Castor

and Pollux , were twin brothers, sons of Jupiter by Leda, the wife of Tyndarus king of Sparta. The manner of their birth is uncommon. Jupiter, who was enamoured of Leda, changed himself into a beautiful swan, and desired Venus to metamorphose herself into an eagle. After this transformation the godde pursued the god with apparent ferocity, and Jupiter fled for refuge into the arms of Leda, who was bathing in the Eurotas. Jupiter took advantage of his situation, and nine months after Leda, who was already pregnant, brought forth two eggs, from one of which came Pollux and Helena; and from the other, Castor and Clytemnestra. The two former were the offspring of Jupiter, and the latter were believed to be the children of Tyndarus. Some suppose that Leda brought forth only one egg, from which Castor and Pollux sprung. Mercury, immediately after their birth, carried the two brothers to Pallena, where they were educated; and as soon as they had arrived at years of maturity, they embarked with Jason to go in quest of the golden fleece. In this expedition both behaved with superior courage: Pollux conquered and slew Amycus in the combat of the cestus, and was ever after reckoned the god and patron of boxing and wrestling. Castor distinguished himself in the management of horses. The brothers cleared the Hellespont and the neighbouring seas from pirates, after their return from Colchis, from which circumstance they have been always deemed the friends of navigation. During the Argonautic expedition, in a violent storm, two flames of fire were seen to play around the heads of the sons of Leda, and immediately the tempest ceased and the sea was calmed. From this occurrence their power to protect sailors has been more firmly credited, and the two before-mentioned fires, which are very common in storms, have since been known by the name of Castor and Pollux; and when they both appeared, it was a sign of fair weather; but if only one was seen it prognosticated storms, and the aid of Castor and Pollux was consequently solicited. Castor and Pollux made war against the A then i ans to recover their sister Helen, whom These us had carried away; and from their clemency to the conquered, they acquired the surname of Anaces or benefactors. They were initiated in the sacred mysteries of the Cabiri, and in those of Ceres of Eleusis. They were invited to a feast when Lynceus and Idas were going to celebrate their marriage with Phœbe and Talaira the daughters of Leu cippus, who was brother to Tyndarus. Their behaviour after this invitation was cruel. They became enamoured of the two women whose nuptials they were to celebrate, and resolved to carry them away and marry them. This violent step provoked Lynceus and Idas: a battle ensued, and Castor killed Lynceus, and was killed by Idas. Pollux revenged the death of his brother by killing Idas; and, as he was immortal, and tenderly attached to his brother, he entreated Jupiter to restore him to life, or to be deprived himself of immortality. Jupiter permitted Castor to share the immortality of his brother; and consequently, as long as the one was upon earth, so long was the other detained in the infernal regions, and they alternately lived and died every day; or, according to others, every six months. This act of fraternal love Jupiter rewarded by making the two brothers constellations in heaven, under the name of Gemini , which never appear together, but when one rises the other sets, and so on alternately. Castor made Talaira mother of Anogon, and Phœbe had Mnesileus by Pollux. They received divine honours after death, and were generally called Dioscuri , sons of Jupiter. White lambs were more particularly offered on their altars, and the ancients were fond of swearing by the divinity of the Dioscuri , by the expre ions of Ædepol and Æcastor . Among the ancients, and especially among the Romans, there prevailed many public reports, at different times, that Castor and Pollux had made their appearance to their armies; and mounted on white steeds, had marched at the head of their troops, and furiously attacked the enemy. Their surnames were many, and they were generally represented mounted on two white horses, armed with spears, and riding side by side, with their head covered with a bonnet, on whose top glittered a star. Ovid , Metamorphoses , bk. 6 , li. 109 ; Fasti , bk. 5 , li. 701 ; Amores , bk. 3 , poem 2, li. 54 .— Hyginus , fables 77 & 78.— Homer , Hymn 33 to the Dioscuri .— Euripi des , Helen .— Plutarch , These us .— Virgil , Æneid , bk. 6 , li. 121 .— Marcus Manilius , Astronomic a , bk. 2 .— Livy , bk. 2 .— Dionysius of Halicarna us , bk. 6 .— Justin , bk. 20 , ch. 3 .— Horace , bk. 2 , satire 1, li. 27 .— Florus , bk. 2 , ch. 12 .— Cicero , de Natura Deorum , bk. 2 , ch. 2 .— A poll on i us , bk. 1 .— Apollo dor us , bk. 1 , chs. 8, 9; bk. 2 , ch. 4 ; bk. 3 , ch. 11 .— Pausanias , bk. 3 , ch. 24 ; bk. 4 , chs. 3 & 27.――An ancient physician.――A swift runner.――A friend of Æneas, who accompanied him into Italy. Virgil , Æneid , bk. 10 , li. 124 .――An orator of Rhodes, related to king Dejotarus. He wrote two books on Babylon, and one on the Nile.――A gladiator. Horace , bk. 1 , ltr. 18 , li. 19 .