Book 25
1
Can you tell me, Hermes, which of these two is Castor and which is Pollux? I can’t tell them apart.
1
The one with us yesterday was Castor, this one is Pollux.
1
How can you tell? They look identical.
1
This one, Apollo, has on his face the marks of the injuries he’s got from his opponents when boxing, and especially from Bebryx, the son of Amycus, Cf. Theocritus, 22.26 and Apollonius Rhodius 2, 1 ff. when he sailed on that expedition with Jason. The other has no marks like that; his face is free from blemish.
1
Thanks for telling me the difference, for all the rest’s the same, the half egg-shell on the head, and the star above it, the javelin in the hand, and a white horse each; so I’ve often called Pollux Castor and Castor Pollux. And there’s something else you can tell me. Why don’t we see them together? Why do they take turns of being dead and being a god?
2
That’s because of their brotherly love. When one of the sons of Leda had to die, and one to be immortal, they shared out the immortality in this way themselves.
2
Not a very clever way of sharing it, was it, Hermes? This way they won’t even see each other, and that’s what they wanted most of all, I take it. How can they, when one’s with the gods and one with the dead? Another thing; I play the prophet, Asclepius goes in for doctoring, you teach wrestling and are an excellent trainer, Artemis is a mid-wife, Cf. note on pp. 326-327. and everyone else among us has some special craft, which helps gods or men. But what will we get them to do? We can’t have big strapping fellows like them sitting in idleness all day stuffing themselves.
2
You needn’t worry. They’ve been put on to serving Poseidon; they must ride over Or perhaps “ride, subduing the stormy seas”. the sea, and anywhere they see sailors in a storm, they must perch on the vessel and keep the crew safe.
2
A useful vocation that, Hermes, and one of salvation.
