Pirithous

[2] He married Hippodamia, daughter of Atrax or Butes, at whose wedding the famous Battle of Lapiths and Centaurs occurred.

No trace of such an oral tradition, which Homer's listeners would have recognized in Nestor's allusion, survived in literary epic.

In disjointed episodes that have survived, Pirithous had heard rumors about Theseus' courage and strength in battle but he wanted proof.

Pirithous took up arms and the pair met, then became so impressed with each other's gracefulness, beauty and courage they took an oath of friendship.

[13] According to a scholium on Aristophanes, in a lost play by Euripides, Hades had Pirithous fed to Cerberus for his impiety.

[15] The rescue of Theseus and Pirithous acquired a humorous tone in the realm of Attic comedy, in which Heracles attempted to free them from the rock to which they had been bound together in the Underworld (for having tried to carry off Persephone).

Pirithous and Hippodamia receiving the centaurs at his wedding. Antique fresco from Pompeii.
"Pirithous' Kampf um Helena" by Joseph Echteler and Richard Brend'amour
Pirithous next to Apollo from the west pediment of the temple of Zeus at Olympia , 460s BC.
Pirithous, Hippodamia (here labeled under the name Laodameia ), a Centaur, and Theseus, on an Apulian red-figure calyx-krater , 350-340 BC.