Artemis

= ARTEMIS = = =





Identity
In Roman Mythology, she is known as Diana. She is also known as Potnia Theron. Selene, the goddess of the moon, was superseded by Artemis too.

She is the goddess of chastity, virginity, the hunt, the moon, wilderness, childbirth, and the natural environment. Her symbols include the bow and arrow, deer, bear, boar, stag, pack of dogs.

Birth
Artemis is the only goddess in the Twelve Olympians with a mother, Leto. Leto gave birth to Artemis on the island of Delos. Upon her birth, she saw her mother having a hard time giving birth to Apollo, so she assisted her during childbirth, hence also being called the goddess of childbirth.

Characteristics
Artemis, like her followers, is a chaste goddess, and she remained a virgin her entire life. She was a great feminist, and gravely punished men who tried to defile women. She is also known for protecting girls until marriage. Her brother is her male counterpart for protecting boys.

She's also a "daddy's girl" to Zeus.

Oak groves were especially sacred to her.

She's often depicted wearing a short knee-length chiton, equipped with bow and arrows.

Even if Artemis was also a goddess of life and healing, she and her brother were also gods of sudden death and disease for their respective genders.

Participation in the Trojan War
When Apollo was unable to face Poseidon at the war, Artemis scolded him, but he remained quiet. When Hera saw this, she challenged Artemis to fight and said that Artemis could only hunt and kill animals, but she couldn't defeat someone stronger than her. Hera grabbed both of Artemis' wrists with one hand and punched her with the other. Artemis then went crying to Zeus and told of Hera's physical abuse.

Hera defeated Artemis.

=Deaths=
 * 1) Actaeon was walking through the forest when he saw Artemis bathing with the nymphs. Artemis, who was afraid of Actaeon boasting about seeing her nude, splashed water onto him for the lack of arrows at the time. This turned him into a stag, and his own hunting dogs tore him to shreds.
 * 2) Artemis fell in love with Orion resulting in the jealousy of Apollo. One day, the twins were hunting and Orion was swimming out far in the sea. Apollo, aware that Orion was swimming even if he wasn't visible from their distance, challenged Artemis to hit the target. Artemis did, and Orion died. Artemis then honored him by putting him up with the stars.
 * 3) Artemis killed both Callisto and Maera for breaking their vows of chastity. Callisto was raped by Zeus, while Maera became his lover.

Homosexuality
Apart from Orion, only Britomartis has caught the attention of Artemis. It was said that she saved her from the advances of Minos and fell in love with her.

Other stories

 * 1) Hippolytus became Artemis' friend because he swore to be chaste too. But his stepmother accused him of rape after failing to seduce him. His father than killed him, but Artemis resurrected him and sent him to Italy to make the people worship her.
 * 2) Hercules is one of the very few to survive Artemis' punishment of death for killing an animal sacred to her. Eurystheus instructed Hercules to catch a stag with golden horns. Knowing that this was sacred to Artemis, Hercules tried not to hurt or kill it, but after failing to catch it for one year, he killed it. Artemis was angered, but Hercules blamed Eurystheus, and he was spared.
 * 3) Rituals surrounding Artemis - Artemis was a protector of children aged 9 and up. She guided them because they were still too young for the Aphrodite stage. The night before the children get married, they sacrifice all their youthful belongings to Artemis as a sign of farewell to their youth. It is also so that Artemis will help them during their childbirth. Some men also took vows under Artemis to be chaste. Priests castrated themselves, and hunters would offer the skin and horns of their game to Artemis as thanksgiving.

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