Dioscuris

Dioscuris, usually rendered in English as the Dioscuri, is the name given in Greek and Roman mythology to the twin brothers Castor and Pollux. The term comes from the Greek Dioskouroi, literally “sons of Zeus,” though the paternal line varies by tradition.

Castor and Pollux are described as close brothers with different fates. Castor is typically the mortal son of King Tyndareus of Sparta, while Pollux (Polydeuces) is the divine son of Zeus. Because of their bond, they are regarded as inseparable figures: Castor represents mortal prowess and skill, Pollux embodies divine immortality.

In myth, their lives intersect with broader Greek heroic narratives, and they are celebrated as protectors of travelers and sailors. A prominent legend concerns their longing for one another: Castor dies in a dispute, and Pollux pleads with Zeus to share his own immortality with his brother. Zeus grants a compromise by placing them in the heavens as the constellation Gemini, so that they may share a single divine existence—alternating between Olympus and Hades in some versions, or spending part of each day among the gods and part with mortals.

Cult and legacy: The Dioscuri were widely venerated across the Greek world, with notable cults and festivals attested in places such as Sparta and Rhodes. They were commonly invoked as guardians of seafaring and travelers, and their imagery appears frequently in ancient art and sculpture, often depicted as youthful brothers.

Astronomy and symbolism: In the Christian era and modern astrology, their identity persists in the stars as the twins of Gemini. The two brightest stars in that constellation have associations with Castor and Pollux, reinforcing the cultural memory of the Dioscuris as a paired, protective force in both myth and sky.