Leander went to a festival in a neighboring village and fell in love with Hero. Despite their love at first sight there was an issue, she was forced by her parents to be a virgin high priestess of Aphrodite isolated in her tower.

Leander explained that it was silly that she was a virgin because Aphrodite is the goddess of love. Hero agrees, so the two quickly become lovers. Leander asks Hero to marry him, but she refused. She explained that her parents would never approve of her marrying someone who lived in another town.

He refused to let his love go, so the couple planned for him to swim across the river next to her tower at night. He couldn’t see a thing so as long as Hero had a light lit in her tower he could find his way.