Hero and Leander

· 1593

On Hellespont, guilty of true-love’s blood, In view and opposite two cities stood, Sea-borderers, disjoined by Neptune’s might; The one Abydos, the other Sestos hight. At Sestos Hero dwelt; Hero the fair, Whom young Apollo courted for her hair, And offered as a dower his burning throne, Where she should sit for men to gaze upon. The outside of her garments were of lawn, The lining purple silk, with gilt stars drawn; Her wide sleeves green, and bordered with a grove, Where Venus in her naked glory strove To please the careless and disdainful eyes Of proud Adonis, that before her lies. Her kirtle blue, whereon was many a stain, Made with the blood of wretched lovers slain. Upon her head she wa…

Read free

Your support pays for translating these classics into more languages.

Support for $12/month DonateSubscribers read with instant translation, without waiting for the free daily limit.

Lindy Books — 78,696 public-domain classics, free forever. No ads, no accounts, no tracking. Browse the library