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Hippolytus and Phaedra Fresco

Hippolytus and Phaedra Fresco

Hippolytus and Phaedra Fresco

Photo by Ethan Lebovics
The Athenian hero Theseus had many adventures. During one, he woos the Amazon queen Hippolyte and through her has a son named Hippolytus. In another adventure Theseus kills King Minos' stepson, the Minotaur. Theseus later marries Minos' daughter Phaedra. Phaedra falls for her stepson Hippolytus, and when he rejects her advances, she tells her husband Theseus that Hippolytus raped her. Hippolytus dies as a result of Theseus' anger: Either Theseus directly kills his own son or he receives divine assistance. Phaedra then commits suicide.

This is one example from Greek mythology of the saying "Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned."

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