Castor

Role: Dioscurus · First appears: The Catalogues of Women and Eoiae · Fragments 61–80

Beneath Taygetus, Leda bore Castor and Polydeuces after Zeus lay with her; the accounts name Zeus as their father and also call them children of Tyndareus. Castor and Polydeuces were brothers, praised as deliverers who calmed winds and waves and brought ships out of peril.

In Part 1 of The Cypria, Idas killed Castor while he was stealing cattle, striking him with a spear. Zeus then granted Castor and Polydeuces immortality every other day.

Relationship record

Life events

• Leda bore Castor and Polydeuces after Zeus bent her to his will.(Homeric Hymn XVII · To the Dioscuri · 📍 Taygetus)
  • With: Leda Polydeuces Zeus
  • “Beneath the heights of Taygetus stately Leda bare them, when the dark-clouded Son of Cronos had privily bent her to his will.”
• Leda bore Castor and Polydeuces beneath Taygetus.(Homeric Hymn XXXIII · To the Dioscuri · 📍 Taygetus)
  • With: Leda Polydeuces
  • “When Leda had lain with the dark-clouded Son of Cronos, she bare them beneath the peak of the great hill Taygetus,—children who are delivers of men on earth and of swift-going ships when stormy gales rage over the ruthless sea.”
• Castor and Polydeuces calmed the winds and waves, delivering ships from peril.(Homeric Hymn XXXIII · To the Dioscuri)
  • With: Polydeuces
  • “Forthwith they allay the blasts of the cruel winds and still the waves upon the surface of the white sea: fair signs are they and deliverance from toil.”
• Castor is killed by Idas while stealing cattle.(The Cypria · Part 1)
  • “Castor was killed by Idas”
• Zeus grants Castor and Polydeuces immortality every other day.(The Cypria · Part 1)
  • With: Zeus Polydeuces
  • “Zeus gave them immortality every other day.”
• Idas killed Castor with a spear.(The Cypria · Part 2)
  • With: Idas
  • “Castor was killed with a spear shot by Idas the son of Aphareus.”

The Catalogues of Women and Eoiae · Fragments 61–80

• parent: Zeus “Hesiod in giving their descent makes them (Castor and Polydeuces) both sons of Zeus.”
• siblings with Polydeuces “Hesiod in giving their descent makes them (Castor and Polydeuces) both sons of Zeus.”

Homeric Hymn XVII · To the Dioscuri

• siblings with Polydeuces (They are identified together as the Tyndaridae.) “Sing, clear-voiced Muse, of Castor and Polydeuces, the Tyndaridae, who sprang from Olympian Zeus.”
• parent: Zeus “Sing, clear-voiced Muse, of Castor and Polydeuces, the Tyndaridae, who sprang from Olympian Zeus.”
• parent: Leda “Beneath the heights of Taygetus stately Leda bare them, when the dark-clouded Son of Cronos had privily bent her to his will.”
• parent: Tyndareus “Hail, children of Tyndareus, riders upon swift horses!”

Homeric Hymn XXXIII · To the Dioscuri

• parent: Leda “When Leda had lain with the dark-clouded Son of Cronos, she bare them beneath the peak of the great hill Taygetus,—children who are delivers of men on earth and of swift-going ships when stormy gales rage over the ruthless sea.”
• parent: Zeus “Bright-eyed Muses, tell of the Tyndaridae, the Sons of Zeus, glorious children of neat-ankled Leda, Castor the tamer of horses, and blameless Polydeuces.”
• siblings with Polydeuces “Bright-eyed Muses, tell of the Tyndaridae, the Sons of Zeus, glorious children of neat-ankled Leda, Castor the tamer of horses, and blameless Polydeuces.”

The Cypria · Part 1

• siblings with Polydeuces “In the meantime Castor and Polydeuces, while stealing the cattle of Idas and Lynceus, were caught in the act, and Castor was killed by Idas, and Lynceus and Idas by Polydeuces.”

⭐ Constellation map → · 📖 Read the original → · 🗂 Character index → · 🕰 Chronicle → · 📍 Places →

Extracted from the original text of Hesiod and Homerica. Made with Rho MD.