Artemis— Greek God"Goddess of the Hunt"

The Divine Huntress

Artemis is the wild twin, born moments before her brother Apollo on the floating island of Delos. Even as an infant, she helped her mother Leto through the long labor of delivering Apollo. This early act of midwifery established her as a protector of childbirth—despite being an eternal virgin herself.

The Virgin Goddess

At age three, Artemis sat upon her father Zeus's knee and asked for eternal virginity, a band of nymph companions, a bow and arrows, and dominion over the mountains and wild places. Zeus granted all her wishes. She became the leader of a fierce sisterhood of hunters who roamed the forests, sworn to chastity and devoted to the chase.

Mistress of Animals

Artemis is the Potnia Theron—Mistress of Animals. All wild creatures are sacred to her, especially the deer. She protects the young of every species and punishes hunters who kill pregnant animals or take more than they need. Yet she is also the greatest hunter, never missing her mark with her silver bow.

The Wrath of Artemis

Those who offend Artemis face terrible vengeance. When Actaeon accidentally saw her bathing, she transformed him into a stag, and his own hounds tore him apart. When Niobe boasted of having more children than Leto, Artemis and Apollo slaughtered all fourteen of them. When Agamemnon killed a deer in her sacred grove, she becalmed the Greek fleet until he sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia.

Orion and the Moon

Artemis's only romantic attachment was to the giant hunter Orion, her equal in the chase. Some say Apollo, jealous of their closeness, tricked Artemis into shooting Orion from afar. Grief-stricken, she placed him among the stars. At night, as goddess of the moon, she watches over him forever.