THE RAPE OF THE DAUGHTERS OF LEUCIPPUS

The theme of The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus is the result of a bitter and brutal rivalry between two pairs of twins, for Castor and Pollux side, also called "Dioscuri" as children of Zeus, and the other Idas and Linceo sons of Aphareus and her stepsister Arene.

Everything came from afar, when Gorgophone, daughter of Perseus nothing less married twice. The first with Perieres, son of Eolo and king of Messene; and second, left a widow with Ebalo, king of Sparta. The first marriage for children would Aphareus and Leucippus, and the second to Tindáreo and Icario. In both cases the two brothers were with their respective thrones of kingdoms and Leucipo Aphareus reigned in Messene, the first king and the second sharing the throne; happening the same with Tindáreo and Icario, kings of Sparta, as such the first and the second sharing throne. And while the harmony reigned between each pair of brothers, was not the case among the brothers, as championing the cause of rival kingdoms.

The next generation is the one that openly face. Arene Aphareus married and had a child Idas and Linceo, while for daughters would Leucipo the Leucípides, Hilaria and Febe calls. For his part Tyndareus married Leda, who in turn had intercourse with Zeus in the form of a swan. Its union with Tindáreo be born Castor and Clytemnestra, and her relationship with Zeus, would be born of two separate eggs, Helena (Helena future of Troy) and Pollux, which thus reached immortal status.

The relationship of the two brothers, Castor and Pollux, was exemplary, always united and always together in a true fraternal love. Both were superb horsemen, and also Castor, great soldier and tamer of horses, and Pollux remarkable boxer.

Meanwhile Aphareus arranged the marriage of their children with their cousins, the daughters of Lucipo, Febe, priestess of Athena, and Hilaria, priestess of Artemis. But not come to be celebrated the marriage because Castor and Pollux abducted the daughters of Leucippus (apparently with the help of Cupid), with which they would have two children, so challenging the descendants of the brothers of his father and perpetuating not only the family rivalry, but of the two kingdoms, Messene and Sparta.

    

                                                       

                                                                                                               By Esther Rivier Salinas