Hero and Leander

Hello, this is Jana, and I'm here with a love story from ancient times.

We're in a romantic mood because we are recording this just before St. Valentine's Day.

First, we must set the scene.

The Dardanelles is a stretch of seawater that separates the continents of Europe and Asia. In ancient times, this

thin, winding sea that looked something like a broad river, was called the Hellespont. It's very

deep and about three quarters of a mile wide at its narrowest point. Do you think it would be safe

to attempt to swim across it? Listen to this story to find out.

Two cities used to watch one another across the Hellas Point, Abidos on the side of Asia,

and Sestos on the side of Europe. In Sestos there lived a priestess of Aphrodite, the goddess of love.

The name of the priestess was hero, and she was so lovely that nature herself was jealous of her beauty.

Her hair shone as brightly as Apollo's brilliant sun-crown.

Indeed, the sun-god longed for her to be his bride and to sit beside him on his burning throne.

But he understood that he had no chance to win her love, because Hero had dedicated her life to Aphrodite

and had sworn never to marry.

Every year, the people of Sestos held a festival

in honour of their favourite goddess, Aphrodite.

Thank you. The streets were filled with music, dancing and celebration, especially around the temple of the goddess.

People travelled from far and wide to Sestos, hoping to complete their search for love.

There were rare beauties to be seen, as bright as the stars in the sky, but the loveliest of them all was hero.

Her look stole away the mind of anyone who gazed upon her.

One evening during the festival, she came down from the high tower where she lived, overlooking the sea,

...