Hippolytus
(
Ἱππόλυτος). The Joseph of classical literature, a son of
Theseus and Hippolyté, or, according to others, of Theseus and Antiopé.
Theseus, after the death of his first wife, married Phaedra, the daughter of Minos and sister
of Ariadné. This princess was seized with a criminal affection for the son of the
Amazon, an affection produced by the wrath of Aphrodité against Hippolytus for
neglecting her divinity and for devoting himself solely to the service of Artemis; or else
against Phaedra as the daughter of
Pasiphaë (q.v.). During the absence of Theseus, the queen made advances to her
step-son, which were indignantly rejected. Filled with fear and hate, on the return of her
husband she accused Hippolytus of an attempt on her honour. Without giving the youth an
opportunity of clearing himself, the monarch, calling to mind that Poseidon had promised him
the accomplishment of any three wishes that he might form, cursed and implored destruction on
his son from the god. As Hippolytus, leaving Troezen, was driving his chariot along the
seashore, a monster, sent by Poseidon from the deep, terrified his horses; they burst away in
fury, heedless of their driver, dashed the chariot to pieces, and dragged along Hippolytus,
entangled in the reins, until he died. Phaedra ended her days by her own hand; and Theseus,
when too late, learned the innocence of his son. Euripides has founded his tragedy,
Hippolytus, on this subject, but the legend assumes a somewhat different shape
with him. According to the plot of his play, Phaedra hangs herself in despair when she finds
that she is slighted by her step-son, and Theseus, on his return from his travels, finds, when
taking down her corpse, a writing attached to it, in which Phaedra accused Hippolytus of
having attempted her honour. According to another legend, Aesculapius restored Hippolytus to
life, and Artemis transported him, under the name of Virbius, to Italy, where he was
worshipped in the grove of Aricia. (See
Virbius;
Apollod. iii.10.3.) The story of Hippolytus forms the subject
of a play by Euripides with that title, of a Latin tragedy by Seneca, and the
Phèdre of Racine.