HERO AND LEANDER

[Greek heroic] Leander was a youth of Abydos, a town of the Asian side of the strait which separates Asia and Europe. On the opposite shore, in the town of Sestos, lived the maiden Hero, a priestess of Venus. Leander loved her passionately, and each night he swam across the strait to enjoy the company of his beloved. To guide him on this dangerous journey, Hero lighted a torch upon to tower for just this purpose. One night, however, a tempest arouse and the sea was rough; his strength failed, and the young man drowned. The waves bore his body to the European shore, where Hero became aware of his death, and in her despair cast herself down from the tower into the sea and perished.