Lord Byron Swims across the Hellespont

3rd May 1810

On this day, Lord Byron, one of the major figures of the ‘Romantic Movement’ and generally recognised as one of the United Kingdom’s greatest poets, swam across the Hellespont. Known nowadays as the Dardanelles or the Strait of Gallipoli, the Hellespont is a natural strait and internationally significant waterway in northwestern Turkey that forms part of the continental boundary between Asia and Europe. Lord Byron’s passion for swimming is not commonly known, but having been born with a club foot, the poet found a freedom in the water that he could not experience on land and often claimed that his biggest ever achievement was swimming the Hellespont. Perhaps inspired by a story in Greek mythology in which Leander used to swim across the Hellespont every night to visit his lover Hero, Byron was determined to prove that it could be done despite the strait’s notoriously fierce currents.

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Author: Tony

Born and raised in Malaysia between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Educated at Wycliffe College in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, England. Living in the foothills of Mount Etna since 1982 and teaching English at Catania University since 1987.

2 thoughts on “Lord Byron Swims across the Hellespont”

  1. Byron was a good swimmer indeed, not only did he swim necause he liked “mastering” the waves but also because it helped him keep a slim figure, given that he was prone to overeating and putting on weight .

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