Well known is the connection of these mythological Fortunate Isles (μακαρῶν νῆσοι, makárôn nêsoi) or the Homeric Elysium with the stream Oceanus which according to Greek mythology surrounds the inhabited world, which should have accounted for the identification of the northern strands of the Euxine with it.
wˈɛl nˈoʊn ɪz ðə kənˈɛkʃən ʌv ðiːz mˌɪθəlˈɑːdʒɪkəl fˈɔːɹtʃənət ˈaɪəlz mjˈuː ˈælfə kˈæpə ˈælfə ɹˈoʊ lˌɛɾɚwˈʌnˈɛfˈɛfsˈɪks njˈuː njˈuː lˌɛɾɚwˈʌnˈɛfsˈiːsˈɪks sˈɪɡmə ˈoʊmɪkɹˌɑːn aɪˈoʊɾə, mˈækæɹən nˈɛɹsɔɪ ɔːɹ ðə hoʊmˈɛɹɪk ɛlˈɪsiəm wɪððə stɹˈiːm ˈoʊʃənəs wˌɪtʃ ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tə ɡɹˈiːk mɪθˈɑːlədʒi sɚɹˈaʊndz ðɪ ɪnhˈæbɪɾᵻd wˈɜːld, wˌɪtʃ ʃˌʊdəv ɐkˈaʊntᵻd fɚðɪ aɪdˈɛntɪfɪkˈeɪʃən ʌvðə nˈɔːɹðɚn stɹˈændz ʌvðə jˈuːksaɪn wɪð ɪt.