Dioscures

See also: Beaver, Pollux

In the Greek Mythology, Beaver (in Greek old Κάστωρ / Kástôr ) and Pollux ( Πολυδεύκης / Polydeúkês , from where its other name Polydeuce ), called Dioscures ( Διόσκουροι / Dióskouroi , i.e. “wire of Zeus”), are the twin wire of Léda, brothers of Helene of Troy and Clytemnestre.

Caption

They are born with Sparte, where a worship is returned to them. According to Homère, they are both wire of Tyndare and consequently called the “Tyndarides”. They are the teachers of Héraclès for the raising of horses and the combat out of weapons. They also take share with the forwarding of the Argonautes. They die between the moment of the removal of Helene and it tenth year of the seat of Troy ( It. , III, 236-244). They are then déifiés and live in alternation, one day out of two. Pollux will be represented later like wire of Zeus and immortal. When Beaver, wire mortal of Tyndare, is wounded with death, Pollux decides to share its immortality with him, they thus pass half of their time to the Hells, other half on the Olympe, among the gods.

Dioscures are often identified with the constellation of the Gemini. They are regarded as the guards of the sailors, with whom they appear during the storms in the form of the Feu of Saint-Elme. Beaver is the prototype of the horse-breaker, and Pollux, that of the boxer, one thus makes of them also the owners of the athletes and the competitions. One often represents them in company of the horses Xanthe and Cyllare, as in the famous group, which currently frames the place of the Capitole, with Rome.

Worship

Their principal place of worship is Sparte, Pindare qualifying them “intendants of Sparte” ( ταμίαι Σπάρτας / tamiai Spartas , Xe Néméenne , 52). Their gemellity points out the duality of the kings. They protect the civic army, which always leaves to shift with a unit two sticks dependant between them called δόκανα / dokana (of δοκός / dokos , the beam, the bar). They are also venerated with Olympie and Athens, under the name of Ἄνακες / Anakes (form antiquated of the plural of ἄναξ / anax , “the lord”), and form especially an important couple of the Pantheon of the Large Gods of Samothrace where they are venerated under the name of Κάϐειροι (Cabires).

The worship of Beaver and Pollux also appears with Tusculum and Rome. In 484 av. J. - C., the Romans build a temple to them on the Roman Forum, in thanks of their support at the time of the Bataille of the lake Régille. The Sénat frequently holds its meetings to with it. Their name was often employed in the swearwords, that of Beaver being reserved to the women.

Artistic representations

  • Beaver and Pollux is the title of a lyric Tragédie of Jean-Philippe Rameau.

See too

Related articles

External bonds

  • Solomon Reinach, théoxénies and archaeological flight of dioscures, Re-examined (1901).

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