Rome after nightfall. In the Piazza del Quirinale, Castor and Pollux cast their large shadows at the center of the square. The sculptures, Roman copies of Greek originals depict the Dioscuri Castor and Pollux, sons of Leda by Tyndareus and Zeus, respectively. Pollux was immortal, but Castor was not. When Castor died, Pollux asked Zeus to let him share his own immortality with his twin to keep them together, and they were transformed into the Gemini constellation. Thus, I found it appropriate to depict Castor against a starry sky.



Castor and Pollux


Castor and Pollux, the Dioscuri, the twin sons of Zeus by Leda; great, the former in horsemanship, and the latter in boxing; famed for their mutual affection, so that when the former was slain the latter begged to be allowed to die with him, whereupon it was agreed they should spend a day inHades time about; were raised eventually to become stars in the sky, the Gemini, twin signs in the zodiac, rising and setting together; this name is also given to the electric phenomenon called St. Elmo's Fire (q.v.).