The Legend of Gemini Gemini: the twins are considered to be significant to sailors. The appearance of the constellation in the sky signaled the end of winter storms and safer passage. Most harbors of the classical period had statues of the twins, Castor and Pollux, at their entrances in tribute to the brothers. The higher star in the constellation is Castor, the brighter one is Pollux. The twins also show up as two stars above the figure head on some ships.
Mesopotamia: the Great Twins, the brothers Lugal-irra and Meslamta-ea, stand at the entrance to the underworld ready to dismember the dead as they entered. Small statues of the brothers were often buried outside of doorways of houses and public buildings to protect the occupants. See the Mesopotamian legend of Pisces.
A symbol, called the Triad of Stars, depicts two stars next to a crescent moon. Calculations of stellar positions at the time of the prevalence of the symbol indicates that the first visible crescent of the waxing moon appeared next to the two stars Castor and Pollux. At this time the first crescent moon marked the beginning of the month. This observance marks an early attempt at the formulation of a lunar calendar.
Greece: identified with the twin sons of Zeus and Leda, the wife of Tyndareus. Zeus, disguised as a swan, seduced Leda who laid an egg from which Helen and Pollux were born. At the same time she also gave birth to Castor and Clytaemnestra, children of Tyndareus. Since Pollux was the child of a god, he was immortal. Castor was the mortal son of a man. The boys grew close as brothers and became widely famous for their athletic abilities. The Olympic games came about as a result of their prowess. A rivalry between the brothers and their twin cousins, Idas and Lynceus, caused the death of the mortal Castor. In his grief, Pollux asked Zeus to permit him to die so he could remain with his brother. Touched, Zeus placed the boys in the sky as a symbol of brotherly love and devotion.Back to the Constellations
