Castor and Pollux Castor and Pollux Dioscuri (Pollux or Castor), Rome, Capitol Dioscuri (Castor or Pollux), Rome, Capitol In Greek and Roman mythology , Castor [1] and Pollux, [2] or Kastor and Polydeuces, [3] were twin brothers, together known as the Dioscuri or Dioskouroi. [4] Their mother was Leda , but they had different fathers; Castor was the mortal son of Tyndareus , the king of Sparta, while Pollux was the divine son of Zeus , who seduced Leda in the guise of a swan. Though accounts of their birth are varied, they are sometimes said to have been born from an egg, along with their twin sisters or half-sisters Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra . In Latin the twins are also known as the Gemini [5] or Castores. [6] When Castor was killed, Pollux asked Zeus to let him share his own immortality with his twin to keep them together, and they were transformed into the constellation Gemini . The pair were regarded as the patrons of sailors, to whom they appeared as St.

Elmo’s fire , and were also associated with horsemanship. They are sometimes called the Tyndaridae or Tyndarids, [7] later seen as a reference to their father and stepfather Tyndareus . Contents 13 External links Birth and functions Castor depicted on a calyx krater of c. 460–450 BC, holding a horse’s reins and spears and wearing a pilos -style helmet The best-known story of the twins’ birth is that Zeus disguised himself as a swan and seduced Leda . Thus Leda’s children are frequently said to have hatched from two eggs that she then produced. The Dioscuri can be recognized in vase-paintings by the skull-cap they wear, the pilos , which was explained in antiquity as the remnants of the egg. Whether the children are thus mortal or half-immortal is not consistent among accounts, nor is whether the twins hatched together from one egg. In some accounts, only Pollux was fathered by Zeus, while Leda and her husband Tyndareus conceived Castor. This explains why they were granted an alternate immortality.

It is a common belief that one would live among the gods, while the other was among the dead. The figure of Tyndareus may have entered their tradition to explain their archaic name Tindaridai in Spartan inscriptions or in literature Tyndaridai, [8] in turn occasioning incompatible accounts of their parentage. Castor and Pollux are sometimes both mortal, sometimes both divine. One consistent point is that if only one of them is immortal, it is Pollux. In Homer’s Iliad , Helen looks down from the walls of Troy and wonders why she does not see her brothers among the Achaeans. The narrator remarks that they are both already dead and buried back in their homeland of Lacedaemon, thus suggesting that at least in some early traditions, both were mortal. Their death and shared immortality offered by Zeus was material of the lost Cypria in the Epic cycle . The Dioscuri were regarded as helpers of humankind and held to be patrons of travellers and of sailors in particular, who invoked them to seek favourable winds. [9] Their role as horsemen and boxers also led to them being regarded as the patrons of athletes and athletic contests.

[10] They characteristically intervened at the moment of crisis, aiding those who honoured or trusted them. [11] Classical sources Pair of Roman statuettes (3rd century AD) depicting the Dioscuri as horsemen, with their characteristic skullcaps ( Metropolitan Museum of Art ) Ancient Greek authors tell a number of versions of the story of Castor and Pollux. Homer portrays them initially as ordinary mortals, treating them as dead in the Iliad (“…there are two commanders I do not see,/Castor the horse breaker and the boxer/Polydeuces, my brothers…”— Helen , Iliad 3.253-255 ), but in the Odyssey they are treated as alive even though “the corn-bearing earth holds them.” The author describes them as “having honour equal to gods,” living on alternate days due to the intervention of Zeus. In both the Odyssey and in Hesiod , they are described as the sons of Tyndareus and Leda. In Pindar , Pollux is the son of Zeus while Castor is the son of the mortal Tyndareus.

The theme of ambiguous parentage is not unique to Castor and Pollux; similar characterisations appear in the stories of Hercules and Theseus . [12] The Dioscuri are also invoked in Alcaeus ‘ Fragment 34a, [13] though whether this poem antedates the Homeric Hymn to the twins [14] is unknown. [15] They appear together in two plays by Euripides , Helen and Elektra . Cicero tells the story of how Simonides of Ceos was rebuked by Scopas, his patron, for devoting too much space to praising Castor and Pollux in an ode celebrating Scopas’ victory in a chariot race . Shortly afterwards, Simonides was told that two young men wished to speak to him; after he had left the banqueting room, the roof fell in and crushed Scopas and his guests. [11] Mythology Both Dioscuri were excellent horsemen and hunters who participated in the hunting of the Calydonian Boar and later joined the crew of Jason ‘s ship, the Argo .

As Argonauts During the expedition of the Argonauts , Pollux took part in a boxing contest and defeated King Amycus of the Bebryces , a savage mythical people in Bithynia . After returning from the voyage, the Dioskouroi helped Jason and Peleus to destroy the city of Iolcus in revenge for the treachery of its king Pelias . Rescuing Helen When their sister and half-sister Helen was abducted by Theseus , the half-brothers invaded his kingdom of Attica to rescue her. In revenge they abducted Theseus’s mother Aethra and took her to Sparta while setting his rival, Menestheus , on the throne of Athens. Aethra was then forced to become Helen’s slave. She was ultimately returned to her home by her grandsons Demophon and Acamas after the fall of Troy .

The Leucippides, Lynceus and death Roman sarcophagus (160 AD) depicting the rape of the Leucippides, Phoebe and Hilaeira (Vatican Museum) Castor and Pollux aspired to marry the Leucippides (“daughters of the white horse”), Phoebe and Hilaeira , whose father was a brother of Leucippus (“white horse”). [a] Both women were already betrothed to cousins of the Dioscuri, the twin brothers Lynceus and Idas of Thebes , sons of Tyndareus ‘s brother Aphareus . Castor and Pollux carried the women off to Sparta wherein each had a son; Phoebe bore Mnesileos to Pollux and Hilaeira bore Anogon to Castor. This began a family feud among the four sons of the brothers Tyndareus and Aphareus. Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus by Rubens , ca. 1618 The cousins carried out a cattle-raid in Arcadia together but fell out over the division of the meat.

After stealing the herd, but before dividing it, the cousins butchered, quartered, and roasted a calf. [17] As they prepared to eat, the gigantic Idas suggested that the herd be divided into two parts instead of four, based on which pair of cousins finished their meal first. [17] Castor and Pollux agreed. [17] Idas quickly ate both his portion and Lynceus’ portion. [17] Castor and Pollux had been duped. They allowed their cousins to take the entire herd, but vowed to someday take revenge. [17] Some time later, Idas and Lynceus visited their uncle’s home in Sparta. [17] The uncle was on his way to Crete, so he left Helen in charge of entertaining the guests, which included both sets of cousins, as well as Paris, prince of Troy. [17] Castor and Pollux recognized the opportunity to exact revenge, made an excuse that justified leaving the feast, and set out to steal their cousins’ herd. [17] Idas and Lynceus eventually set out for home, leaving Helen alone with Paris, who then kidnapped her.

[17] Thus, the four cousins helped set into motion the events that gave rise to the Trojan War. Meanwhile, Castor and Pollux had reached their destination. Castor climbed a tree to keep a watch as Pollux began to free the cattle. Far away, Idas and Lynceus approached. Lynceus, named for the lynx because he could see in the dark, spied Castor hiding in the tree. [17] Idas and Lynceus immediately understood what was happening. Idas, furious, ambushed Castor, fatally wounding him with a blow from his spear—but not before Castor called out to warn Pollux. [17] In the ensuing brawl, Pollux killed Lynceus. As Idas was about to kill Pollux, Zeus, who had been watching from Mt. Olympus, hurled a thunderbolt, killing Idas and saving his son. [17] Returning to the dying Castor, Pollux was given the choice by Zeus of spending all his time on Mount Olympus or giving half his immortality to his mortal brother. He opted for the latter, enabling the twins to alternate between Olympus and Hades .

[18] [19] The brothers became the two brightest stars in the constellation Gemini (“the twins”): Castor ( Alpha Geminorum ) and Pollux ( Beta Geminorum ). As emblems of immortality and death, the Dioskouri, like Heracles , were said to have been initiated into the Eleusinian mysteries . [b] Iconography Coin of Antiochus VII with Dioskouri Castor and Pollux are consistently associated with horses in art and literature. They are widely depicted as helmeted horsemen carrying spears. [18] The Pseudo- Oppian manuscript depicts the brothers hunting, both on horseback and on foot. [21] On votive reliefs they are depicted with a variety of symbols representing the concept of twinhood, such as the dokana (δόκανα – two upright pieces of wood connected by two cross-beams), a pair of amphorae , a pair of shields, or a pair of snakes. They are also often shown wearing felt caps, sometimes with stars above. They are depicted on metopes from Delphi showing them on the voyage of the Argo (Ἀργώ) and rustling cattle with Idas.

Greek vases regularly show them capturing Phoebe and Hilaeira, as Argonauts , as well as in religious ceremonies and at the delivery to Leda of the egg containing Helen. [12] They can be recognized in some vase-paintings by the skull-cap they wear, the pilos (πῖλος), which was already explained in antiquity as the remnants of the egg from which they hatched. [23] Shrines and rites Fragmentary remains of the Temple of Castor and Pollux in Rome . The Dioskouri were worshipped by the Greeks and Romans alike; there were temples to the twins in Athens , such as the Anakeion , and Rome , as well as shrines in many other locations in the ancient world. [24] The Dioskouri and their sisters grew up in Sparta , in the royal household of Tyndareus ; they were particularly important to the Spartans , who associated them with the Spartan tradition of dual kingship and appreciated that two princes of their ruling house were elevated to immortality.

Their connection there was very ancient: a uniquely Spartan aniconic representation of the Tyndaridai was as two upright posts joined by a cross-bar; [25] [26] as the protectors of the Spartan army the “beam figure” or dókana was carried in front of the army on campaign. [27] Sparta’s unique dual kingship reflects the divine influence of the Dioscuri. When the Spartan army marched to war, one king remained behind at home, accompanied by one of the Twins. “In this way the real political order is secured in the realm of the Gods”. [8] Their herōon or grave-shrine was on a mountain top at Therapne across the Eurotas from Sparta, at a shrine known as the Meneláeion where Helen, Menelaus, Castor and Pollux were all said to be buried. Castor himself was also venerated in the region of Kastoria in northern Greece.

Relief (2nd century BC) depicting the Dioskouri galloping above a winged Victory, with a banquet (theoxenia) laid out for them below They were commemorated both as gods on Olympus worthy of holocaust , and as deceased mortals in Hades, whose spirits had to be propitiated by libations . Lesser shrines to Castor, Pollux and Helen were also established at a number of other locations around Sparta. [28] The pear tree was regarded by the Spartans as sacred to Castor and Pollux, and images of the twins were hung in its branches. [29] The standard Spartan oath was to swear “by the two gods” (in Doric Greek : νά τώ θεὼ, ná tō theō, in the Dual number ). The rite of theoxenia (θεοξενία), “god-entertaining”, was particularly associated with Castor and Pollux. The two deities were summoned to a table laid with food, whether at individuals’ own homes or in the public hearths or equivalent places controlled by states. They are sometimes shown arriving at a gallop over a food-laden table.

Although such “table offerings” were a fairly common feature of Greek cult rituals, they were normally made in the shrines of the gods or heroes concerned. The domestic setting of the theoxenia was a characteristic distinction accorded to the Dioskouri. [12] The image of the twins attending a goddess are widespread [c] and link the Dioskouri with the male societies of initiates under the aegis of the Anatolian Great Goddess . [8] and the great gods of Samothrace . The Dioscuri are the inventors of war dances, which characterize the Kuretes . Indo-European analogues The heavenly twins appear also in the Indo-European tradition as the effulgent Vedic brother-horsemen the Ashvins , [8] [11] the Lithuanian Ašvieniai , and the Germanic Alcis . [31] [32] Italy and the Roman Empire From the fifth century BC onwards, the brothers were revered by the Romans, probably as the result of cultural transmission via the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia in southern Italy.

An archaic Latin inscription of the sixth or fifth century BC found at Lavinium , which reads Castorei Podlouqueique qurois (“To Castor and Pollux, the Dioskouri”), suggests a direct transmission from the Greeks; the word “qurois” is virtually a transliteration of the Greek word κούροις, while “Podlouquei” is effectively a transliteration of the Greek Πολυδεύκης. [33] The construction of the Temple of Castor and Pollux , located in the Roman Forum at the heart of their city, was undertaken to fulfil a vow ( votum ) made by Aulus Postumius Albus Regillensis in gratitude at the Roman victory in the Battle of Lake Regillus in 495 BC. The establishing of the temple may also be a form of evocatio , the transferral of a tutelary deity from a defeated town to Rome, where cult would be offered in exchange for favor . [34] According to legend, the twins fought at the head of the Roman army and subsequently brought news of the victory back to Rome.

[18] The Locrians of Magna Graecia had attributed their success at a legendary battle on the banks of the Sagras to the intervention of the Twins. The Roman legend may in fact have had its origins in the Locrian account and possibly supplies further evidence of cultural transmission between Rome and Magna Graecia. [35] The Romans believed that the twins aided them on the battlefield. [9] Their role as horsemen made them particularly attractive to the Roman equites and cavalry. Each year on July 15, the feast day of the Dioskouri, the 1,800 equestrians would parade through the streets of Rome in an elaborate spectacle in which each rider wore full military attire and whatever decorations he had earned. [36] In translations of comedies by Plautus , women generally swear by Castor, and men by Pollux; this is exemplified by the slave-woman character Staphyla in A Pot of Gold (act i, ll.67-71) where she swears by Castor in line 67, then the negative prefix in line 71 denotes a refutation against swearing by Pollux.

[37] Etruscan Kastur and Pultuce Etruscan inscription to the Dioskouri as “sons of Zeus” on the bottom of an Attic red-figure kylix (ca. 515–510 BC) The Etruscans venerated the twins as Kastur and Pultuce, collectively the tinas cliniiaras, “sons of Tinia ,” the Etruscan counterpart of Zeus. They were often portrayed on Etruscan mirrors. [38] As was the fashion in Greece, they could also be portrayed symbolically; one example can be seen in the Tomba del Letto Funebre at Tarquinia where a lectisternium for them is painted. They are symbolised in the painting by the presence of two pointed caps crowned with laurel, referring to the Phrygian caps they were often depicted wearing. [39] Christianization Zeus, Hera , and Amor observe the birth of Helen and the Dioscuri (Dutch majolica , 1550) Even after the rise of Christianity , the Dioskouroi continued to be venerated.

The fifth-century pope Gelasius I attested to the presence of a “cult of Castores” that the people did not want to abandon. In some instances, the twins appear to have simply been absorbed into a Christian framework; thus fourth-century AD pottery and carvings from North Africa depict the Dioskouroi alongside the Twelve Apostles , the Raising of Lazarus or with Saint Peter . The church took an ambivalent attitude, rejecting the immortality of the Dioskouroi but seeking to replace them with equivalent Christian pairs. Saints Peter and Paul were thus adopted in place of the Dioskouroi as patrons of travelers, and Saints Cosmas and Damian took over their function as healers. Some have also associated Saints Speusippus, Eleusippus, and Melapsippus with the Dioskouroi. [21] The New Testament scholar Dennis MacDonald identifies Castor and Pollux as basis characters for the appearance of James son of Zebedee and his brother John who appear in the narrative by Mark the Evangelist . [40] MacDonald cites the origin of this identification to 1913 when J.

Rendel Harris published his work Boanerges , [41] a Greek term for Thunder , the epithet of Zeus father of Pollux in what MacDonald calls a form of early Christian Dioscurism. In popular culture Two brothers named Castor and Pollux Troy feature in the movie Face/Off . Castor is the main antagonist in the movie and Pollux is somewhat of a sidekick to him, so the reference may be ironic. In The Hunger Games, Castor and Pollux are brothers who make up Cressida’s camera crew from the Capitol. There is also a pair of twins named Castor and Pollux in the Percy Jackson books. They are children of Dionysus , Greek god of wine, grapes, fertility, madness and theatre. Castor is killed during the Battle of the Labyrinth in The Battle of the Labyrinth . In Homestuck , the Gemini troll is named Sollux Captor, switching the S and P around. In Orphan Black , a program for male clones is named Castor, and all of the clones are branded with a two-headed horse. A program for female clones is called Leda.

In the School for Good and Evil , Pollux and Castor are a massive dog with two heads, one as Pollux and the other Castor. One teaches at the School for Good, the other Evil. In the videogame Tales From the Borderlands , the heroes of the story encounter a general named Pollux in stasis, however there is no mention of Castor. See also Ashvins , the divine twins of Vedic mythology Heteropaternal superfecundation , when two males father fraternal twins Notes ^ Phoebe (“the pure”) is a familiar epithet of the moon, Selene ; her twin’s name Hilaeira (“the serene”) is also a lunar attribute, their names “appropriate selectively to the new and the full moon”. [16] ^ In the oration of the Athenian peace emissary sent to Sparta in 69, according to Xenophon (Hellenica VI), it was asserted that “these three heroes were the first strangers upon whom this gift was bestowed.” [20] ^ Kerenyi draws attention especially to the rock carvings in the town of Akrai, Sicily.

[30] References Castor Castor Castor, a figure in Greek mythology the twin brother of Polydeuces (Pollux), is one of the twin stars that form the constellation Gemini. He is the son of Zeus and a mortal, Leda of Sparta. Castor and his brother were born from eggs after Zeus visited Leda as a swan. Since Castor's mother was mortal he became mortal also. Castor was a great soldier and horse tamer and competed in many Olympic Games and won many of them. Castor was worshipped as gods by other athletes. Both were Argonauts on Jason 's quest for the golden fleece. When Castor and Polydeuces returned from Jason's quest, they became involved in a fight between two young men. A terrible battle followed and Castor was killed. Pollux was granted immortality by Zeus, but he persuaded Zeus to allow him to share the gift with Castor. As a result, the two spend alternate days on Olympus (as gods) and in Hades (as deceased mortals).

See Dioscuri Article details: Dioscuri Dioscuri See More Dioscuri Pictures > In Greek mythology, the Dioscuri were the twin brothers Castor and Pollux (also called Polydeuces). Their mother was Leda , but they had different fathers. Tyndareus , the king of Sparta , was the father of Castor (hence a mortal), while Zeus was the father of Pollux (a demigod). Some sources say that they were born from an egg, along with their twin sisters Helen and Clytemnestra . The myth has it that Leda was seduced by Zeus , who had taken the form of a swan. However, there are different versions as to whether the twins were both mortals , both immortals, or Castor was mortal and Pollux was a demigod. The twins participated in the Argonautic Expedition, helping Jason retrieve the Golden Fleece . Upon their return to Greece, they also aided Jason in taking revenge for the treachery of Pelias , king of Iolcus , by destroying the city. They also took part in the hunt of the Calydonian Boar .

Later, when their sister Helen was abducted by Theseus , king of Attica, they attacked his kingdom. They freed their sister and abducted Theseus ' mother Aethra in revenge, who served as a slave for Helen . Castor and Pollux fell in love with Phoebe and Hilaeira, nieces of Leucippus, who were known as the Leucippides and who were already the consorts of the Dioscuri 's cousins, Lynceus and Idas . The twins abducted the Leucippides and brought them back to Sparta , thus starting a family feud. The cousins attacked the region of Arcadia and managed to claim a herd of cattle from the Dioscuri , who were enraged. Some time later, the cousins visited their uncle's palace; the Dioscuri , Helen , and Paris were present at the time. The Dioscuri thought it was a good opportunity to take their cattle back and left for their cousins' home. Lynceus and Idas left some time later, leaving Helen and Paris alone, which eventually led to the Trojan War .

The cousins caught the Dioscuri while attempting to steal the herd; Castor was mortally wounded by Idas , while Pollux killed Lynceus . As Idas approached to kill Pollux though, Zeus threw a thudnerbolt against him, thus saving his son's life. Pollux then asked his father to grant half of his immortality to his brother. Hence, they transformed into the constellation Gemini, able to travel back and forth between Olympus and Hades . Dioscuri Is also called Gemini, Castores, Dioskouri, Dioskuri, Castor, Polydeuces, Polydeukis, Pollux, Tyndaridae, Tyndarids. Castor and Pollux - Ancient History Encyclopedia Castor and Pollux by Mark Cartwright published on 10 June 2016 Castor and Pollux (the Dioscuri ) are figures from Greek and Roman mythology considered the twin sons of Zeus or Jupiter . Semi-divine figures, they were credited with the role of saving those in trouble at sea or in grave danger in war and were particularly associated with horses and sports. The brothers were linked with Sparta especially and had their own temples in Athens and on Delos .

The Dioscuri were the patrons of the Roman knights and played an important role in martial ceremonies into the imperial period. Names & Family The original Greek name of the brothers was Kastor and Polydeukes, Latinised to Castor and Pollux. Together they are known as the Dioscuri from the original Greek form, the Dioskouroi , meaning ‘youths of Zeus’, as the great god was considered their immortal father after he disguised himself as a swan and seduced Leda. The twins were born from an egg in one of the many versions of the myth. Pollux was considered immortal whilst his brother was mortal as his human father was Tyndareus, the king of Sparta, who also slept with Leda on the same night, hence the confusion over the paternity of the twins. This also explains their other name, the Tyndaridae. Then again, in Homer ’s Iliad both are treated as dead, explaining their association with the Underworld. The matter is partially resolved in Homer’s Odyssey where he explains that the twins alternated each day, one being alive, the other dead and then vice-versa the next day.

This idea is also presented by Pindar who states that the twins shared their immortality and switched daily between Mt. Olympus and Hades . Advertisement Mythological Adventures Castor and Pollux were involved in several famous episodes from Greek mythology . They accompanied Meleager on his Calydonian boar hunt and went with Jason and the other Argonauts on their successful search for the Golden Fleece. It was during this latter adventure that Pollux out-boxed the prodigiously strong Amycus, king of the Bebryces. When their sister Helen was abducted by Theseus , the brothers brought her back to Sparta from Attica and took Aethra, Theseus’ mother, for good measure. A final episode was when the brothers, initially on a cattle-rustling expedition, abducted Phoebe and Hilaeira, the daughters of Leucippus. They had to fight to keep their prizes, though, with the girls’ cousins Idas and Lynceus, to whom the girls had been betrothed. Only Pollux survived the clash and, thus, the necessity to share his immortality with Castor is explained.

The fight between the rival families is, perhaps, a mythological explanation for the real feud between long-time rivals Sparta and Messenia. Castor & Pollux protected warriors & sailors, especially those in life-threatening situations when they would often appear in person. Associations The twins were considered the protectors of the home and hospitality, oaths, friendship, and sporting activities. Castor was held to be a skilled horse-tamer while Pollux possessed great boxing skills. Both were thought to protect warriors in battle and sailors at sea, especially those in life-threatening situations, and they would often appear in person at such times. At sea they were thought to appear in the form of St. Elmo’s fire. Remove Ads Advertisement In Italy the cult of the twins went back to the mid-6th century BCE. For the Romans the twins were the offspring of Jupiter and Leda; both were particularly associated with cavalry and Castor was adopted by the Roman knights (equites) for their patron. In addition, the twin brothers were represented in the constellation Gemini. Other associations were the dokana symbol (two vertical wooden posts connected by two horizontal beams), pairs of amphorae , snakes, and bossed shields.

Worship & Temples Castor and Pollux were important across Greece but especially the Peloponnese . Sparta, where warfare was fundamental to the culture, claimed the twins were from the city , but they were also popular in Lokris and Athens. In the latter city they were known by the name Anakes and given a temple on the slopes of the acropolis which was used as a mustering point for hoplites. A Doric temple at Agrigento on Sicily has traditionally been linked to the Dioscuri, but there is no direct evidence. Built between 480 and 460 BCE, it originally had 6 columns on each facade and 13 along the longer sides. More definitely, the Dioscuri had a sanctuary dedicated to them on the island of Delos. Castor and Pollux Castor and Pollux Z Castor and Pollux In Greek and Roman mythology, the twin sons of Jupiter (Zeus) and Leda. They formed the figurehead of the ship from Alexandria, in which Paul sailed from Melita to Puteoli ( Acts 28:11 ).

Castor and Pollux - The Full Wiki The Full Wiki More info on Castor and Pollux Wikis Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles . Related top topics For other uses, see Castor and Pollux (disambiguation) . Ancient Greek marble statue of one of the Dioskouroi. In Greek and Roman mythology , Castor and Pollux (in Greek , Kástōr and Polydeúkēs - Κάστωρ καὶ Πολυδεύκης) were the twin sons of Lēda and Zeus / Tyndareus (Pollux's father was Zeus, Castor's was Tyndareus), the brothers of Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra and the half-brothers of Timandra , Phoebe , Heracles and Philonoe .

They are known collectively in Greek as the Dioskouroi or Dioscuri (Διόσκουροι), "sons of Zeus", and in Latin as the Gemini ("twins") or Castores. Castor means " beaver " in both Greek and Latin , and polydeukes means "much sweet wine". [1] They are sometimes also termed the Tyndaridae (Τυνδαρίδαι) in reference to their alternative fatherhood by Tyndareus. In the myth the twins shared the same mother but had different fathers which meant that Pollux was immortal and Castor was mortal. When Castor died, Pollux asked Zeus to let him share his own immortality with his twin to keep them together and they were transformed into the Gemini constellation . The pair were regarded as the patrons of sailors, to whom they appeared as St. Elmo's fire .

Contents 10 Sources Origins Their Vedic parallels in the effulgent brother horsemen Asvin sets them firmly in the Indo-European tradition [2] Their archaic and inexplicable name in Spartan inscriptions Tindaridai or in literature Tyndaridai occasioned an explanatory myth of a Tyndareus (Burkert 1985:212), that in turn occasioned incompatible accounts of their parentage, as that for their sisters Helen and Clytemnestra . The better known story is that Zeus disguised himself as a swan and seduced Leda . Thus Leda's children are frequently said to have hatched from two eggs that she then produced. The Dioscuri can be recognized in vase-paintings by the skull-cap they wear, the pilos , which was already explained in Antiquity as the remnants of the egg from which they hatched. [3] Tyndareus, Leda's mortal husband, is then father or foster-father to the children. [4] Whether the children are thus mortal and which half-immortal is not consistent among accounts, nor is whether the twins hatched together from one egg.

In some accounts, only Polydeuces was fathered by Zeus, while Leda and her husband Tyndareus conceived Castor. This explains why they were granted an alternate immortality. It is a common belief that one would live among the gods, while the other was among the dead. Castor and Polydeuces are sometimes both mortal, sometimes both divine. One consistent point is that if only one of them is immortal, it is Polydeuces. In Homer's Iliad , Helen looks down from the walls of Troy and wonders why she does not see her brothers among the Achaeans. The narrator remarks that they are both already dead and buried back in their homeland of Lacedaemon, thus suggesting that at least in some early traditions, both were mortal. Their death and shared immortality offered by Zeus was material of the lost Cypria in the Epic cycle . They do make an appearance together in the plays by Euripides , Helen and Elektra . Dioscuri as adventurers They were both excellent horsemen and hunters who participated in the hunting of the Calydonian Boar and later joined the crew of Jason 's ship, the Argo .

During the expedition of the Argonauts , Pollux took part in a boxing contest and defeated King Amycus of the Bebryces , a savage mythical people in Bithynia . After returning from the voyage, the Dioskouroi helped Jason and Peleus to destroy the city of Iolcus in revenge for the treachery of its king Pelias . Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus by Rubens , ca. 1618. Roman sarcophagus with Castor and Pollux seizing the daughters of Leucippus, ca. 160. Castor and Pollux aspired to marry the Leucippides, (the "white horse's daughters") Phoebe and Hilaeira , the daughters of their uncle Leucippus ("white horse"). [5] Although both women were already betrothed to their analogous twin brothers of Thebes , Lynceus and Idas , the sons of Aphareus , the twins carried them both off to Sparta , where Phoebe bore Mnesileos to Pollux and Hilaeira bore Anogon to Castor. This began a feud between the four cousins.

The cousins carried out a cattle-raid in Arcadia together but fell out over the division of the meat. After stealing the herd, but before dividing it, the cousins butchered, quartered, and roasted a calf. [6] As they prepared to eat, Idas, who was gigantic, suggested that the herd be divided into two, instead of four, parts, based on which pair of cousins finished their meal first. [6] Castor and Pollux agreed. [6] Idas quickly ate both his portion and Lynceus' portion. [6] Castor and Pollux had been duped. They allowed their cousins to take the entire herd, but vowed to someday take revenge. [6] Some time later, Idas and Lynceus visited their uncle's home in Sparta. [6] The uncle was on his way to Crete, so he left Helen in charge of entertaining the guests, which included both sets of cousins, as well as Paris, prince of Troy. [6] Castor and Pollux recognized the opportunity to extract revenge, made an excuse that justified leaving the feast, and set out to steal their cousins' herd.

[6] Idas and Lynceus eventually set out for home, leaving Helen alone with Paris, who then kidnapped Helen. [6] Thus, the four cousins indirectly set into motion the events that gave rise to the Trojan War. Meanwhile, Castor and Pollux had reached their destination. Castor climbed a tree to keep a watch as Pollux began to free the cattle. Far away, Idas and Lynceus approached. Lynceus, named for the lynx because he could see in the dark, spied Castor hiding in the tree. [6] Idas and Lynceus immediately understood what was happening. Idas, furious, ambushed Castor, fatally wounding him with a blow from his spear—but not before Castor called out to warn Pollux. [6] In the ensuing brawl, Pollux killed Lynceus and, as Idas was about to kill Pollux, Zeus, who had been watching from Mt. Olympus, hurled a thunderbolt, killing Idas and saving his son. [6] Returning to the dying Castor, Pollux was given the choice by Zeus of spending all his time on Mount Olympus or giving half his immortality to his mortal brother.

He opted for the latter (so giving half his immortality to Castor), enabling the twins to alternate between Olympus and Hades . [7] [8] The brothers became part of the stellar constellation Gemini ("the twins"), becoming the two brightest stars in the group: Castor ( Alpha Geminorum ) and Pollux ( Beta Geminorum ). Dioscuri as saviours When their sister Helen was abducted by the legendary Greek king Theseus , they invaded his kingdom of Attica to rescue her, abducting Theseus' mother Aethra in revenge and carrying her off to Sparta while setting a rival, Menestheus , on the throne of Athens. Aethra was forced to become Helen's slave but was eventually returned to her home by her grandsons Demophon and Acamas following the fall of Troy . As emblems of immortality and death that were no longer polar opposites, it is not surprising to hear that the Dioscuri, like Heracles were said to have been initiated at Eleusis .

[9] Dioscuri in the service of Cybele The image of the twins attending a goddess are widespread [10] and link the Dioscuri with the male societies of initiates under the aegis of the Anatolian Great Goddess [11] and the great gods of Samothrace . The Dioscuri are the inventors of war dances, which characterize the Kuretes . Classical sources Ancient Greek authors tell a number of versions of the story of Castor and Pollux. Homer portrays them initially as ordinary mortals, treating them as dead in the Iliad , but in the Odyssey they are treated as alive even though "the corn-bearing earth holds them." The author describes them as "having honour equal to gods," living on alternate days due to the intervention of Zeus. In both the Odyssey and in Hesiod , they are described as the sons of Tyndareus and Leda. In Pindar , Pollux is the son of Zeus while Castor is the son of the mortal Tyndareus. The theme of ambiguous parentage is not unique to Castor and Pollux; similar characterisations appear in the stories of Hercules and Theseus .

[12] Depictions Castor depicted on a calyx krater of ca. 460-450 BC, holding a horse's reins and spears and wearing a pilos -style helmet. Castor and Pollux are constantly associated with horses in art and literature. They bear striking similarities in this respect to divine twins in other mythologies, especially the Vedic Ashvins , who like them have a close association with horses. [13] Their role as horsemen made them particularly attractive to the Roman equites and cavalry. Each year on July 15, the feast day of the Dioskouroi, the 1,800 equestrians would parade through the streets of Rome in an elaborate spectacle in which each rider wore full military attire and whatever decorations he had earned. [14] The twins were widely depicted as helmeted horsemen carrying spears. [7] The Pseudo- Oppian manuscript depicts the brothers hunting, both on horseback and on foot.

[15] On votive reliefs they are depicted with a variety of symbols representing the concept of twinhood, such as the dokana (δόκανα - two upright piece of wood connected by two cross-beams), a pair of amphorae , a pair of shields, or a pair of snakes. They are also often shown wearing felt caps, above which stars may be depicted. They are depicted on metopes from Delphi showing them on the voyage of the Argo (Ἀργώ) and rustling cattle with Idas. Greek vases regularly show them in the rape of the Leucippides, as Argonauts , in religious ceremonies and at the delivery to Leda of the egg containing Helen. [12] They can be recognized in some vase-paintings by the skull-cap they wear, the pilos (πῖλος), which was already explained in Antiquity as the remnants of the egg from which they hatched. [16] Worship and interventions Fragmentary remains of the Temple of Castor and Pollux in Rome .

The Dioskouroi were worshipped by the Greeks and Romans alike; there were temples to the twins in Athens and Rome as well as shrines in many other locations in the ancient world. [17] The Dioscuri and their sisters having grown up in Sparta , in the royal household of Tyndareus , they were particularly important to the Spartans , who associated them with the Spartan tradition of dual kingship and appreciated that two princes of their ruling house were elevated to immortality. Their connection there was very ancient: a uniquely Spartan aniconic representation of the Tyndaridai was as two upright posts joined by a cross-bar; [18] as the protectors of the Spartan army the "beam figure" or dókana was carried in front of the army on campaign. [19] Sparta's unique dual kingship reflects the divine influence of the Dioscuri. When the Spartan army marched to war, one king remained behind at home, accompanied by one of the Twins. "In this way the real political order is secured in the realm of the Gods" (Burkert 1985:212).

Their herōon or grave-shrine was on a mountain top at Therapne across the Eurotas from Sparta, at a shrine known as the Meneláeion where Helen, Melelaus, Castor and Pollux were all said to be buried. Castor himself was also venerated in the region of Kastoria in northern Greece. They were commemorated both as gods on Olympus worthy of burnt sacrifice , and as deceased mortals in Hades, whose spirits had to be propitiated by libations . Lesser shrines to Castor, Pollux and Helen were also established at a number of other locations around Sparta. [20] The pear tree was regarded by the Spartans as sacred to Castor and Pollux, and images of the twins were hung in its branches. [21] The standard Spartan oath was to swear "by the two gods" (in Doric Greek : νά τώ θεὼ, ná tō theō, in the Dual number ). Roman Castor and Pollux From the fifth century BC onwards, the brothers were revered by the Romans, probably as the result of cultural transmission via the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia in southern Italy.

An archaic Latin inscription of the sixth or fifth century BC found at Lavinium , which reads Castorei Podlouqueique qurois ("To Castor and Pollux, the Dioskouroi"), suggests a direct transmission from the Greeks; the word "qurois" is virtually a transliteration of the Greek word κούροις, while "Podlouquei" is effectively a transliteration of the Greek Πολυδεύκης. [22] The Romans believed that the twins aided them on the battlefield. [23] The construction of the Temple of Castor and Pollux , located in the Roman Forum at the heart of their city, was undertaken to fulfil a vow sworn by Aulus Postumius Albus Regillensis in gratitude at the Roman victory in the Battle of Lake Regillus in 495 BC. According to legend, the twins fought at the head of the Roman army and subsequently brought news of the victory back to Rome. [7] In a very similar vein, the Locrians of Magna Graecia attributed their success at a legendary battle on the banks of the Sagras to the intervention of the Twins.

The Roman legend may in fact have had its origins in the Locrian account and possibly supplies further evidence of cultural transmission between Rome and Magna Graecia. [24] Etruscan,Celtic and Hebrew analogues The Celts also worshipped Castor and Pollux; the 1st century BC historian Diodorus Siculus records that the twins were the gods most worshipped in the west of Gaul . An altar found at Paris depicts them among Celtic figures such as the god Cernunnos . [25] In Celtic mythology, the swan is the escort of the dead into the afterlife, or incarnation of Otherworld, which is very similarly natured to this one. There my be implications in this idea, regarding the twins, considering that the father of at least one of them is in some cases a god in the guise of a swan- which also lends itself to the roles the twins themselves represent in terms of life death, Olympus and Hades.

The idea to Celts that, the twins were children of the swan- [if not biologically to the both, at least adoptively to the other, as Zeus gives Castor god-hood at the love of his brother] could have been very compelling, and in very real terms made statements about the state of human beings regarding life and death for the Celts. The attraction would be intensified with the twin's rendering as horsemen and riders and the Celtic tradition in Gaul and Britain was horse/equestrian bound to an extensively sacred degree. While all or most ancient cultures are bound up with aristocratic horse bourne castes, the majority of Celtic warfare depended on their expression with horse. Equine so saturated their culture, either plentifully or sacredly that horse was a splendid and frequent meal for them. These associations would have made the two twins compellingly 'celtic' to the Celts. [horse information from Caesar Against the Celts] In Italy the twins were venerated by the Etruscans , who knew them as Kastur and Pultuce, collectively the tinas cliniiaras ("sons of Tinia [Zeus]"). They were often portrayed on Etruscan mirrors.

[26] As was the fashion in Greece, they could also be portrayed symbolically; one example can be seen in the Tomba del Letto Funebre at Tarquinia where a lectisternium for them is painted. They are symbolised in the painting by the presence of two pointed caps crowned with laurel, referring to the Phrygian caps which they were often depicted as wearing. [27] The Dioskouroi were regarded as helpers of mankind and held to be patrons of travellers and of sailors in particular, who invoked them to seek favourable winds. [28] Their role as horsemen and boxers also led to them being regarded as the patrons of athletes and athletic contests. [29] They characteristically intervened at the moment of crisis, aiding those who honoured or trusted them. Cicero tells the story of how Simonides of Ceos was rebuked by Scopas, his patron, for devoting too much space to praising Castor and Pollux in an ode celebrating Scopas' victory in a chariot-race.

Shortly afterwards, Simonides was told that two young men wished to speak to him; after he had left the banqueting room, the roof fell in and crushed Scopas and his guests. [13] The rite of theoxenia (θεοξενία), "god-entertaining", was particularly associated with Castor and Pollux. The two deities were summoned to a table laid with food, whether at individuals' own homes or in the public hearths or equivalent places controlled by states. They are sometimes shown arriving at a gallop over a food-laden table. Although such "table offerings" were a fairly common feature of Greek cult rituals, they were normally made in the shrines of the gods or heroes concerned. The domestic setting of the theoxenia was a characteristic distinction accorded to the Dioskouroi. [12] The 'Castor Pollux' notion maybe also lend itself, or vice verse from ancient middle east examples, such as the two men who accompany the Lord to meet and dine with Abraham. They then travel to Sodom to survey the state of the city and its injustices and inhospitalities as to wether or not it should be punished by God.

They are met and welcomed by Abraham's nephew Lot. They then are threatened by rape by the town's people and Lot offers his daughters as alternatives. While not specifically named or bearing extensive 'Castor Pollux' traditions, their similarities in 'god entertain' in pairs is striking. [Genesis chapter 19] Even after the rise of Christianity , the Dioskouroi continued to be venerated. The fifth-century pope Gelasius I attested to the presence of a "cult of Castores" that the people did not want to abandon. In some instances, the twins appear to have simply been absorbed into a Christian framework; thus fourth-century AD pottery and carvings from North Africa depict the Dioskouroi alongside the Twelve Apostles , the Raising of Lazarus or with Saint Peter . The church took an ambivalent attitude, rejecting the immortality of the Dioskouroi but seeking to replace them with equivalent Christian pairs. Saints Peter and Paul were thus adopted in place of the Dioskouroi as patrons of travellers, and Saints Cosmas and Damian took over their function as healers. Some have also associated Saints Speusippus, Eleusippus, and Melapsippus with the Dioskouroi.

[15] In later culture Castor et Pollux was the title of a 1737 opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau (libretto by Bernard), modified in 1754. The latter version became quite popular. In 1842 Lord Macaulay wrote a series of poems about Ancient Rome (the Lays of Ancient Rome ). The second poem is about the Battle of Lake Regillus and describes the intervention of Castor and Pollux. They are referred to as the Great Twin Brethren in the poem. [1] There are at least four sets of twin summits named after Castor and Pollux. In Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming , USA, the peaks are found close to the headwaters of the Lamar River in the Absaroka Range . Another pair is located in the Pennine Alps at the Swiss-Italian border. A third is in Glacier National Park of western Canada, within the Selkirk mountains. The fourth is in Aspiring National Park of New Zealand, named by the explorer Charlie Douglas. References ^ a b c "Dioscuri." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008.

^ "Castor and Polydeuces." Who's Who in Classical Mythology, Routledge. London: Routledge, 2002. ^ In the oration of the Athenian peace emissary sent to Sparta in 371, according to Xenophon (Hellenica VI), it was asserted that "these three heroes were the first strangers upon whom this gift was bestowed." ( Karl Kerenyi , 1967. Eleusis: Archetypal Image of Mother and Daughter (Princeton: Bollingen), p. 122. ^ Kerenyi 1959 draws attention especially to the rock carvings in the town of Akrai, Sicily (1959:111). ^ Burkert 1985:212, who notes F. Chapouthier, Les Dioscures au service d'une déesse, 1935. ^ a b c Robert Christopher Towneley Parker "Dioscuri." The Oxford Classical Dictionary. Ed. Simon Hornblower and Anthony Spawforth. Oxford University Press 2003. ^ a b "Dioscūri".

Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World. Ed. John Roberts. Oxford University Press, 2007. ^ Myles McDonnell, Myles Anthony McDonnell, Roman Manliness, p. 187. Cambridge University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-521-82788-4 ^ a b Alexander Kazhdan, Alice-Mary Talbot "Dioskouroi". The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. Ed. Alexander P. Kazhdan. Oxford University Press 1991. ^ Scholiast on Lycophron , noted by Karl Kerenyi , 1959. The Heroes of the Greeks, p. 107 note 584. ^ "Dioscuri". A Dictionary of the Bible. W. R. F. Browning. Oxford University Press, 1997. ^ Burkert 1985; Kerenyi 1959:107) ^ Nick Sekunda, Nicholas Victor Sekunda, Richard Hook, The Spartan Army, p. 53. Osprey Publishing, 1998.

ISBN 1-85532-659-0 ^ Sarah B. Pomeroy, Spartan Women, p. 114. Oxford University Press US, 2002. ISBN 0-19-513067-7 ^ Guy Davenport, Objects on a Table: Harmonious Disarray in Art and Literature, p. 63. Basic Books, 1999. ISBN 1-58243-035-7 ^ Mary Beard, John North, Simon Price, Religions of Rome: Volume 1, A History, p. 21. Cambridge University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-521-45646-0 ^ "Dioscuri". A Dictionary of World Mythology. Arthur Cotterell. Oxford University Press, 1997. ^ Theodor Mommsen, The History Of Rome, Book II, p. 191. Kessinger Publishing, 2004. ISBN 1-4191-6625-5 ^ "Dioscuri". A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology.

James McKillop. Oxford University Press, 1998. ^ Giuliano Bonfante, Larissa Bonfante, The Etruscan Language, p. 204. Manchester University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-7190-5540-7 ^ Nancy Thomson De Grummond, Erika Simon, The Religion of the Etruscans, p. 60. University of Texas Press, 2006. ISBN 0-292-70687-1 ^ "Dioscuri". A Dictionary of World Mythology. Arthur Cotterell. Oxford University Press, 1997. ^ "Dioscūri". The Concise Oxford Companion to Classical Literature. Ed. M.C. Howatson and Ian Chilvers. Oxford University Press, 1996. Sources Ringleben, Joachim, "An Interpretation of the 10th Nemean Ode", Ars Disputandi . Translated by Douglas Hedley and Russell Manning. Pindar 's themes of the unequal brothers and faithfulness and salvation, with the Christian parallels in the dual nature of Christ.

Burkert, Walter , 1985. Greek Religion (Cambridge: Harvard University Press), pp. 212–13. Kerenyi, Karl , 1959. The Heroes of the Greeks (Thames and Hundson), pp 105–112 et passim. Pindar , Tenth Nemean Ode. Castor and Pollux: Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology, Leda Mythology , Zeus, Tyndareus, Clytemnestra, Timandra Mythology , Phoebe, Heracles, ... Gemini Constellation , St. Elmo's fire: Amazon.it: Frederic P. Miller, Agnes F. Vandome, John McBrewster: Libri in altre lingue Libri in altre lingue Ancora non sappiamo quando l'articolo sarÃ di nuovo disponibile. Aggiungi alla Lista Passa al retro Passa al fronte Ascolta Riproduzione in corso... In pausa Stai ascoltando un campione dell'edizione audio udibile.

Maggiori informazioni Visualizza l'immagine Castor and Pollux: Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology, Leda (Mythology), Zeus, Tyndareus, Clytemnestra, Timandra (Mythology), Phoebe, Heracles, ... Gemini (Constellation), St. Elmo's fire (Inglese) Copertina flessibile – 10 ago 2010 Copertina flessibile, 10 ago 2010 "Ti preghiamo di riprovare" Non Ã¨ necessario possedere un dispositivo Kindle. Scarica una delle app Kindle gratuite per iniziare a leggere i libri Kindle sul tuo smartphone, tablet e computer. Apple Per scaricare una app gratuita, inserisci il numero di cellulare. oppure Non hai un Kindle? Scopri Kindle , oppure scarica l'applicazione di lettura Kindle GRATUITA.

Dettagli prodotto Editore: Alphascript Publishing (10 agosto 2010) Lingua: Inglese Media recensioni: Recensisci per primo questo articolo Garanzia e recesso: Se vuoi restituire un prodotto entro 30 giorni dal ricevimento perchÃ© hai cambiato idea, consulta la nostra pagina d'aiuto sul Diritto di Recesso . Se hai ricevuto un prodotto difettoso o danneggiato consulta la nostra pagina d'aiuto sulla Garanzia Legale . Per informazioni specifiche sugli acquisti effettuati su Marketplace consulta… Maggiori informazioni la nostra pagina d'aiuto su Resi e rimborsi per articoli Marketplace . Castor and Pollux | Define Castor and Pollux at Dictionary.com Castor and Pollux plural noun, Classical Mythology. 1. twin sons of Leda and brothers of Helen, famous for their fraternal affection and regarded as the protectors of persons at sea. Expand British Dictionary definitions for Castor and Pollux Expand noun 1.

(classical myth) the twin sons of Leda: Pollux was fathered by Zeus, Castor by the mortal Tyndareus. After Castor's death, Pollux spent half his days with his half-brother in Hades and half with the gods in Olympus Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Castor and Pollux in the Bible Expand the "Dioscuri", two heroes of Greek and Roman mythology. Their figures were probably painted or sculptured on the prow of the ship which Luke refers to (Acts 28:11). They were regarded as the tutelary divinities of sailors. They appeared in the heavens as the constellation Gemini. Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary People invent new words all the time, but which ones actually make it? Word of the Day

Question: In both Greek and Roman mythology, who was the twin of Castor?
Answer: Pollux