This page is kind of hard for me. I feel like I'm writing about myself, but I’m not. So, I'm going to try to give you as much of the myth and history of Phaedra that I know. If you know something different, please let me know! I love learning about her.

I always wonder how many people online think that Phaedra is a pseudonym. My mother had originally planned on naming me Gabrielle but when they put me in her arms, she immediately was struck with the name 'Phaedra'. She knew the myths behind it but still decided to name me that. I think I'm going to keep this fairly bare, for now. I might change it around if it seems like there is any interest in the original Phaedra.

The above image of Phaedra is by Alexandre Cabanel. Phaedra languishes, heartbroken with her nurse nearby; the image captures part of the tragedy that is usually known about the Cretan princess. In the popular story, the child Phaedra is taken back to Athens after Theseus destroys the Minotaur and Crete with it. Once Phaedra is older (and after several marriages of his own), Theseus puts aside his newest wife, Hippolyta, to wed the young Phaedra.

Some versions of this tale have Phaedra either being barren or bearing two sons to Theseus, whom she names Demophon and Acamas. While these two boys were still babies, Phaedra falls madly in love with her step-son, Hippolytus. Again, there are variances... most of the time Hippolytus has angered mighty Aphrodite with his devotion to Artemis and so Aphrodite inflicts this overwhelming passion on her loyal devotee, Phaedra.

Phaedra confides her nurse who urges the young queen to confess her love to the beautiful Hippolytus. This Phaedra does, only to have the boy reject her. In some stories he is gentle about this, explaining that he will never love anyone as he has sworn to Artemis that he will be like her - forever chaste. In others Hippolytus is cruel, calling Phaedra names and disgusted that she could ever think that he would love her.

At this point, a distraught Phaedra hangs herself out of grief. Some say that she left behind a note condemning her step-son, stating that Hippolytus had raped her. Other stories say that the nurse, finding Phaedra dead wrote the damning note to spare Phaedra's reputation. In the end, the result is the same. Theseus disowns his son and banishes him. In his great anger, Theseus calls upon his father Poseidon and invokes one of the three wishes that his father gave him. Theseus wishes his son dead. Poseidon sent a great bull from the sea which terrified the horses drawing Hippolytus' chariot. The horses bolted, dragging poor Hippolytus to his death. Afterward, Aphrodite visited Theseus and told him the truth, that his son was innocent of the charges.

Not such a nice story, is it? Imagine my surprise in high school when I discovered all that about the myth I was named after. Until then, I only knew the story I had read as a child. When I was little, I had been given a set of children's encyclopedias. I don't know where they came from or what they were called. What little I do remember is that the books were golden with a larger than average font and lots of color pictures. The story they told of Phaedra was rather different.

Phaedra, in this version, was an important woman. She was angry at Theseus for destroying her home, killing her sister, and imprisoning her brothers. This Phaedra wasn't blinded by Aphrodite's spell of seduction.

Phaedra bided her time as an Athenean hostage, hoping that one day she would find a way to free herself and restore her homeland. Her hopes were dashed when Theseus, angry that Hippolyta would not submit to his rule, put aside his current wife announced that he would have Phaedra as his child-bride. Phaedra has no choice but to agree to the marriage and she goes through with it, albeit unwillingly.

Theseus is uncaring about his new bride but generally happy with her. She is quiet and withdrawn, unlike the loud and boisterous Hippolyta. However, as time passes the first signs of disgruntlement appear. Theseus is displeased that Phaedra isn't becoming pregnant and begins to visit her more frequently. Distressed by this turn of events, Phaedra becomes more reclusive until Theseus begins to leave her alone. Phaedra knows that she will be set aside soon, but that isn't a cause for celebration... Theseus's wives tend to meet unfortunate ends once the marriage is over.

Being young and beautiful, Phaedra used her feminine wiles on the Captain of the Guard. He fell madly in love with her and agreed to the plan that she had concocted. The Athenian military would stage a coup, they would assonate Theseus and place Phaedra on the throne. Once there, she would take the Captain of the Guard as her consort.

The plan went flawlessly, Phaedra was crowned Queen of Athens and the Captain of the Guard became her consort. They ruled as fair and justly as they could and no one missed the tyranny of Theseus.