Hero and Leander

It is believed that this tale was originally written by Hellenistic poet in Alexandria, but that original is now lost. The Roman poets of the 1st century BC, Virgil and Ovid, only briefly retold this legend. It wasn't until the late 5th century that it was fully treated in the Greek poem of Musaeus, titled Hero and Leander.

According to the legend, a young man named Leander (Λέανδρος), from the city of Abydos in Mysia (Asia Minor), fell in love with a priestess of Aphrodite named Hero (Ἡρώ). However, this priestess, whose name was Hero, lived in Sestos on the other side of Hellespont.

Hero and Leander were determined to meet each night. At the tower in Aphrodite's temple in Sestos, Hero would light a lamp. Leander used the lamp as his guide, so he could swim across the Hellespont. So each night, they would make love before Leander had to swim back home at daybreak.

This affair continued, until one ill-fated night. It was now winter, where the winds and water were strong. Yet, as usual, Hero left the lamp in the tower while she waited for her lover. Unfortunately the wind blew out the flame in the lamp.

Leander was already having difficulty swimming across the Hellespont, because of the strong waves. When the lamp went out, the lover lost his way in the darkness, and drowned.

When Hero saw her lover's body washed to the shore, she was grief-stricken. Hero leaped off the tower and plunged to her death. The locals found her body lying beside the body of Leander.