Dioscuri’s Family Tree

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Family

• Leda(parent),Tyndareus(parent),Zeus(parent),Clytemnestra(sibling),Helen of Troy(sibling)— Marriage

  Zeus approached Leda in the form of a swan, and on the same night she also lay with her husband Tyndareus. From this dual union came the Dioscuri, Helen, and Clytemnestra.

  ⚠ Sources disagree on which children are divine and which mortal. The most common tradition makes Helen and Polydeuces children of Zeus, while Castor and Clytemnestra are Tyndareus's. Other versions vary the combinations.

Enemy of

• Aethra

  The Dioscuri captured Aethra when they invaded Attica to rescue their sister Helen, whom Theseus had abducted. They took Aethra to Sparta as Helen's slave.

• Theseus

  The Dioscuri invaded Attica and captured Aphidnae to rescue their sister Helen, whom Theseus and Pirithous had abducted. They freed Helen and took Theseus's mother Aethra captive as a slave.

Member of

• Argonauts

  The Dioscuri, Castor and Polydeuces, sailed with the Argonauts. Polydeuces killed King Amycus of the Bebrycians in a boxing match, one of the voyage's key encounters.

Equivalent to

• Castor and Pollux(Roman)

  The Roman Castor and Pollux are the counterpart of the Greek Dioscuri. Rome adopted their cult early in the Republic, centering it on the Battle of Lake Regillus and the Temple of Castor in the Forum.

Associated with

• Calydonian Boar

  The Dioscuri, Castor and Polydeuces, joined the Calydonian Boar Hunt, adding Sparta's divine twins to the assembly of heroes who pursued Artemis's beast.

• Helen of Troy

  The Dioscuri, Helen's divine brothers, invaded Attica to rescue her after Theseus abducted her as a girl. They recovered Helen and took Theseus's mother Aethra captive to Troy.

• Voyage of the Argo

  The Dioscuri, Castor and Polydeuces, sailed as crew members on the Voyage of the Argo, contributing their renowned skills in horsemanship and boxing to the expedition.