Hippolytus (mythology)


The Death of Hippolytus, by Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne (1679-1731), Louvre

In Greek mythology, Hippolytus (Greek for "loose horse") was a son of Theseus and either Antiope or Hippolyte. He was identified with the Roman forest god Virbius.

The most common legend regarding Hippolytus states that he was killed after rejecting the advances of Phaedra, the second wife of Theseus and Hippolytus's stepmother. Spurned, Phaedra told Theseus that Hippolytus had raped her. Infuriated, Theseus believed her and, using one of the three wishes he had received from Poseidon, cursed Hippolytus. Hippolytus' horses were frightened by a sea monster and dragged their rider to his death. Alternatively, Dionysus sent a wild bull that terrified Hippolytus' horses, causing them to drag Hippolytus to his death.

Phaedra's Suicide

Additional legends state that Phaedra's nurse told Hippolytus of Phaedra’s love. Hippolytus swore that he would not reveal the nurse as a source of information –even after Phaedra killed herself and falsely accused him of raping her in a suicide note, which Theseus read.

Alternatively, it is stated that Phaedra simply killed herself out of guilt for Hippolytus’ death and that the goddess Artemis subsequently told Theseus the truth.


Hippolytus as Virbius

According to some sources, Hippolytus had scorned Aphrodite in order to become a devotee of Artemis, devoting himself to a chaste life in pursuit of hunting. In retaliation, Aphrodite made Phaedra fall in love with him. Hippolytus’ rejection of Phaedra led to his death on a fall from a chariot.

As a result, a cult grew up around Hippolytus, associated with the cult of Aphrodite. His cult believed that Artemis asked Asclepius to resurrect the young man since he had vowed chastity to her.

He was brought to Latium, Italy, where he reigned under the name of Virbius or Virbio. After his resurrection, he married Aricia. According to another tradition, he lived in the sacred forests near Aricia in Latium. Girls who were about to be married offered locks of their hair to him as a sign of their virginity.

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Phaedra (mythology)


Phaedra


Phaedra Rejecting the Embraces of Theseus
Racine, Girodet

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In Greek mythology, Phaedra is the daughter of Minos, and the mother of Demophon and Acamas by Theseus.

While married to Theseus, Phaedra fell in love with Hippolytus, Theseus' son by his rape victim and Amazonian queen, Hippolyte. According to some sources, Hippolytus had scorned Aphrodite to become a devotee of Artemis and Aphrodite made Phaedra fall in love with him as a punishment. He rejected her. Alternatively, Phaedra's nurse told Hippolytus of her love, and he swore he would not reveal her as a source of information. In revenge, Phaedra wrote Theseus a letter that claimed Hippolytus raped her. She then killed herself. Theseus believed her and cursed Hippolytus with one of the three curses he had received from Poseidon. As a result, Hippolytus' horses were frightened by a sea monster and dragged their rider to his death. Alternatively, after Phaedra told Theseus that Hippolytus had raped her, Theseus killed his son and Phaedra committed suicide out of guilt for she had not intended for Hippolytus to die. Artemis later told Theseus the truth. In a third version, Phaedra simply told Theseus this and did not kill herself; Dionysus sent a wild bull which terrified Hippolytus' horses.

Phaedra in literature

Phaedra's story appears in several major works of literature, including:

Euripides, Hippolytus, a Greek play
Seneca the Younger, Phaedra, a Latin play
Jean Racine, Phèdre (1677), a French play
Per Olov Enquist, Till Fedra (1980), a Swedish play
Sarah Kane, Phaedra's Love (1996), an English play
Matthew Maguire, Phaedra (1995), an English play
Robinson Jeffers, Cawdor (1928), an English long poem

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平行的故事还有Odipus Rex,Cinyras and Myrrha等。