












Who is fond of life and jest and pleasure?
Who vacillates and changes ever??
Who loves attention without measure???
Why, Gemini!
sign symbolism | rulerships | famous Geminians | Babylonian myth
Who vacillates and changes ever??
Who loves attention without measure???
Why, Gemini!
sign symbolism | rulerships | famous Geminians | Babylonian myth
Sign symbolism
Gemimi the Twins
by Deborah Houlding
Read as PDF
The third sign of the zodiac, Gemini (the Latin word for ‘twins’), centres its symbolism on the two bright stars that dominate its namesake constellation. Expressing the principle of duality, this sign reminds us that all conflicting forces must be recognised and reconciled as mutually interdependent. The two pillars representing the sign’s glyph (
) signify the incongruous forces of left and right, darkness and light, ignorance and understanding, malice and virtue, decline and vitality. Hence, all the myths and legends attached to Gemini draw attention to indelible connections that are crossed by stark contrasts.
In classical myth, the twins are the sons of the Spartan Queen Leda (mother of Helen of Troy), whom Zeus somewhat artfully seduced after he took the form of a swan escaping from an eagle and flew into her arms on the same night she bedded her husband. Pollux, conceived from the seed of Zeus, was born divine and immortal, possessing great physical prowess and excelling in boxing, athletics and gymnastics. Castor, conceived by the mortal king, was human and therefore physically frail, but what he lacked in muscular force he made up for in high intelligence, swift wit, ingenuity, and whatever artful cunning it was that persuaded Leda to be seduced by a swan.
Ovid1 describes the twins as “one a horseman, the other a boxer” but both are strongly associated with sport and they are almost always shown as horsemen in statues. They became embroiled in family feuds (as Geminis typically do), and contributed to the start of the Trojan War by desiring to marry the Leucippides (literally, ‘the daughters of the white horse’), who were already betrothed to their cousins. Their abduction of these horsey women, and other squabbles with their cousins over their shared ownership of cattle, culminated in one of the cousins mortally wounding Castor with a spear. Zeus gave that cousin a swift death by thunderbolt, then offered Pollux a choice as his twin lay dying: he could either ascend to Mount Olympus as a god after Castor died or donate half of his immortality to his brother so that both could live on as demi-gods.
A pact was made for the twins to share immortality by living alternating lives, each switching daily between Mt. Olympus and Hades. The art of contracting by reasoned negotiation and appropriate compromise is a Gemini flair, and Zeus threw into the deal the honour of them being celebrated among the stars. His own brother, Poseidon, god of the sea (and horses), also rewarded their unbreakable bond with the gift of magnificent stallions and the power to grant merciful winds to those in peril at sea – perhaps a nod to Gemini’s sign-ruler, Mercury, which signifies all winds in mundane astrology generally.
The notion of concession and compensation is an integral part of Gemini lore (the mortal partner gains heightened intellect to offset limited vitality), but the deeper issue is the refusal of the twins to be separated, though this demands infinite modification and denies the ability to live peacefully ‘as one’. The myth demonstrates the eternal mutual reliance of conscious reasoning and unconscious instinct, which generates tension since their drives are often in turmoil. The quest for unification must first explore limits by polarising and establishing extremes, before it pursues the reconciliation of all contradictions within one central threshold, where reason and emotion, masculinity and femininity, light and dark, and all apparent opposites come together in balance, perfectly poised as they appear to lose differences and merge into one.
How does the Gemini do this? And how do the myths relate to the depiction of the typical Gemini as someone marked by mental agility and easy communication skills? The fact that Gemini is essentially a sign of divergence, which swings rapidly through the realms of the conscious (Olympus) and unconscious (Hades), and just as rapidly swings back again, suggests that intellectual propensity is only the half of it. Not enough is made of how Geminians go through strange and inconsistent moods, needing to engage in periods of introverted self-reflection, in which they withdraw from superficial chatterings just as readily as they delight in it when the period of self-reflection has passed. Geminians do have a rare communicative gift, but the basis of it is that their focus is not purely in the world of logic; it also encompasses the domain of the irrational, including the magical too.
From this multi-faceted position, Geminians see all shades of every situation, communicating between opposing sides because their dextrous disposition well-understands the experience of all extremes. Though seldom reported, they are subject to dark, irrational broodings, periods of isolation and alienation, and cynicism as well as idealistic inspiration; yet the flexibility of character that Geminians possess is embedded in the ability to be two things at once: the victor and the victim; the healer and the invalid; the teacher and the student. The integration of opposites never entirely separates one partner from the other, but this fusion only occurs after the independent experience of extremes has been absorbed, requiring that love must meet its antithesis: hate; confidence: insecurity; praise: insult; and trust: falseness as singular incidents, before being recognised as two equally transient faces of the same fickle coin.
Hence, ‘communication’ is a spiritual drive for any Geminian, and Sun sign depictions loom large on their talents as reporters, teachers, messengers, diplomats, interpreters, linguists and writers. As the sign Gemini symbolises a constant flow between extremes, its planetary ruler, Mercury, promotes easy communication of the experience of that flow.
In Roman mythology, Mercury is the winged messenger and communicator between the gods. The Romans dwelt on the quick speed of this planet, recognising the qualities of swiftness and dexterity in the characteristics of trickery, verbal guile and flexibility. Mercury is consequently the god of jugglers, thieves and liars, as well as the god of commerce, roads, gymnastic exercises and all that entails mental, verbal or physical deftness. Compared to his Greek counterpart, Hermes, there is a somewhat shallow, superficial aspect to the Roman god of learning, with less of the obvious profundity attached to the notion of ‘intelligence’ by the more ancient civilisations.
In Hermes, we glimpse a holier personification of Universal Intelligence, with more amalgamation of the Egyptian God of knowledge, Thoth, and the Mesopotamian god of wisdom, Nabu. The inventor of words, arithmetic, astronomy and geometry, his communicative skill is considered an expression of sacred powers, since the ability to define and share concepts (both visually and through sound) was viewed by ancient cultures as a supernatural gift. Words, and the ways they are constructed and delivered, are perceived as magical symbols, mirrors of the Divine Mind. Spoken with proper intonation and the correct spiritual approach, they become the means to summon gods, heal the sick and command obedience. Writing was a priestly study, held in awe by the uneducated and honoured as a mystical art. Only in the alchemical view of Mercury as Mercurius, symbol of the process of integration, synthesis, metamorphosis, and illumination, do we come close to restoring to the Roman god Mercury the fully glorious spiritual lineage within which the ideal of communication properly sits. Geminians, with their ability to experience and synthesise, hold the most treasured keys to this process of transmutation.
Gemini is a lively sign of endless curiosity, driven by an instinct to explore. But since instincts lean more towards breadth than depth, their explorations often lack focus and deep, singular penetration. They are better suited to absorbing ‘just enough’ of a wide variety of topics, which adds to their reputation as fine conversationalists. They are not extreme in their views and are always willing to swap and trade their ideas or change their perspective to suit their company. However, they have a strong respect for intellectual independence and must feel a mental rapport to fully relax with others.
Being able to enjoy a broad variety of friends from different interests has given Gemini a reputation as an affable and sociable sign, tending towards friendliness and optimism. They prefer a wide circle of friends to just a few close and intimate contacts, so they have excellent networking talents, which allow them to excel in professional areas based on who they know as much as what they know. They are suited to any career that requires negotiation skills or the expression of information in flexible language that can be easily digested, and those that call for physical agility, light movement, and quick thinking. The ‘alternating’ elements of Gemini should remind us that this is the sign of trade, barter, exchange and swapping resources. Combined with the instinct for fast action and quick decision-making, Geminis are great at multi-tasking or managing several projects simultaneously and make ideal entrepreneurs. The sign features strongly in the charts of those who are light on their feet or sleight of hand, being traditionally associated with athletes and gymnasts, magicians, conjurers, tricksters, con artists and pickpockets!
As lovers, Geminians are fun, lively, flirtatious and recognised by their youthful appearance or ‘spirit of youth’. But they lack emotional intensity and are uncomfortable with deep emotional ties, particularly if they feel restricted in their freedom to chat and flirt with others. They are capable of falling in love with two or more lovers simultaneously, incline towards gender neutrality, and are naturally curious to explore the sexual sides of their relationships. Hence, a Gemini lover can be the source of endless frustration to a more committed and emotionally intense partner.
Geminians are often said to be superficial and fickle. Of course, they can be, but adaptability is a virtue where there is a need to respond to changing surroundings and deal with contradictory demands simultaneously. The mark of this sign is mental agility and ‘bridge building’. To be understanding and responsive to all, they may sometimes appear two-faced, lacking genuine sincerity, but this is the price to be paid by a disposition that moves with its environment. Above all, Geminians are regarded as quick thinkers, the best of whom don't just act first, think later, but have mastered the pull of the extremes of thinking and feeling, and as a result combine their intellect and intuition with lightning speed, allowing them to think on their feet and deliver the instant, yet perfectly appropriate response, to any occasion.


In classical myth, the twins are the sons of the Spartan Queen Leda (mother of Helen of Troy), whom Zeus somewhat artfully seduced after he took the form of a swan escaping from an eagle and flew into her arms on the same night she bedded her husband. Pollux, conceived from the seed of Zeus, was born divine and immortal, possessing great physical prowess and excelling in boxing, athletics and gymnastics. Castor, conceived by the mortal king, was human and therefore physically frail, but what he lacked in muscular force he made up for in high intelligence, swift wit, ingenuity, and whatever artful cunning it was that persuaded Leda to be seduced by a swan.
Ovid1 describes the twins as “one a horseman, the other a boxer” but both are strongly associated with sport and they are almost always shown as horsemen in statues. They became embroiled in family feuds (as Geminis typically do), and contributed to the start of the Trojan War by desiring to marry the Leucippides (literally, ‘the daughters of the white horse’), who were already betrothed to their cousins. Their abduction of these horsey women, and other squabbles with their cousins over their shared ownership of cattle, culminated in one of the cousins mortally wounding Castor with a spear. Zeus gave that cousin a swift death by thunderbolt, then offered Pollux a choice as his twin lay dying: he could either ascend to Mount Olympus as a god after Castor died or donate half of his immortality to his brother so that both could live on as demi-gods.
A pact was made for the twins to share immortality by living alternating lives, each switching daily between Mt. Olympus and Hades. The art of contracting by reasoned negotiation and appropriate compromise is a Gemini flair, and Zeus threw into the deal the honour of them being celebrated among the stars. His own brother, Poseidon, god of the sea (and horses), also rewarded their unbreakable bond with the gift of magnificent stallions and the power to grant merciful winds to those in peril at sea – perhaps a nod to Gemini’s sign-ruler, Mercury, which signifies all winds in mundane astrology generally.
The notion of concession and compensation is an integral part of Gemini lore (the mortal partner gains heightened intellect to offset limited vitality), but the deeper issue is the refusal of the twins to be separated, though this demands infinite modification and denies the ability to live peacefully ‘as one’. The myth demonstrates the eternal mutual reliance of conscious reasoning and unconscious instinct, which generates tension since their drives are often in turmoil. The quest for unification must first explore limits by polarising and establishing extremes, before it pursues the reconciliation of all contradictions within one central threshold, where reason and emotion, masculinity and femininity, light and dark, and all apparent opposites come together in balance, perfectly poised as they appear to lose differences and merge into one.
How does the Gemini do this? And how do the myths relate to the depiction of the typical Gemini as someone marked by mental agility and easy communication skills? The fact that Gemini is essentially a sign of divergence, which swings rapidly through the realms of the conscious (Olympus) and unconscious (Hades), and just as rapidly swings back again, suggests that intellectual propensity is only the half of it. Not enough is made of how Geminians go through strange and inconsistent moods, needing to engage in periods of introverted self-reflection, in which they withdraw from superficial chatterings just as readily as they delight in it when the period of self-reflection has passed. Geminians do have a rare communicative gift, but the basis of it is that their focus is not purely in the world of logic; it also encompasses the domain of the irrational, including the magical too.
From this multi-faceted position, Geminians see all shades of every situation, communicating between opposing sides because their dextrous disposition well-understands the experience of all extremes. Though seldom reported, they are subject to dark, irrational broodings, periods of isolation and alienation, and cynicism as well as idealistic inspiration; yet the flexibility of character that Geminians possess is embedded in the ability to be two things at once: the victor and the victim; the healer and the invalid; the teacher and the student. The integration of opposites never entirely separates one partner from the other, but this fusion only occurs after the independent experience of extremes has been absorbed, requiring that love must meet its antithesis: hate; confidence: insecurity; praise: insult; and trust: falseness as singular incidents, before being recognised as two equally transient faces of the same fickle coin.
Hence, ‘communication’ is a spiritual drive for any Geminian, and Sun sign depictions loom large on their talents as reporters, teachers, messengers, diplomats, interpreters, linguists and writers. As the sign Gemini symbolises a constant flow between extremes, its planetary ruler, Mercury, promotes easy communication of the experience of that flow.
In Roman mythology, Mercury is the winged messenger and communicator between the gods. The Romans dwelt on the quick speed of this planet, recognising the qualities of swiftness and dexterity in the characteristics of trickery, verbal guile and flexibility. Mercury is consequently the god of jugglers, thieves and liars, as well as the god of commerce, roads, gymnastic exercises and all that entails mental, verbal or physical deftness. Compared to his Greek counterpart, Hermes, there is a somewhat shallow, superficial aspect to the Roman god of learning, with less of the obvious profundity attached to the notion of ‘intelligence’ by the more ancient civilisations.
In Hermes, we glimpse a holier personification of Universal Intelligence, with more amalgamation of the Egyptian God of knowledge, Thoth, and the Mesopotamian god of wisdom, Nabu. The inventor of words, arithmetic, astronomy and geometry, his communicative skill is considered an expression of sacred powers, since the ability to define and share concepts (both visually and through sound) was viewed by ancient cultures as a supernatural gift. Words, and the ways they are constructed and delivered, are perceived as magical symbols, mirrors of the Divine Mind. Spoken with proper intonation and the correct spiritual approach, they become the means to summon gods, heal the sick and command obedience. Writing was a priestly study, held in awe by the uneducated and honoured as a mystical art. Only in the alchemical view of Mercury as Mercurius, symbol of the process of integration, synthesis, metamorphosis, and illumination, do we come close to restoring to the Roman god Mercury the fully glorious spiritual lineage within which the ideal of communication properly sits. Geminians, with their ability to experience and synthesise, hold the most treasured keys to this process of transmutation.
Gemini is a lively sign of endless curiosity, driven by an instinct to explore. But since instincts lean more towards breadth than depth, their explorations often lack focus and deep, singular penetration. They are better suited to absorbing ‘just enough’ of a wide variety of topics, which adds to their reputation as fine conversationalists. They are not extreme in their views and are always willing to swap and trade their ideas or change their perspective to suit their company. However, they have a strong respect for intellectual independence and must feel a mental rapport to fully relax with others.
Being able to enjoy a broad variety of friends from different interests has given Gemini a reputation as an affable and sociable sign, tending towards friendliness and optimism. They prefer a wide circle of friends to just a few close and intimate contacts, so they have excellent networking talents, which allow them to excel in professional areas based on who they know as much as what they know. They are suited to any career that requires negotiation skills or the expression of information in flexible language that can be easily digested, and those that call for physical agility, light movement, and quick thinking. The ‘alternating’ elements of Gemini should remind us that this is the sign of trade, barter, exchange and swapping resources. Combined with the instinct for fast action and quick decision-making, Geminis are great at multi-tasking or managing several projects simultaneously and make ideal entrepreneurs. The sign features strongly in the charts of those who are light on their feet or sleight of hand, being traditionally associated with athletes and gymnasts, magicians, conjurers, tricksters, con artists and pickpockets!
As lovers, Geminians are fun, lively, flirtatious and recognised by their youthful appearance or ‘spirit of youth’. But they lack emotional intensity and are uncomfortable with deep emotional ties, particularly if they feel restricted in their freedom to chat and flirt with others. They are capable of falling in love with two or more lovers simultaneously, incline towards gender neutrality, and are naturally curious to explore the sexual sides of their relationships. Hence, a Gemini lover can be the source of endless frustration to a more committed and emotionally intense partner.
Geminians are often said to be superficial and fickle. Of course, they can be, but adaptability is a virtue where there is a need to respond to changing surroundings and deal with contradictory demands simultaneously. The mark of this sign is mental agility and ‘bridge building’. To be understanding and responsive to all, they may sometimes appear two-faced, lacking genuine sincerity, but this is the price to be paid by a disposition that moves with its environment. Above all, Geminians are regarded as quick thinkers, the best of whom don't just act first, think later, but have mastered the pull of the extremes of thinking and feeling, and as a result combine their intellect and intuition with lightning speed, allowing them to think on their feet and deliver the instant, yet perfectly appropriate response, to any occasion.
