When you look at the panoramic view of the coast near Vietri sul Mare, it is impossible not to notice the two rocks that are the lookouts of the Vietri beach: the two Brothers have always represented the symbol of Vietri sul Mare so much so that there are different legends that they tell about their appearance in these waters.
Count Umfredo dei Landolfi and Prince Rajan
The first legend has its roots as far back as 871-872 AD. during the bloody war between Salerno, led by Prince Guaiferio, against Saracen pirates.
The ancient legend says that one day a large fleet of Saracen ships appeared in the sea of Salerno that besieged the city. The war had been going on for over a year, Salerno was starving, the population endured hunger and deprivation. Then Prince Guaiferio, no longer able to endure the sad spectacle, reunited the Grand Council and proposed to resolve the conflict with a duel between the strongest of the Saracens and the strongest of the Salernitan knights. Along the city streets, the herald announced the challenge between the brave Umfredo, Count of the Landolfi, and Prince Rajan, son of Helino, who commanded the army of aggressors. On the set day, the two young champions faced each other, launches in remnant, while the population watched eagerly from above the walls of ancient Salerno, encouraging their paladin. The duel would mark the fate of the city and everyone was breathless. Rajan at one point escaped under Umfredo’s blows and slits. The latter chased him and the duel continued in that of Vietri. The clash continued fierce and at sunset, the two found themselves exhausted and bleeding at the end of their lives. The torn robes revealed tattooed on the chest of both him
same family crest. Rajan, the half-bled Saracen prince said – “What do I see on your breast, O Christian? The emblem of my ancestors. Look carefully, Umfredo, it is the same emblem that I wear!”. Umfredo protested incredulously with a whisper, when Rajan revealed to him – “But yes, my father Helino has been looking for a son who had been kidnapped by pirates all his life. It happened many years ago and he searched for it all world! Now I have found you. You are my brother and I killed you! ” And Umfredo – “I forgive you! And forgive me too! What a cruel fate, two brothers, we killed each other.”
The two died with the desire to embrace even for a moment. Then they slipped into the sea, and as legend has it, they turned into the two rocks which are still called “the two brothers”.
The legend of the shepherd brothers and the nymph Roda
Another widespread legend on the origin of the name, tells of two young shepherds who, driven with their flock to the beach of Vietri, were enchanted by the beauty of a mysterious girl who slept in the middle of the sea. At the sudden onset of a storm, the two young men in pain for her threw themselves into the water in an attempt to rescue her, but without success and inevitably drowning in those troubled waters. The flock faithful to his shepherds followed the two young people, also finding their tragic end. The girl was saved because she was none other than the marine nymph Roda, daughter of Poseidon, god of the sea. Poseidon admired the courage and generosity of the gesture of the two young men and decided to transform their remains into the two rocks today known as the “Two Brothers” and the sheep of their flock in small rocks that surround them in evil.
