Artemis

The Goddes of Freedom

**Artemis**, a goddess in ancient Greek religion and mythology, was the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo. She was a kourotrophic deity, patronizing young children, especially girls, and was believed to send both good health and illness upon them. Artemis was one of the three major virgin goddesses alongside Athena and Hestia, and preferred to remain an unmarried maiden.

In myth and literature, Artemis is presented as a hunting goddess surrounded by her chaste band of nymphs. In the myth of Actaeon, a young hunter is transformed into a deer by the angry goddess and devoured by his own hunting dogs. In the story of Callisto, the girl is driven away from Artemis' company after breaking her vow of virginity.

During the Trojan War, Artemis halted the winds blowing Greek ships, stranding the fleet in Aulis. She demanded the sacrifice of Iphigenia, Agamemnon's young daughter, as compensation for her slain deer. Artemis pityed Iphigenia and took her away, leaving a deer in her place. In the war that followed, Artemis supported the Trojans against the Greeks and challenged Hera into battle.

Artemis was one of the most widely venerated Ancient Greek deities, with multiple temples, altars, shrines, and local veneration found throughout the ancient world. Her symbols included a bow and arrow, a quiver, and hunting knives, and the deer and cypress were sacred to her. Diana, her Roman equivalent, was worshipped on the Aventine Hill in Rome, near Lake Nemi in the Alban Hills, and in Campania.

## Description

Artemis, a goddess of hunting, was a popular figure in Ancient Greece. She was known as the "mistress of animals" and was associated with various art representations dating back to the Bronze Age. Artemis was also venerated in festivals during spring. Some cults retained the theriomorphic form of a Pre-Greek goddess, who was conceived with the shape of a bear.

Artemis was also associated with the festival of Laphrios in Aetolia, Phocis, and Gytheion, where virgin girls before marriage were disguised as she-bears. The ancient Greeks called her Potnia theron, representing the goddess between animals. This name is closely related to the daimons, which differentiated her from other Greek divinities. Artemis was later identified with Hecate, the goddess of crossroads and queen of the witches.

Laphria, the Pre-Greek "mistress of the animals," was celebrated at Delphi and Patras. The festival at Patras was introduced from Calydon and relates to the Greek heroine Atalanta, symbolizing freedom and independence. Other epithets that relate Artemis to animals include Amarynthia and Kolainis.

In Homeric poems, Artemis is mainly the goddess of hunting, as it was the most important sport in Mycenean Greece. Her epithet used in the Iliad and Odyssey is ἰoχέαιρα iocheaira, meaning "she who shoots arrows." She is also called Artemis Chrysilakatos, of the golden shafts, or Chrysinios, of the golden reins, as a goddess of hunting in her chariot.

Artemis, the first nymph in Arcadia, was believed to be a goddess of free nature and women's skill. She was closely related to the waters and Poseidon, the god of the waters, with common epithets such as Limnnaia, Limnatis, Potamia, Alphaea, Lousia, and Thermia. Artemis was also the leader of the nymphs (Hegemone) and was worshipped with the surname Eucleia in several cities.

Artemis was also interpreted by the Dorians as the goddess of vegetation, who was worshipped in an orgiastic cult with lascivious dances. In the bucolic songs, the image of the goddess was discovered in bundles of leaves or dry sticks and had the surnames Lygodesma and Phakelitis.

In European folklore, Artemis was worshipped as Saronia and Stymphalia, while in Greek myths, she was chased by a wild hunter and both disappeared into the water. In Athens and Tegea, she was worshipped as Artemis Kalliste, "the most beautiful." Sometimes, she had the name of an Amazon, like Lyceia and Molpadia.

Despite her virgin status, Artemis' beauty and erotic aspect were often mentioned in Greek myths. Odysseus compared Nausicaa to Artemis in terms of appearance, and Libanius wrote that Ptolemy was smitten by her statue. Her mother Leto often took pride in her daughter's beauty.

Artemis has several stories surrounding her, where men like Actaeon, Orion, and Alpheus tried to couple with her forcibly, only to be thwarted or killed. Ancient poets noted her height and imposing stature, standing taller and more impressive than all the nymphs accompanying her.