How does the author use fire as a symbol in the novel, A Thousand Ships?

The author uses fire to symbolize many different ideas over the course of the novel, but it is primarily used to represent destruction, as it is a fire that leaves the great city of Troy a “blackened city” after its sack by the Greeks (30). In Greek mythology, fire also symbolises humanity, and knowledge. Indeed, the only two creatures who can wield fire are gods and humans. In the Trojan War, the destructive fire of humanity - with its sophisticated knowledge of warfare and killing - is unleashed upon Troy. Meanwhile, the terrible knowledge of the future that curses Cassandra is described as a “gift for fire” (133).