Artemis (mythology)

Artemis is the Greek goddess of hunting, animals, the moon, childbirth, virginity & fertility in Greek mythology. She attends to the wilderness and animal. Her Roman equivalent is Diana. She is the sister of the Greek god of the sun, Apollo and is the daughter of Zeus and the titan Leto. Artemis is also one of the moon goddesses. Ancient Grecians didn't disagree with hunting and fishing because they believed that it pleased Artemis.

Biography
Hera wife of Zeus was angry that he fell in love with the titan Leto so Hera cursed her and told her she could not have her children on land. Poseidon took pity on her and brought to the island named Delos on the island the other gods took pity on her and convinced Hera undo what see did and Artemis and Apollo are born. When Artemis as young Hera was cruel to her making the girl run to her father for protection Zeus would let the weeping climb into his lap. Sitting on her father's knee she asked for six wishes which he granted. Artemis wanted to always be a virign, live in the forest and mountains, no cities decided to her, many names to set her apart from her brother, Nymphs to watch over the animals and her possessions, and to help women. She spent her childhood training to be a huntress she had Hephaestus make her a bow and arrows then she went to Pan the Satyr god of the forest who gave dogs to hunt with. When Artemis visited Apollo in Delphi there mother was attacked by the giant Tityos Artemis helped her brother defeat the giant and there father Zeus sent him to the underworld.

In one story Artemis and Apollo go kill the children of Niobe because she said that she was better then Leto. Niobe bragged about having seven boys and seven girls and joked about Leto only having one of each.

In one story Artemis has to brothers killed while hunting a deer at the time of the giant war. They could only be killed by each other. The twin giants boasted about being great hunters, how they could not be killed, going to the heavens kidnap Artemis and Hera and make them their wives the gods were afraid of them except Artemis she was not afraid and would not let that happen.

One story tells about one of Artemis Nymph followers Callisto being turned into a constellation after she was changed to a bear. Her father Zeus tried to kidnap one of his daughters followers and make her one of his lovers. As punishment Callisto was transformed into a bear when she was killed Callisto become a constellation.

There are many stories of Artemis protecting women and there virginity. In one story Artemis rescues a girl named Britomartis who threw herself into the ocean to escape King Minos the girl is turned a Nymph and becomes worshipped as a goddess. Syrinx one of her Nymph followers was transformed into river reeds as protection from the Pan the Satyr god who gave Artemis her hunting dogs.

Some people believe that some of the Nymphs, mortals, priests, priestess, demigods, demigoddesses, hunters and huntresses who follow the hunting goddess were some of her lovers but Artemis only had one lover the great hunter Orion. She loved him so much that she would have given up her virginity to be with him but there were a few problems Apollo didn't want his sister to be with the hunter and Orion was killing to many animals. After his death Artemis was heartbroken she had him turned into a constellation to immortalize him the goddess never fell in love again because she didn't wanted feel the pain of loss.

Artemis was one of the deities who could not be affected by Aphrodite's powers the goddess could not make the hunting goddess to fall in love with her or anyone.

In anoter story Artemis punished a man named Agamemnon he killed a scared stag and boasted about being a better hunter then her when his fleet prepared for the the Trojan war Artemis becalmed the winds. The crew advised Agamemnon the only way to appease Artemis was to sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia. Before the sacrifice was made Artemis saved her and substituted a deer. She sided with her brother and mother in the Trojan war against the Greeks she helped heal the injured. During the war Artemis battled with Hera and lost. In the battle Hera knocked her bow and arrows on the ground and boxed Atemis in the ears she fled with tears in her eyes. Her mother Leto picked up her daughters bow and arrows. Later she found Artemis holding on to her father and crying.

Before the kidnapping of Persephone Artemis her Nymphs and Athena were picking followers with her when Persephone wandered off Hades and Zeus made sure that the gods could hear her screams and cries for help only to deities heard her Helios and Hecate. Later when Persephone was allowed to visit her mother Artemis and Athena were glad to now that she was alright.

In one myth Aphrodite kills one Artemis favorite hunters Hippolytus for choosing to join the hunting goddess and not choosing to fall in love. Artemis becomes angry and kills Adonis one of Aphrodite's favorite lovers who boasted about being a better hunter then Artemis. She turned Ares who was jealous that Aphrodite was with another man into a boar to hunt and kill Adonis after his death Artemis asked Apollo's son Asclepius to bring back Hippolytus and make him one of her immortal hunters.

Many mortal men, demigods, giants and gods tried to make the hunting goddess to fall in love with them. Alpheus the river god tired where many had failed to win the heart of Artemis and Nymph followers. Artemis covered her self in mud so he would not recognize her. When the river god went after Arethusa one Artemis followers the goddess turned her into a spring to keep Arethusa safe.

Artemis would take children or women under wing who were not treated well by the gods or mortals and protect them like Atalanta a baby who was left woods to die Artemis sent a female bear to care for the infant. The bear raised the girl until she became older and join mortal hunters in her adventures she showed that she was better than any man she met. She helped kill the Calydonian Boar sent by Artemis to attack Kalydon for neglecting sacrifice the first fruits of harvest when the boar was killed the skin was hung in a scared grove in dedication to the hunting goddess. She was so skilled that people said she rivaled Artemis. When a race was held for men to win Atalanta for marriage Aphroite gave one of the men Hippomenes some golden apples so he could win the race and the heart of Atalanta. Artemis didn't like that she lost one of her greatest huntresses to the goddess of love.

Like Hecate the Cypress Tree is scared to Artemis and her brother Apollo because the trees were one the plants found on Delos their birth place.

Personality
Artemis loves nature, animals and hunting. She prefers the wilderness over cities and Olympus. Like her brother Apollo Artemis is protective of her mother. She is also a protector and guardian of the animals, nature, women, children and her Nymph followers. Artemis does not wish to be married so she will never experience heart break and so she can enjoy the thrill hunting, fighting for survival, the beauty of nature: the water, the plants, the animals, the mountains, the forests and the weather.

Artemis is strong and brave she doesn't bend to the will of others or love. She also will not back down from a challenge. Artemis likes to show that women can do things that men can do.

Artemis Possessions

 * Bow & Arrows
 * Spear
 * Chariot pulled by stags
 * Tunic
 * Dogs
 * Stags
 * Wild Animals