In
Greek mythology, Hippolytus was the son of Theseus and either Antiope or
Hippolyta. The most common legend regarding Hippolytus states that he was
killed after rejecting the advances of Phaedra, his stepmother, the second wife
of Theseus. Spurned, Phaedra deceived Theseus saying that his son had raped
her. Theseus, furious, used one of the three wishes given to him by Poseidon to
curse Hippolytus. Poseidon sent a sea-monster to terrorize Hippolytus's horses,
who dragged their rider to his death.