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Quotation1 Hunting's more of an art than a skill...I like to go for the eye, or more relevantly, the bullseye! Quotation2
Artemis on hunting.

Artemis is a major deity in the ancient Greek religion, she is the virgin Goddess of the moon, hunting, archery, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, chastity and midwifery as well as the patron and protector of girls who watched over them until they married. She is a member of the Twelve Olympians alongside her twin brother, Apollo.

Genealogy and Family[]

Artemis is the daughter of Zeus and Leto and the elder twin sister of the Olympian sun god, Apollo. She has many half siblings from her father's side including Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Persephone, Athena and The Nine Muses. Artemis never married nor had children of her own, choosing to be an eternal maiden like her aunt, Hestia and half sister, Athena.

Role and Significance[]

Artemis is one of the three moon goddesses with Selene and Hecate and she took the job of driving the moon chariot from the Titan Goddess and true personification of the moon-Selene. She is also the goddess of archery and hunting and the most talented archer on Olympus, Artemis is also considered both a slayer and protector of the animals of her land. Despite not being a mother herself, Artemis is a deity of midwifery and childbirth alongside Hera and Eileithyia this being established after she served as a midwife to her mother Leto when she gave birth to Apollo.

Artemis was worshipped throughout ancient Greece, with her multiple temples, altars, shrines, and local veneration found everywhere in the ancient world. Her great temple at Ephesus was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, before it was burnt to the ground.

Stories[]

Artemis' mother is Leto, the Titan Goddess of motherhood and womanly demure who became pregnant with her and Apollo by Zeus, King of the Gods, being one of his lovers. When Zeus' wife Hera found out of Leto's pregnancy she was infuriated and banned Leto from giving birth anywhere under the sun, whether that be on land or at sea. When she was heavily pregnant, Leto ran away to the island of Delos, a land her sister Asteria had previously metamorphosised into to escape Zeus and his advances. On Delos, after a gruelling labour, Leto birthed Artemis, who delivered her twin brother, Apollo. Apollo and Artemis would grow fast and defend their mother- Leto with their bows and arrows from everyone Hera had sent to harm or kill Leto including the Giant, Tityus.

Artemis and Apollo eventually made it to Mount Olympus where Zeus offered Artemis six wishes he would grant for her, Artemis wished to never get married, to have a bow and set of arrows made by the Cyclopes and a knee-length hunting tunic to wear, to bring light to the world, have sixty nymphs for friends who would tend to her hounds, to have all the mountains as her domain and to have more names than her brother Apollo, Zeus fulfilled all these wishes and Artemis and Apollo when they were older were instated as members of The Twelve Olympians.

Other stories of Artemis recorded in Greek mythology include her escaping from two Giants who wanted to be with her- by turning herself into a deer to sneak past them; Artemis banishing her friend- Callisto from her group of eighty Nymphs and Virgins after discovering Callisto pregnant during a bath together and Artemis and Apollo murdering the children of a proud mortal woman-Niobe, who bragged about having more children than the Goddess Leto, (with Niobe having 14 and Leto having 2)- with these deaths leaving Niobe so distraught that the gods transformed her into a mountain.

Stories of Artemis punishing people include her transforming a Cretan Hero, Siproites into a woman, after he saw her bathing naked during one of his hunts. Artemis turning another young hunter, Actaeon into a deer stag, after he stumbled upon the goddess bathing in a spring, with him ending up being pursued and killed by his own 50 hounds. And Artemis requesting the help of the goddess of retribution, Nemesis to punish her close companion, Aura, the Titan Goddess of the Breeze, after she voiced her doubt of Artemis' virginity due to her womanly figure, with Nemesis making Dionysus lust after and rape Aura. Another story where Artemis punished a mortal is where Artemis made it impossible for the hero, Agamemnon and his troops set sail at sea, after he offended Artemis, for hunting and killing one of the goddesses' sacred stags along his journey, where he is told that he must sacrifice his own daughter to please Artemis and get the necessary wind, Agamemnon realizes the horror of killing his own daughter but must not dismiss the idea because his troops are getting anxious and might rebel against him.  Agamemnon decides to send a message to his wife to send their daughter to Aulis for marriage to Achilles before he leaves for battle. Artemis was also responsible for sending out the Calydonian Boar to ravage the the region of Calydon in Aetolia, because its king Oeneus had failed to honour her in his rites to the gods. The Calydonian Boar was eventually slayed by Meleager, a prince of Calydon and Atalanta, a devotee of Artemis.

Even though she swore an oath of lifelong virginity, Artemis would become close to the Giant, Orion and they fell in love. However their romance would have a tragic end, with Apollo being against this love affair and devising a plan. One day, while Orion was swimming in a lake with his head barely visible, Apollo went to his sister and challenged her skills as an archer. To prove him wrong, he told her to shoot at Orion's head, whom Artemis barely recognised, as there was a considerable distance between them and Artemis hit the target, unknowingly killing her lover.

Titles and Epithets[]

Artemis had many epithets some are:

  • Agrotera meaning 'the huntress'.
  • Alphaea which was derived from Alphaeus, the name of a river god who loved her.
  • Angelos meaning 'messenger' which was used by worshippers in Syracuse.
  • Apanomache meaning 'the strangled goddess'.
  • Aricina, derived from Aricia in Latium a town devoted to her worship.
  • Aristo meaning 'the best' which was exclusively used in Athens.
  • Calliste, meaning 'most beautiful' which was used in Athens and Tegea.
  • Craenaea, derived from the name of a temple on a hill near Elateia in Phocis.
  • Cynthia, derived from the Mountain Cynthus, a landmark of Delos- Artemis' birthplace.
  • Delia, derived from Delos.
  • Heurippe meaning 'the finder of horses'.
  • Hemeresia meaning 'the soothing goddess', which was used in worship at the well of Lusi.
  • Imbraia or Imbrasia deriving from the River Imbrasus in Samos, on which the goddess was believed to have been born.
  • Locheia, meaning the 'protectress of women in childbed.'
  • Munychia derived from the name of an Attic port town, Munychia, where she had a temple.
  • Parthenia meaning 'the maiden' which is said to have derived from the river, Parthenius.
  • Soteria meaning 'the saving goddess'
  • Taurica meaning 'the Taurian goddess'
  • Thoantea, a surname derived from King Thoas of Tauris.

A few Poetic titles for Artemis were Potnia Theron meaning 'Queen of Beasts', Letois meaning 'daughter of Leto', Iokheaira meaning 'of showering arrows', Hagne meaning 'chaste, pure', Parthenos meaning 'virgin, maiden', Elaphebolos meaning 'dear shooting' and Khrysothronos meaning 'of the golden throne'. Some of her cult titles were Diktynnaia meaning 'of the hunting nets', Elaphiaia meaning 'of the deer', Kedreatis meaning 'of the cedar tree', Karyatis meaning 'of the walnut tree', Limnatis meaning 'of the lake', Eurynome meaning 'of the broad pastures', Paidotrophos meaning 'nurse of children', Philomeirax meaning 'friend of young girls', Orsilokhia meaning 'Helper of Childbirth and Selasphoros meaning 'light bringer'.

Symbols[]

Artemis' symbols are a bow and arrows, the crescent moon, animal pelts, a spear, knives, a torch, lyre and the amaranth shrub, her sacred animals are the deer, serpent, dog, boar, goat, bear, quail, buzzard and any guineafowl.

Appearance[]

Artemis takes the form of an eternally young, beautiful woman, wearing a knee length robe that leaves her legs free, she carries a bow and arrows everywhere. Her bow is in the shape of a crescent moon

Personality[]

Artemis is strong, loyal, brave, blunt, impulsive, encouraging, daring, witty and independent. She takes pride in being the most tough of the goddesses.

Even though she is a Maiden, she and Orion had grown very close. Fearing that she would forget her vows of maidenhood, her twin brother, Apollo, was tricked into shooting him. She is also fiercely protective of her modesty, an example of this being when a hunter named Actaeon found her bathing, she turned him into a stag and let his hunting dogs rip him apart. 

Weaknesses[]

Artemis is often too brave, so she doesn't think before she acts. She can be headstrong, foolish and has animal-like impulses.

Relationships[]

Zeus

Leto

Apollo

Athena

Hestia

Orion- Orion was a giant, he became a hunting companion to the goddess and later the two fell in love, despite Artemis being an eternal maiden. Apollo however was against their romance and tricked Artemis into shooting his head, upon realising she had unintentionally killed her love, Artemis had Orion turned into a constellation, either by Zeus or by using her own powers.

Nymphs- Artemis is a friend to most Nymphs, who are usually shy creatures who avoid people not of their kind. Showing that Artemis gained their trust and kindness, due to her efforts.

Artemis' entourage of eighty Nymphs and Virgins- Artemis' constant companions are a group of virgin Nymphs and mortal women who made an oath of chastity to join this group. These eighty ladies join Artemis and also help and assist the goddess in her duties. Callisto was a member of this group.

Sacred Animals- Artemis keeps a number of Deer who are her sacred steeds and has her own pack of hunting dogs. She most likely has other animal companions too.

Mortals[]

Powers[]

  • As a major goddess, Artemis has eternal youth and immortality. She is incapable of dying and is immune to any illnesses and diseases humans may suffer with, she also does not require sleep.
  • Artemis is extremely resourceful and can make a bow and arrow with sticks.
  • Artemis has premium and superior vision. She can shoot a perfect shot miles away.
  • She is the goddess of childbirth, despite her virginity.

Gallery[]

Artemis' gallery can be found here

Trivia[]

Artemis' name is spelt Αρτεμις.

Her Roman name is Diana.

Based on mythology, she is most likely heteroromantic and asexual, as shown with her romantic relationship with Orion, a giant hunter.

Monthly Update[]

Artemis has been chosen to be this Wikia's theme in the coming months.

Table of persona
Talent 100
Beauty concern 0
Personality 100
Strengths 100
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