Pirithoüs
（
Πειρίθοος). The son of Ixion (or Zeus), and Dia, and king
of the Lapithae in Thessaly. Pirithoüs once invaded Attica; but when Theseus came
forth to oppose him, he conceived a warm admiration for the Athenian king; and from this time
a most intimate friendship sprang up between the two heroes. When Pirithoüs was
celebrating his marriage with Hippodamia, the intoxicated Centaur Eurytion or Eurytus carried
her off, and this act occasioned the celebrated fight
 |
|
Head of Pirithoüs. (West Pediment of the Temple of Zeusat Olympia.)
|
between the Centaurs and Lapithae, in which the Centaurs were defeated. Theseus, who
was present at the wedding of Pirithoüs, assisted him in his battle against the
Centaurs. Hippodamia afterwards died, and each of the two friends resolved to wed a daughter
of Zeus. With the assistance of Pirithoüs, Theseus carried off Helen from Sparta.
Pirithoüs was still more ambitious, and resolved to carry off Persephoné
(Proserpina), the wife of the king of the lower world. Theseus would not desert his friend in
the enterprise, though he knew the risk which they ran. The two friends accordingly descended
to the lower world; but they were seized by Pluto and fastened to a rock, where they both
remained till Heracles visited Hades. Heracles delivered Theseus, who had made the daring
attempt only to please his friend; but Pirithoüs remained forever in torment (
Il. i. 263;
Odyss. xi. 630, xxi. 295;
Hor. Carm. iii. 4, 80).
