Hippolytus

Family: mythological · Role: son of Theseus · First appears: Book 1 · Chapter 22

When Theseus intended to marry Phædra, he sent Hippolytus to Pittheus at Træzen to be raised and become king there. Phædra fell in love with him, but after he rejected her, she contrived his death.

Hippolytus died from Theseus’ imprecations, and Æsculapius restored him to life. He refused to pardon his father, left for Italy, became king at Aricia, and built a temple to Artemis. At Trœzen, Diomede erected his precinct and temple and first sacrificed to him; another account says that Hippolytus’ chariot overturned when its reins caught in a twisted olive tree.

Relationship record

Life events

• Theseus sent Hippolytus to Pittheus at Træzen to be raised and become king.(Book 1 · Chapter 22 · 📍 Træzen)
  • With: Theseus Pittheus
  • “When Theseus intended to marry Phædra, not wishing if he had children by her that Hippolytus should either be their subject or king, he sent him to Pittheus, to be brought up at Træzen and to be king there.”
• After Hippolytus rejected her, Phædra contrived his death.(Book 1 · Chapter 22 · 📍 Træzen)
  • With: Phædra
  • “and there Phædra first saw Hippolytus, and became desperately enamoured of him, and (being unsuccessful in her suit) contrived his death.”
• Hippolytus died from Theseus’ imprecations, and Æsculapius restored him to life.(Book 2 · Chapter 27)
  • With: Theseus Æsculapius
  • “that, when Hippolytus died in consequence of the imprecations of Theseus, Æsculapius restored him to life again”
• Hippolytus refused pardon, left for Italy, became king at Aricia, and built a temple to Artemis.(Book 2 · Chapter 27 · 📍 Italy)
  • With: Theseus Artemis
  • “and when he came to life again, he refused to pardon his father, and disregarding his entreaties went into Italy to the people of Aricia, and there became king and built a temple to Artemis”
• Diomede erected Hippolytus’ precinct and temple and first sacrificed to him.(Book 2 · Chapter 32 · 📍 Trœzen)
  • With: Diomede
  • “Diomede they say erected all these, and was the first to sacrifice to Hippolytus:”
• Hippolytus’ chariot overturned when its reins caught in the twisted olive tree.(Book 2 · Chapter 32 · 📍 Psiphæan sea)
  • “the reins catching in it, the chariot of Hippolytus got overturned.”

Book 1 · Chapter 22

• parent: Theseus (Theseus is identified as Hippolytus's father elsewhere in the account.) “When Theseus intended to marry Phædra, not wishing if he had children by her that Hippolytus should either be their subject or king, he sent him to Pittheus, to be brought up at Træzen and to be king there.”
• guardian: Pittheus “he sent him to Pittheus, to be brought up at Træzen and to be king there.”
• admirer: Phædra “there Phædra first saw Hippolytus, and became desperately enamoured of him, and (being unsuccessful in her suit) contrived his death.”

Book 2 · Chapter 6

• parent: Rhopalus “Hippolytus, the son of Rhopalus, the son of Phæstus”
• enemies with Agamemnon “Agamemnon led an army against Sicyon and its king Hippolytus”
• with Agamemnon (Hippolytus submitted to Agamemnon.) “Hippolytus fearing the invading army agreed to be subject to Agamemnon and Mycenæ”
• child: Lacestades “And this Hippolytus had a son Lacestades.”

Book 2 · Chapter 27

• with Æsculapius (Æsculapius restored Hippolytus to life.) “that, when Hippolytus died in consequence of the imprecations of Theseus, Æsculapius restored him to life again”
• parent: Theseus (Theseus is identified as Hippolytus's father.) “and when he came to life again, he refused to pardon his father, and disregarding his entreaties went into Italy to the people of Aricia”
• with Æsculapius (Hippolytus offered horses to Æsculapius.) “an ancient pillar, which states that Hippolytus offered 20 horses to the god.”
• with Artemis (Hippolytus built a temple to Artemis.) “there became king and built a temple to Artemis”

Book 2 · Chapter 32

• parent: Theseus “And Hippolytus the son of Theseus has precincts and a temple in them and ancient statue.”
• with Diomede (Diomede erected Hippolytus's precincts and temple and sacrificed to him.) “Diomede they say erected all these, and was the first to sacrifice to Hippolytus:”
• admirer: Phædra “where, when Hippolytus was training, Phædra would gaze at him in her love.”
• with Timotheus (Timotheus made the statue identified by the people of Trœzen as Hippolytus.) “And there is a statue of Æsculapius by Timotheus, but the people of Trœzen say it is not Æsculapius but Hippolytus.”
• admirer->admired with Phædra (Phædra loves Hippolytus.) “where, when Hippolytus was training, Phædra would gaze at him in her love”

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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.