According to Herodotus, Arion was a famous lyre player who was kidnapped by pirates and saved by a dolphin when he leapt overboard. More than 2 1/2 millenia later, Dick van Dyke (star of Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) was rescued by porpoises after he fell asleep on his surfboard and drifted out to sea. How awesome would it have been if this happened during the Pirates of the Carribbean craze a few years ago? Pirates, high-profile entertainers, and friendly sea-going mammals. What’s not to love?
HT: Sean Cobb
If you’re interested in the Arion story, our very own Stewart Flory, professor emeritus of the Gustavus classics department, wrote an article about the episode entitled “Arion’s Leap: Brave Gestures in Herodotus” for the American Journal of Philology 99.4 (1978: 411-412). Check it out!