Happy islands
The Happy Islands ( Greek μακάρων νη̂σοι makárōn nḗsoi , literally Islands of the Blessed ) was the name of a group of islands that were described in Greek and Celtic mythologies. The Greek poet Hesiod described it as the place of the Elysions where the gods receive the souls of heroes and beneficiaries after their death. These islands were believed to be in the western ocean near the Okeanos River . Today Madeira , the Azores , the Canaries and Cape Verde are accepted as possible interpretations. In biogeography they are summarized together with the term Macaronesia , derived from the Greek name .