Editing Theseus (section)

==Phaedra and Hippolytus==
[[File:Theseus saves Hippodameia, Athens - Pl. Victoria, 2005.JPG|thumb|220px|upright=1.3|''Theseus saves Hippodameia'', work by [[Johannes Pfuhl]] in Athens]]

[[Phaedra (mythology)|Phaedra]], Theseus' second wife and the daughter of King Minos, bore Theseus two sons, [[Demophon of Athens|Demophon]] and [[Acamas (son of Theseus)|Acamas]]. While these two were still in their infancy, Phaedra fell in love with [[Hippolytus (son of Theseus)|Hippolytus]], Theseus' son by the [[Amazons|Amazon]] queen [[Hippolyta]]. According to some versions of the story, Hippolytus had scorned [[Aphrodite]] to become a follower of [[Artemis]], so Aphrodite made Phaedra fall in love with him as punishment. He rejected her out of chastity.

Alternatively, in Euripides' version, ''[[Hippolytus (play)|Hippolytus]]'', Phaedra's nurse told Hippolytus of her mistress's love and he swore he would not reveal the nurse as his source of information. To ensure that she would [[die with dignity]], Phaedra wrote to Theseus on a tablet claiming that Hippolytus had raped her before hanging herself. Theseus believed her and used one of the three wishes he had received from [[Poseidon]] against his son. The curse caused Hippolytus' horses to be frightened by a sea monster, usually a bull, and to drag their rider to his death. Artemis would later tell Theseus the truth, promising to avenge her loyal follower on another follower of Aphrodite.

In a version recounted by the Roman playwright [[Seneca the Younger|Seneca]], entitled ''[[Phaedra (Seneca)|Phaedra]]'', after Phaedra told Theseus that Hippolytus had raped her, Theseus called upon Neptune (as he did Poseidon in Euripides' interpretation) to kill his son.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Sen.+Phaed.+941&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2007.01.0008| title = Sen. ''Phaed''. 941–949}}</ref> Upon hearing the news of Hippolytus' death at the hands of Neptune's sea monster, Phaedra committed suicide out of guilt, for she had not intended for Hippolytus to die.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Sen.+Phaed.+1156&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2007.01.0008.| title = Sen. ''Phaed.'' 1159–1198.}}</ref>

In yet another version, Phaedra simply told Theseus Hippolytus had raped her and did not kill herself.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}} [[Dionysus]] sent a wild bull that terrified Hippolytus's horses.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

A cult grew up around Hippolytus, associated with the cult of [[Aphrodite]]. Girls who were about to be married offered locks of their hair to him. The cult believed that [[Asclepius]] had resurrected Hippolytus and that he lived in a sacred forest near [[Aricia, Italy|Aricia]] in [[Latium]].