Lord Byron Swims the Hellespont
Poet involved
What happened
On 3 May 1810, Byron famously swam across the Hellespont (the Dardanelles) from Sestos on the European shore to Abydos on the Asian shore, a feat that reenacted the legendary swim of Leander in the classical myth of Hero and Leander.
Literary impact
This athletic and romantic exploit became one of the defining legends of Byron's life, embodying the Byronic hero's physical daring and classical aspirations, and it furnished the poet with a potent personal myth that he would later weave into his verse, most notably in the playful self-reference of Don Juan.
Source: Wikipedia
