How does Neptune fulfill Theseus’s prayer?
Phaedra is a notable literary work by Lucius Annaeus Seneca. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Phaedra.
Answer
How does Neptune fulfill Theseus’s prayer? [NU: 2016]
Lucius Annaeus Seneca (4 BCE–65 CE), a Roman Stoic writer, composed “Phaedra” around 50 CE. In this tragic story, Theseus prays to Neptune, the sea god, to punish his son Hippolytus. Neptune fulfills the prayer terribly by sending a sea monster that brings Hippolytus’s cruel and painful death.
Theseus’s Angry Prayer: Theseus becomes furious after hearing Phaedra’s false charge. He wrongly believes Hippolytus tried to dishonor her. In his anger, he calls upon Neptune to punish his son. He cries,
“Let Hippolytus see the bright day no more.”
His prayer shows a father’s blind rage.
Neptune’s Deadly Response: Neptune, the god of the sea, hears the prayer. He sends a terrible sea monster from the deep. The creature rises from the ocean and frightens Hippolytus’s horses.
“The mighty deep heaves up into a huge mound.”
This shows Neptune’s divine action.
Hippolytus’s Tragic Death: The monster’s appearance makes the horses mad with fear. They drag Hippolytus violently through rocks and thorns. His body becomes torn and lifeless. Neptune thus fulfills the father’s request, though the prayer was unjust. The scene reflects divine power and human blindness.
Theseus’s Regret: After hearing the messenger’s report, Theseus realizes the truth. He weeps and says,
“Not that I lost, but that I slew, I weep.”
Neptune’s fulfillment of his prayer brings sorrow, not peace.
In short, Neptune fulfills Theseus’s prayer by destroying Hippolytus through a sea monster. Yet this fulfillment becomes a curse for the father himself. Seneca shows that hasty anger can bring tragic and irreversible punishment.