Castor

Family: Lacedaemon · Role: son of Zeus and Leda · First appears: Apollodorus, Library 1.8

🌐 Also appears in: The Odyssey (as Castor) · Plutarch's Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans (as Castor) · Greek Tragedy — The Same Myth, Three Voices (as Castor)

Castor, of Lacedaemon, is named as a son of Zeus and Leda, and also as a child of Tyndareus. He was the sibling of Pollux and Helen, and served as a fencing mentor to Heracles. He carried off and married Hilaira, and had Anogon by her.

When Theseus was in Hades, Castor and Pollux took Aphidnae, seized Helen, and carried Aethra away captive. At Messene, they abducted Leucippus’s daughters, Phoebe and Hilaira, to marry them; after Idas unfairly divided and drove off captured cattle, Castor and Pollux marched against Messene and reclaimed it. Castor’s enemies were Idas and Lynceus: Lynceus discovered his hiding place, allowing Idas to kill him.

After Castor’s death, Pollux refused immortality without his brother. Zeus therefore granted them alternating existence, so that Castor and Pollux would be “every other day among the gods and among mortals.”

Relationship record

Life events

• Pollux and Castor seized Helen and carried Aethra captive after taking Aphidnae.(Apollodorus, Library 3.10 · 📍 Aphidnae)
  • With: Pollux Helen Aethra
  • “But when Theseus was in Hades, Pollux and Castor marched against Aphidnae, took the city, got possession of Helen, and led Aethra, the mother of Theseus, away captive.”
• Castor and Pollux abducted Leucippus’s daughters and married them.(Apollodorus, Library 3.11 · 📍 Messene)
  • With: Pollux Leucippus Phoebe Hilaira
  • “And wishing to marry the daughters of Leucippus, they carried them off from Messene and wedded them;”
• Idas seized the cattle after unfairly dividing the spoil, prompting the Dioscuri to reclaim it.(Apollodorus, Library 3.11 · 📍 Messene)
  • With: Pollux Idas Lynceus
  • “And before they knew where they were, Idas had swallowed his own share first and likewise his brother's, and with him had driven off the captured cattle to Messene. But the Dioscuri marched against Messene , and drove away that cattle and much else besides.”
• Idas killed Castor after Lynceus discovered his hiding place.(Apollodorus, Library 3.11)
  • With: Idas Lynceus
  • “But Lynceus spied Castor and discovered him to Idas, who killed him.”
• Zeus granted Castor and Pollux alternating existence among gods and mortals.(Apollodorus, Library 3.11)
  • With: Pollux Zeus
  • “Nevertheless, as Pollux refused to accept immortality while his brother Castor was dead, Zeus permitted them both to be every other day among the gods and among mortals.”

Apollodorus, Library 1.8

• parent: Zeus “Castor and Pollux, sons of Zeus and Leda”
• parent: Leda “Castor and Pollux, sons of Zeus and Leda”
• siblings with Pollux “Castor and Pollux, sons of Zeus and Leda”

Apollodorus, Library 2.4

• pupil: Heracles “to fence by Castor”

Apollodorus, Library 3.10

• married with Hilaira “these the Dioscuri carried off and married.”
• parent: Tyndareus “and Castor and Clytaemnestra to Tyndareus.”
• siblings with Helen “Pollux and Castor marched against Aphidnae, took the city, got possession of Helen”
• ward: Helen “Pollux and Castor marched against Aphidnae, took the city, got possession of Helen”

Apollodorus, Library 3.11

• married with Hilaira “And wishing to marry the daughters of Leucippus, they carried them off from Messene and wedded them; and Pollux had Mnesileus by Phoebe, and Castor had Anogon by Hilaira.”
• child: Anogon “Pollux had Mnesileus by Phoebe, and Castor had Anogon by Hilaira.”
• with Idas (Idas killed Castor.) “Lynceus spied Castor and discovered him to Idas, who killed him.”
• with Zeus (interaction) “Zeus permitted them both to be every other day among the gods and among mortals.”
• enemies with Idas “But Lynceus spied Castor and discovered him to Idas, who killed him.”
• enemies with Lynceus “But Lynceus spied Castor and discovered him to Idas, who killed him.”

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Extracted from the original text of Greek Mythology. Made with Rho MD.