Lesbos, No Not What You Think...

We were looking forward to wandering around Lesbos, mostly because we, like most people, were curious about the legend of Lesbians.  You guys, stop what you are thinking!  No, it is not an island full of females hungry for sex with anyone!!  Shame on you. 

FIrst of all, we never got to the island -- because the seas were too rocky.  We would have had to tender in rather than docking and the captain was not only worried about getting TO Lesbos, but worried about getting us back to the ship from Lesbos.  So we spent the afternoon looking at Lesbos as we sailed around it.

However, to answer that unasked question:  some people think the reason the lesbian legend got started was from Sappho, the Greek poetess, who apparently lived on Lesbos and wrote really racy poetry!  I, personally, like the 2nd story!   Back in 428 B.C. during the Peloponnesian War, the island revolted against Athens.  Not a smart idea.  They did surrender.  However, Athens was really angry, so the Athens assembly decided to kill all the men in Lesbos and enslave all the women and children.  Hence, they dispatched a ship to do the deed.  The next day, in a less vengeful mood, they repealed their death sentence and sent a second ship after the first ship.  The second ship pulled into the harbor just as the commander of the first ship finished reading the death sentence.  Just in time... So it would have been an island with lots of women, if  only....back in 428 B.C.!  Nicer story, huh!!  Now, on to Athens...