CASTOR AND POLLUX, two demi gods known by the ancients under the joint name of Dioscuri, that is, sons of Zeus or Jupiter. Castor was celebrated as a horse tamer; Pollux for his prowess as a boxer. Homer describes them as sons of Leda and Tyndareus, King of Lacedemon, and, therefore, brothers of Helen. Hence, too, their patronymic of Tyndaridm (sons of Tyndareus). An other fable ascribes their birth to an amour of Jupiter with Leda; while a third account makes Pollux and Helen only the fruit of this intercourse, and Castor the lawful son of Tyndareus, whence it was supposed that the latter was mortal, and Pollux immortal. The brothers are described as having first distinguished themselves by the rescue of their sister Helen, who had been car ried off by Theseus, They were engaged in the celebrated hunt of the Calydonian boar; were sharers in the renowned ex pedition of the Argonauts; and, finally, in a war against Messene, undertaken for the purpose of chastising Idas and Lynceus, sons of the king of that coun try. Castor was slain by Idas, who was immediately struck dead by a thunder bolt from Jove, and Lynceus fell by the hand of Pollux. The latter, devotedly
attached to his brother, besought Jupiter either to restore Castor to life or to de prive hini himself of his immortality. On this, according to one story, Jupiter granted them alternate life, so that each lived or died daily—a term extended by some writers to six months of alternate life and death of each. Another version makes Jupiter reward their affection by translating the two brothers into constel lations, under the name of Gemini— stars which never appear together, but when one rises the other sets, and so on alternately. These demi-gods were chiefly worshipped as protectors of sea men, though they were supposed to be helpers of the brave generally. They are usually represented on medals, bas reliefs, and gems, as youthful horse men, with egg-shaped helmets crowned with stars, and spear in hand. The an cients very commonly swore "by Castor" GEcastor) and "by Pollux" as the English did by St. George, and the French by St. Denis.