Castor and Pollux (Polyduces), the great twin brethren, were called the Dioscuri, the "sons of Zeus," though Castor is said to be Tyndareus' child and mortal, like his sister Clytemnestra, while Pollux and Helen (the heroine of Troy), are considered Leda's children by Zeus and immortal. They lived just before the Trojan War, at the same time as Theseus, Jason, and Atalanta. They took part in the Calydonian boar-hunt; they went on the Quest of the Golden Fleece; and they rescued Helen when Theseus carried her off. Castor was famous as tamer of horses, and Pollux was known for his specialty in boxing. Both represented wrestling.

      Castor and Pollux were interested in two beautiful daughters, Phoebe and Hilaeira, for their wives. Ignoring the fact that these girls were betrothed to their cousins Lynceus and Idas, they carried the girls off to Sparta. This abduction caused the fatal quarrel between the brothers and the brother's cousins. Castor was killed by Idas with a spear. Zeus killed Idas with a thunderbolt. Pollux, who loved his own brother more than his life, prayed to Zeus that he might share his own immortality with Castor. Zeus granted the request which resulted in their sharing alternate days on Olympus and in Hades. They were transported to the sky as constellations and became guardians of mariners, the Gemini.

ACTIVITIES:
Castor and Pollux activity

KEY TEST WORDS: (Know the material behind these items.)
Castor & Pollux, deities of horsetraining, boxing, and wrestling. They became the Gemini constellation.

The Lesser Deities

The Underworld

Footnotes:
Castor and Pollux are represented riding on white horses and appearing with aid in times of distress, making them resemble Amphion and Zethos, twin sons of Antiope and Zeus, amicable co-kings of Thebes, with different temperaments.

SOURCES:
Jane Smith
Edith Hamilton's Mythology
Edward Tripp's "Crowell's Handbook of Classical Mythology"
"Manual of Mythology" by Alexander S. Murray.