Rhadine and Leontichus


In Greek mythology, Rhadine and Leontichus were star-crossed lovers from the town of Samus in Triphylia.
The story of Rhadine and Leontichus was recounted in a poem entitled Rhadine, misattributed to Stesichorus. Strabo in his Geography quotes the initial lines of the poem and then gives a brief synopsis of the work, which is as follows. Rhadine was betrothed to a tyrant of Corinth and sent to him on board the ship as the west wind was blowing; meanwhile, her brother went with the same wind to Delphi as chief of an embassy. Leontichus hurried to Corinth on his chariot to see Rhadine. Apparently, the tyrant was outraged on discovering that his fiancee had an affair with another man; he ordered to kill both Rhadine and Leontichus and to send their bodies away on the chariot. Later, however, he repented, sent for the chariot to be brought back and gave proper burial to the lovers.
Pausanias makes mention of the tomb of Rhadine and Leontichus, which, however, he places on the island Samos on the road to Heraeum. The tomb, he wrote, was frequented by star-crossed lovers who came there to pray for a happy outcome of their misfortunes in love.