didoofcarthage:Votive offering, showing two mounted horsemen, possibly the Dioscuri, Castor and Poly
didoofcarthage:Votive offering, showing two mounted horsemen, possibly the Dioscuri, Castor and Polydeuces Greek, 399-300 B.C.marbleBritish MuseumCastor and Polydeuces (or Pollux) were princes of Sparta, sons of Leda and brothers of Helen and Clytemnestra . Castor was the mortal son of Tyndareus, King of Sparta, and Polydeuces was the son of Zeus, but they were known as the Dioscuri, “Zeus’ boys”. Castor was a renowned horseman, and Polydeuces became a champion boxer. They voyaged with Jason and the Argonauts, and rescued Helen when she was abducted by Theseus, taking Theseus’ mother hostage and forcing her to be Helen’s servant until Theseus paid ransom for her release. They fell out with their cousins, the sons of Tyndareus’ brother, over prospective brides and, during the ensuing feud, Helen was left alone, in the absence of Menelaus, to be abducted by Paris. After several subsequent altercations, Castor and Polydeuces were ambushed by their cousins, and Castor was killed. Polydeuces was saved by his father Zeus, who killed his attacker with a thunderbolt.Zeus offered Polydeuces the choice of immortality on Olympus with the gods, or donating half of his immortality to Castor. Polydeuces chose to share immortality with his mortal brother, and they are said to spend alternate days in the Underworld and on Olympus. They became the patrons of soldiers, sailors, travelers, and athletes.. The phenomenon known as St. Elmo’s fire was believed to be a sign of their protection of ships. They are represented in the stars as the constellation Gemini. The Romans founded a temple in their honor after the Battle of Lake Regillus in 484 BCE, when two youths, believed to have been the Dioscuri, led the Roman troops to victory, and then appeared at the Spring of Juturna in Rome, watering their horses and proclaiming the Roman victory to astonished civilians. The event was commemorated in Rome each year on June 15 by a parade of Roman cavalry. -- source link
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