In
Greek mythology, Hippolytus (
Greek for "loose horse") was a son of
Theseus and either
Antiope or
Hippolyte. He was identified with the
Roman forest god
Virbius.The most common legend regarding Hippolytus states that he was killed after rejecting the advances of
Phaedra, the second wife of Theseus and Hippolytus's stepmother. Spurned, Phaedra told Theseus that Hippolytus had
raped her. Infuriated, Theseus believed her and, using one of the three wishes he had received from
Poseidon, cursed Hippolytus. Hippolytus' horses were frightened by a
sea monster and dragged their rider to his death. Alternatively,
Dionysus sent a wild
bull that terrified Hippolytus' horses, causing them to drag Hippolytus to his death.
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