DIOSCURI (Διδαχούρα). - Greek divinities: they were twins, Castore and Polluce, young and very handsome, sons of Zeus and Leda, brothers of Elena; but according to others, only Polluce was the son of Zeus and immortal.
Their nature is disputed: they are said to be gods of light, or of light and darkness, or two heroes of Laconia substituted for the twins of Zeus, or Mycenaean household divinities of the kings of Sparta. Their cult was especially localized in Sparta and its territory (the sanctuary of Therapne being famous) and in its colonies. From Sparta come numerous reliefs depicting the D. on either side of a female xoanon, with a high polos on her head and bands in her hands, an evident representation of Elena. Outside Sparta the D. replaced pairs of local divinities; in the historical period they were often fused with the Cabiri, the Cureti, the Coribanti, etc. For Omero, Castore was a tamer of horses, Polluce the inventor of boxing. They were saving gods in the dangers of war, travel, the sea, and disease. Their symbols are the βόχανα, of uncertain meaning, horses, or two amphorae, two stars, two Phrygian caps. Widespread among the myths concerning the D. are their participation in the expedition of the Argonauts and the abduction of the Leucippidae.