Pollux

Half-Olympian son of Zeus by Leda; heteropaternal twin of mortal Castor (by Tyndareus). One of the Dioscuri, the divine twin-pair central to Spartan and Roman cult. Master boxer; killed Amycus on the Argonautic expedition. Refused full immortality without Castor when his brother died in the Apharidae feud; Zeus permitted shared alternating immortality between Hades and Olympus, eventually catasterizing both as the constellation Gemini. The Roman Temple of Castor and Pollux in the Forum was vowed at Lake Regillus 496 BCE.

Parentage

• paternal: Zeus
• maternal: Leda

Children

• Mnesileos

Domains

• boxing and unarmed combat
• protector of sailors

Powers

• Appear as saving fire to sailors
• Share his immortality with another

Epithets

• Διόσκουροι greek · Dióskouroi'Sons/Youths of Zeus' — the standing cult-title of Pollux with Castor, the twin saviour-godsHomeric Hymn 33 (To the Dioscuri) 1 (primary)
• Ἄνακες greek · Ánakes'The Lords' — Attic cult-title of the Dioscuri, with their sanctuary the Anakeion at AthensPausanias 1.18.1 (primary)
• Πὺξ ἀγαθός greek · Pỳx agathós'Good at boxing' — standing epithet of Polydeuces as patron-boxerHomer, Iliad 3.237 (primary)
• Σωτῆρες greek · Sōtêres'Saviours' — the Dioscuri (Castor & Pollux) as rescuers of sailorsHomeric Hymn 33.6 (primary)

Relations

• sibling: CastorHom. Od. 11.298-304; Pind. Nem. 10 (primary)
• sibling: HelenApollod. 3.10.7 (primary)
• father of: MnesileosApollodorus 3.11.2; Pausanias 2.22.5 (primary)

Sources

• existence: Homer Iliad 3.236-244, Odyssey 11.298-304; Hesiod fr. 24; Cypria fr. 6; Pindar Nemean 10, Olympian 3, Pythian 11; Apollonius Rhodius Argonautica 2.1-97; Apollodorus 3.10.7, 3.11.2; Theocritus Idyll 22; Homeric Hymn 33 (primary)