The Bull from the Sea
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 Cover of the 2001 edition |
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| Author | Mary Renault |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Historical novel |
| Publisher | Vintage |
| Released | 1962 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 352 p. (Vintage paperback edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-375-72680-2 (Vintage paperback edition) |
| Preceded by | The King Must Die |
The Bull from the Sea is the sequel to Mary Renault's The King Must Die. It continues the story of the mythological hero Theseus after his return from Crete.
[edit] Plot introduction
The story is a retelling of the life of mythological hero Theseus after his return from the Minoan palace of Knossos. The novel follows his later quests, his friendship with Pirithoos, and his marriages to Hippolyta and Phaedra.
[edit] Plot summary
Theseus returns to Athens along with the other Athenian bull-leapers. His father, Aigeus, has committed suicide, which leaves the kingdom to the young Theseus. He soon meets Pirithoos, the rebellious pirate king of the Lapiths, and the two go on several adventures. Pirithoos talks Theseus out of going to Crete to meet his bride-to-be, Phaedra, and instead the two journey to Euxine, home of the Amazons. There, Theseus falls in love with the leader of the Amazons, and after defeating her in single combat, takes her as his wife.
Hippolyta bears Theseus a son, Hippolytus, and continues to fight and hunt alongside her husband. When the Scythians attack Athens, Hippolyta helps defend the Acropolis and is killed in battle.
Theseus, feeling pressure from his advisors, agrees to marry the Cretan princess Phaedra. She bears him a son, Akamas, but remains jealous of her deceased predecessor. Phaedra lusts after Hippolytus and after being unable to secure his affection, convinces Theseus that he attempted to rape her. Theseus curses his firstborn son, but quickly realizes that his wife is the real culprit. His realization comes too late: Hippolytus, fleeing his father's wrath, crashes his chariot and is killed. Theseus kills his wife (making it look like a suicide) and spends the rest of his days alone.
