Hippolytus

🗡 heroἹππόλυτος

Son of Theseus destroyed by Aphrodite

Hippolytus was the chaste son of Theseus who rejected Aphrodite and was destroyed when his stepmothe‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‍r Phaedra fell in love with him.

The Legend of Hippolytus

Son of Theseus and the Amazon Hippolyta, Hippolytus devoted himself entirely to Artemis and scorned Aphrodite's domain of desire.‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‍ The insulted goddess caused his stepmother Phaedra to fall hopelessly in love with him. When Hippolytus rejected her, Phaedra hanged herself, leaving a letter accusing him. Theseus, believing the lie, called on Poseidon to destroy his son. A bull from the sea terrified Hippolytus's horses, and he was dragged to death. Artemis revealed the truth too late. Asclepius later raised him, and the cult at Athens honoured his chastity.

Parents

Theseus and Hippolyta (or Antiope)

Symbols

horseschastitysea bullArtemis devotion

Fun Fact

Euripides wrote two versions of this play — the first was so scandalous (Phaedra propositioned Hippolytus onstage) that he rewrote it. Only the second survives.

Explore Further

Phaedra

🗡 hero

Queen consumed by forbidden love

Phaedra was the wife of Theseus who was cursed by Aphrodite to fall hopelessly in love with her stepson Hippolytus — her suicide and false accusation destroyed him.

Phaedra complex

Pentheus

🗡 hero

None recorded

King of Thebes torn apart by his own mother for opposing the worship of Dionysus

Megara

🗡 hero

None recorded

First wife of Heracles, given to him as a reward and later killed in his madness

Anteia

🗡 hero

Desire, false accusation

Queen of Tiryns who falsely accused Bellerophon of assault, setting in motion his legendary trials

Neoptolemus

🗡 hero

Son of Achilles

Neoptolemus was Achilles' fierce son, brought to Troy because a prophecy declared the city could not fall without him.

pyrrhic

Haemon

🗡 hero

None recorded

Son of Creon and fiancé of Antigone who died beside her in defiance of his father

Aleus

🗡 hero

Kingship, Arcadia

King of Tegea in Arcadia and founder of the great temple of Athena Alea

Leodes

🗡 hero

None recorded

Reluctant suitor and sacrificial priest who failed to string Odysseus' bow

Tenes

🗡 hero

Purity, Betrayal, Apollo

Prince of Colonae and first ruler of Tenedos, killed by Achilles despite his divine protection by Apollo.

Perseus

🗡 hero

Hero who slew Medusa

The son of Zeus and Danae who beheaded Medusa, rescued Andromeda, and founded the Perseid dynasty of Mycenae.

Aerope

🗡 hero

Adultery, royalty

Queen of Mycenae whose adultery with Thyestes caused the devastating curse upon the House of Atreus

Neleus

🗡 hero

kingship

Son of Poseidon and Tyro, founder of Pylos, father of Nestor, killed by Heracles for refusing purification.