Artemis

Goddess of the Hunt and Wild Places

Artemis was the daughter of Zeus and Leto and the twin sister of Apollo. She was goddess of hunting, wild animals and wilderness, and she loved the mountains and forests far away from busy cities. Artemis usually carried a bow and arrows and travelled with nymphs and hunting dogs. Deer and bears were especially connected with her. She chose never to marry and fiercely protected her independence. Artemis was also linked with young girls and childbirth, which might seem surprising for a goddess who never became a mother herself. Greek gods often protected things they did not personally experience. At a sanctuary called Brauron, girls taking part in ceremonies for Artemis were even called little bears!

Artemis could be a wonderful protector, but her stories also warn people not to ignore her boundaries. The hunter Actaeon discovered this in one of her most famous myths. He saw Artemis bathing, either accidentally or because he had offended her in another way depending on the version. Artemis changed him into a stag. His own hunting dogs no longer recognised him and chased him down. It is a very grim story, but the message is clear: Artemis expected her privacy to be respected. She was also connected with the hunter Orion, although ancient storytellers disagreed completely about how he died. In some versions Artemis kills him, while others blame Apollo or a giant scorpion.

Before the Trojan War, Artemis also became angry with the Greek leader Agamemnon. The Greek ships were unable to sail from Aulis, and a terrible sacrifice involving his daughter Iphigenia was demanded. Some versions say Artemis rescued Iphigenia at the last moment and replaced her with a deer, while others have a much darker ending. Artemis later became strongly linked with the Moon, just as Apollo became linked with the Sun, although Selene was the older Greek Moon goddess. The Romans called Artemis Diana. I like Artemis because she feels completely at home in the wild. She can protect animals, children and women, but she is never tame herself. If you enter her forest, you definitely follow her rules.

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