In ‘Cassandra,’ Taylor Swift explores themes of betrayal, disbelief, and isolation, using the story of Cassandra of Troy, a princess and prophetess cursed by her ex-lover Apollo, to always deliver true prophecy but never be believed. Cassandra told of the imminent ruin of the city of Troy but, due to Apollo’s curse, she was not believed – in the same way nobody heeded Taylor’s true warnings. She recounts being in her new house, filled with daydreams, but everything changes when she receives a call, recalling, ‘That’s where I was when I got the call.’ Swift portrays the chaos of being ignored and silenced, singing, ‘When the first stone’s thrown, they’re screaming, in the streets, there’s a raging riot.’ Despite her warnings and fears, she’s met with disbelief and hostility, lamenting, ‘So, they killed Cassandra first 'cause she feared the worst and tried to tell the town.’ Swift reflects on the toll of being unheard, wondering, ‘So, they set my life in flames, I regret to say, do you believe me now?’ She delves into the pain of betrayal, realizing, ‘Blood’s thick but nothing like a paywall, but they never spared a prayer for my soul.’ The song concludes with a haunting reminder of the silence that follows truth, singing, ‘When the truth comes out, it’s quiet, it’s so quiet.’ Through vivid imagery and emotional depth, Swift captures the struggle of speaking out against injustice and the loneliness of being disregarded, in the same way that Cassandra was disbelieved when she spoke out about the imminent ruin of the city.