she was ravished by Theseus, and they went with Jason to the Conquest of the Golden Fleece. Castor being descended of a Mortal Father was killed by Lynceus; but Pollux his Brother being descended of Jupiter, was Immortal. They were placed in the Number of the Dil Indigetes, or Genitales, by the Greeks and Romans, because they descended originally from the Country.
Diodorus Siculus relates, that the Argonauts being destressed with a great Tempest, Orpheus made a Vow to the Gods of Samothracia, where∣upon the Storm immediately ceased, and Two Coelestial Fires appeared over the Heads of Castor and Pollux, who were amongst the Argonauts; from whence comes the Custom of invoking the Gods of Samothracia in a Tempest, and or giving the Names of Castor and Pollux to those Two Coelestial Fires.
Lucian in the Dialogue of Apollo and Mercury bring in Apollo speaking thus upon the Occasion of these Two Brethren. Apoll. Can you learn to know Castor from Pollux, for I am always de∣ceiv'd upon the accont of their Likeness. Merc. He who was Yesterday with us is Castor. Apoll. How can you discern them, they being so like one another?
Merc. Pollux has a Face black and blew by a Blow he received in fighting, and particularly at Bebryx in his Voyage with the Argonauts. Apol. You'll oblige me to tell me of Things par∣ticularly, for when I see their Eggs-shell, white Horse, Spear and Stars, I always confound them together, but tell me why these Two Bro∣thers never appear in the Heaven at the same Time. Merc. Because it being decreed that these Two Sons of Leda should one be Mortal, and the other Immortal, they divided their good and bad Fortune like good Brethren, and so live and die by Turns. Apoll. This is a great Impediment to their Love; for, so they can ne∣ver see, or discourse one with another. But what Art or Trade do they profess? For every one of us hath his Business: I am a Prophet, my Son is a Physician, my Sister a Midwife, and thou art a Wrestler. Do they do nothing, but eat and drink? Mer. They succour Mariners in a Tempest. Apol. That's a necessary Employ∣ment, provided they perform it well.
Arrian says, that Alexander, while he was carrying on his Victories in Persia, sacrificed one Day to Castor and Pollux, instead of Hercules, to whom that Day was dedicated by the Macedo∣nians; and that while the Feast lasted after the Sacrifice was over, he talked sometimes of the great Actions of Castor and Pollux, and at other times of Hercules.
Cicero relates a wonderful Judgment, which befel Scopas, because he had spoken contemp∣tibly of these two Brethren Dioscorides, being crushed to Death by the Fall of his Chamber, whereas Simonides, who wrote their Encomium was called out of them by two unknown Persons Phoedrus recites this History more at large in the 4th Book of his Fables, Fab. 22. The Greek and Roman History is filled with the miraculous Ap∣pearances of these two Brethren, either to ob∣tain a Victory, or publish it when it was gained, for they were seen fighting upon two white Horses at the Battle, which the Romans fought against the Latins near the Lake Regillus.
But Cicero tells how we must credit these Re∣lations: He says, that Homer, who lived a little after these two Brethren, assures us, that they were buried in Macedonia, and consequently could not come to declare a Victory obtain'd by Vatienus.
The Romans did not omit building them a magnificent Temple, where they sacrificed to them white Lambs, and appointed a Feast to be kept in Honour of them, at which a Man sitting upon one Horse and leading another, runs full speed, and at the End of the Race leaps nimbly upon the Horse which is in his Hand, having a bright Star upon his Hat, to shew that only one of the Brothers was alive, because, indeed, the Stars of Castor and Pollux are to be seen above our Horizon, and sometimes not.