Phaedra

• the daughter of king Minos, of Crete, sister of Ariadne and wife of Theseus; she slew herself for hopeless love of Hippolytus, Verg. A. 6, 445; Ov. A. A. 1, 511; id. H. 4, 74; Sen. Hippol. 434; cf. Serv. Verg. A. 6, 14; Hyg. Fab. 47; 243.

(Φαίδρα), a daughter of Minos by Pasiphae or Crete, and the wife of Theseus. (Apollod. 3.1.2.) She was the stepmother of Hippolytus, the son of Theseus, by Antiope or Hippolyte, and having fallen in love with him he repulsed her, whereupon she calumniated him before Theseus. After the death of Hippolytus, his innocence became known to his father, and Phaedra made away with herself. (Hom. Od. 11.325 ; Eurip. Hippol.; compare Tippolytus.) [L.S]

(Φαίδρα). The daughter of Minos by Pasiphaë or Crete, and the wife of Theseus. She was the step-mother of Hippolytus, the son of Theseus, with whom she fell in love; but having been repulsed by Hippolytus, she accused him to Theseus of having attempted her dishonour. After the death of Hippolytus his innocence became known to his father, and Phaedra made away with herself. The story forms the subject of plays by Euripides (the Hippolytus), Seneca (the Phaedra), and in French by Racine (the Phèdre). For details, see Hippolytus.