Hero and Leander

The tale of Hero and Leander is Greek myth of two star crossed lovers kept apart by the sea between their homes. There was also the pesky business that Hero was a priestess of Aphrodite the goddess of love and had vowed to serve her temple. Still Leander was so enamored with Hero that he wooed her into an affair that would last the whole summer. Each night after Hero would light a lantern in the tower of her home to show Leander the way he would swim against the great currents across the Dardanelles Straight. Over and over they would meet during these hot summer nights. At the end of the season as the waters became rougher, the winds stronger they agreed it wouldn’t be safe for Leander to continue his nightly swim. Heart broken over their separation Leander would look each night for a lantern to be lit, but none came…until one night a soft glow emanated from his love’s shore! He dove into the ocean and began the difficult trek, each wave threatening to pull him under, but still the lantern glowed beckoning him in the right direction. Then with a great gust the light was blown out. Unsure of which way to go Leander pushed on, but one man only has so much strength…

The next day Hero is walking along the shore when she finds the body of a man washed up from the night’s rough waters. When she turns him over she’s struck with the awful grief for it was her lovely Leander. Unable to live without her truest love Hero takes her own life. The two are buried together in a lovers tomb forever embraced.

This type of myth is one that would be used to teach a fairly common life lesson: love can overcome many obstacles, but accidents happen.