Hero was a beautiful priestess of Aphrodite who lived in a tower in Sestos, on the European side of the Hellespont. Leander, a young man from Abydos on the opposite Asian shore, fell deeply in love with her.
Schumann's "In der Nacht" is often considered the centerpiece of his Fantasiestücke , capturing the quintessential Romantic themes of intense emotion, the power of nature, and the tragedy of unfulfilled desire. If you'd like, I can:
In Robert Schumann's piano cycle Fantasiestücke, Op. 12 , the fifth movement, ("In the Night"), is inspired by the ancient Greek myth of Hero and Leander . Schumann himself later realized the music perfectly mirrored this tragic story of longing and the relentless sea. The Story of Hero and Leander