PEROTHEUS. Pirithous, king of the Lapiths, was Theseus's close friend since childhood. Ovid calls them felix concordia, "a happy concord" (Met VIII.304). Pirithous invited the centaurs to his wedding with Hippodamia, but the centaurs attempted to carry off the bride, and a great battle broke out between the Lapiths and their guests (Met XII.210-535). Pirithous and Theseus themselves attempted to carry off Persephone, queen of the Underworld, but Pluto intercepted them and chained them until Hercules rescued them. Virgil says that Theseus remained in the Underworld forever, while Pirithous was allowed to leave (Aeneid VI.617-618). Gower tells the story of the battle between the Lapiths and the centaurs to illustrate the evils of drunken lust, Confessio Amantis VI.485-536.

Perotheus visits Theseus, his felawe since childhood, KnT 1189-1195. When one of them died, the other sought him in hell, KnT 1196-1201. This version of the story appears in RR 8148-8154. Theseus frees Arcita because Perotheus entreats him, KnT 1202-1208. [Arcita: Theseus]

Perotheus, a variant of Latin Pirithous and Italian Perithoo from Tes VIII, occurs twice in medial positions, KnT 1202, 1205, and twice in final rhyming position, KnT 1191, 1227.