Hippolytus and Phaedra

Hippolytus was the son of Theseus

• (picture here)

Hippolytus’ step mother, Phaedra, was made to love him by

Aphrodite, whom Hippolytus did not worship.

Whenever she reveals her love to her nurse, the nurse quickly evades her and tells Hippolytus. Phaedra learns

of this however, and when Hippolytus confronts her, she commits suicide

When Phaedra died, however, she was holding a note stating that all this was the fault of Hippolytus. Theseus finds

this and, infuriated, uses one of his wishes granted by Poseidon to doom

Hippolytus.

Hippolytus, too generous to admit the truth about Phaedra, accepts

his fate. He later dies after Poseidon sends sea-creatures to scare his horses, which drag him

into rocks and kill him.

Picture of Hippolytus’ death

Thus ends the sad story of Hippolytus and Phaedra.