Phaedra
(
Φαίδρα). The daughter of Minos by Pasiphaë or
Crete, and the wife of Theseus. She was the step-mother of Hippolytus, the son of Theseus,
with whom she fell in love; but having been repulsed by Hippolytus, she accused him to Theseus
of having attempted her dishonour. After the death of Hippolytus his innocence became known to
his father, and Phaedra made away with herself. The story forms the subject of plays by
Euripides (the
Hippolytus), Seneca (the
Phaedra), and in French
by Racine (the
Phèdre). For details, see
Hippolytus.