Hero and Leander

"Hero and Leander" by Christopher Marlowe is a poem written in the late 16th century that retells the Greek myth of two young lovers separated by the Hellespont. Hero, a chaste priestess of Venus in Sestos, meets Leander from Abydos at a festival. He falls desperately in love and convinces her to abandon her vow of chastity. Each night, guided by her lamp, Leander swims across the dangerous strait to reach her tower. Their passion unfolds amid extravagant imagery and violent emotion, but Marlowe's sudden death left the poem unfinished.

Hero and Leander, by Christopher Marlowe. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #18781.