Pollux

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

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

Pollux, of Lacedaemon, is a son of Zeus and Leda and the brother of Castor—“Castor and Pollux, sons of Zeus and Leda.” He boxed Amycus and killed him with a blow to the elbow. When Theseus was in Hades, Pollux and Castor took Aphidnae, seized Helen, and led Aethra captive.

At Messene, Pollux and Castor carried off the daughters of Leucippus and married them; Pollux had Mnesileus by Phoebe. After Idas took the cattle, the Dioscuri marched against Messene and reclaimed them. In the ensuing conflict, Pollux slew Lynceus with his spear, but Lynceus struck him in the head with a stone and left him unconscious; Zeus then killed Idas with a thunderbolt and carried Pollux to heaven. Because Pollux refused immortality while Castor was dead, Zeus allowed them to spend 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: Castor 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: Castor 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: Castor 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.”
• Pollux killed Lynceus but was wounded and rendered unconscious.(Apollodorus, Library 3.11)
  • With: Lynceus
  • “Pollux chased them and slew Lynceus by throwing his spear, but in pursuing Lynceus he was wounded in the head with a stone thrown by him, and fell down in a swoon.”
• Zeus killed Idas with a thunderbolt and carried Pollux to heaven.(Apollodorus, Library 3.11)
  • With: Zeus Idas
  • “And Zeus smote Idas with a thunderbolt, but Pollux he carried up to heaven.”
• Zeus granted Castor and Pollux alternating existence among gods and mortals.(Apollodorus, Library 3.11)
  • With: Castor 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 Castor “Castor and Pollux, sons of Zeus and Leda”

Apollodorus, Library 1.9

• enemies with Amycus “Pollux undertook to box against him and killed him with a blow on the elbow.”

Apollodorus, Library 3.10

• married with Phoebe “these the Dioscuri carried off and married.”
• 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

• child: Mnesileus “Pollux had Mnesileus by Phoebe, and Castor had Anogon by Hilaira.”
• with Lynceus (Pollux slew Lynceus.) “Pollux chased them and slew Lynceus by throwing his spear”
• with Lynceus (Lynceus wounded Pollux.) “but in pursuing Lynceus he was wounded in the head with a stone thrown by him”
• with Zeus (interaction) “Zeus permitted them both to be every other day among the gods and among mortals.”
• enemies with Idas “Pollux chased them and slew Lynceus by throwing his spear, but in pursuing Lynceus he was wounded in the head with a stone thrown by him, and fell down in a swoon. And Zeus smote Idas with a thunderbolt”
• enemies with Lynceus “Pollux chased them and slew Lynceus by throwing his spear, but in pursuing Lynceus he was wounded in the head with a stone thrown by him, and fell down in a swoon.”

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