Priam asked "No? Then how do you Akhaians ever get wives?" And Menelaus swore at him and said I don't know what all, and yelled to his servants and stormed out, saying perhaps if Priam would not listen to him he would listen to Agamemnon. And Paris had the last word—" here Andromache began to giggle.
"Priam said, "Yes, when I was a boy I sometimes told someone who teased me that my big brother would come and beat him up." And Paris said, "If it comes to that, Menelaus, I have a big brother too; would you care to have a word with Hector?" Then Menelaus stormed out, cursing all the way back to his ship."
Kassandra, overwhelmed, had hardly heard the last few sentences; all she could think was: It has come. Already she could see the harbor blackened with foreign ships, the world she knew torn asunder by war. She could not stop herself from interrupting Andromache to cry out, "Pray to the Gods! Pray and sacrifice! I told my father he should have nothing to do with that Spartan woman!"
Andromache's voice was very gentle, ignoring the interruption. "Don't trouble yourself so, Kassandra, my dear."
So even she thinks that I am mad.
"What makes you think that we will not drive the Akhaians back to the islands they hold? It was one thing for those folk to defeat the simple shepherds and landless men who held their islands… but quite another for them to come up against the whole might of Troy! What I say is let those Akhaians look to themselves! Are we to let them think that they can go on stealing our women unpunished, but if we touch theirs, they can punish us?"
"Andromache, are you blind too? Can't you see that Helen is only the excuse? Agamemnon has been trying to find some such reason to come against us in war for many years, and now we have walked straight into his snares. Now we will have these iron-wearers trying to take all the lands that lie to the south of here. He will muster the full might of all these warlike people to… oh, what does it matter?" Kassandra sank down on a bench, "You can't see it because you are like Hector… you think war leads only to fame and glory!"
Andromache knelt beside Kassandra and put her arms round her, saying, "Never mind; I should not have frightened you, I should have known better."
Kassandra could almost hear her thinking: Poor thing, she is mad, Apollo has cursed her after all.
There was no way to argue with that, so she let it drop and asked Andromache, "What of Oenone?"
"She has returned to the mountain, and taken her child with her," Andromache said. "Paris wished to keep the babe - his firstborn son, after all—but Oenone said he could not have it both ways; if it was his son, and he chose to acknowledge it, then she was his lawful first wife and this foreign woman only a second concubine."
"And serves him right," Kassandra said. "It seems that Paris has neither honor nor decency; Father should have left him on Mount Ida with his sheep, if they'd have him." She was deeply disappointed in her brother, she wanted Paris to be regarded as the people of the city regarded Hector; their champion, their hero, as much for his goodness and honorable behaviour as for his handsome face.
"I must return to the palace. But tell me what will we do if there is a war, Kassandra?" Andromache asked her.
"Fight it, of course; even you and I may be glad for our weapons, if as many Akhaians rise against us as Agamemnon intends," Kassandra said, despairing. Andromache embraced her and took her leave. After she was out of sight, Kassandra went out of the highest gate of Apollo's house, climbing higher and higher, toward the Temple of Pallas Athene. As she went, sweat soaking through her tunic in the heat, she tried helplessly to form a prayer. But nothing would come, and she went on climbing.
She looked down toward the harbor, black with ships as she had seen it so many times before this. She did not know whether the ships were really there or not, but this time it did not matter. If they were not there now, they would come soon enough.
Lord Apollo! Sunlord, beloved! If you cannot withdraw the gift and take from me this unwanted Sight, at least do not curse me that I shall never be believed!
She went up into the high Temple of Pallas Athene, at the very summit of the city, and into the shrine. recognizing her either as Priam's daughter or as a priestess of the Sunlord (or perhaps both) the guardians drew aside, letting her into the shrine, before the great image of the Goddess, shown as a young woman wearing the unbound locks and garland of a virgin.
Maiden, you who loved Troy, you who brought us your priceless gifts of grape and olive, you who were here before those arrogant Thunder-worshippers and their Sky Gods and their weapons, protect your city now.
She looked at the drawn curtains of the innermost shrine, which contained the image of Pallas, drawn from heaven, ancient and crude, and remembered the Goddess of the Amazon women.