Artemis, also known as Artemis - to some, Diana - is a Greek goddess related to hunting and wildlife. In time, she became the goddess of the moon and of magic. The goddess was one of the daughters of Zeus and Leto, and twin sister of the sun god, Apollo. The people of a Mesopotamian city called Acade believed her to be the daughter of Demeter, goddess of cultivation, harvest, and magic.agriculture. Also considered the goddess of childbirth and protector of young girls, Artemis was portrayed as the most efficient hunter among all gods and all mortals. Like her brother Apollo, the goddess also had the gift of the bow and arrows.

Origin and History of Artemis

- Birth

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There are several accounts that hover over the birth story of Artemis and Apollo, her twin brother. But among the many speculations, there is one point in common among all of them: all versions agree that she was indeed the daughter of Zeus, the supreme god, and Leto, goddess of the evening, and that she was also Apollo's twin sister.

The most prevalent story is that Hera, Zeus' wife at the time, possessed by jealousy because her husband had cheated on her with Leto, wanted to stop Leto's labor by arresting the goddess who delivered babies at the time. Since the people of that region feared Hera greatly, no one offered Leto any help, but Poseidon took her to a floating island called Delos. After a fewdays, Hera released Ilicia upon receiving a certain payment, and the goddess of childbirth went to the island where Leto was to help her give birth. For this to be possible, Zeus had to distract Hera. Thus, after nine nights and nine days, Leto gave birth to Artemis and Apollo. Legend states that the goddess of the Moon was born before her brother, the god of the Sun.

- Childhood and Youth

There are not many accounts of Artemis' childhood. The Iliad limited the image of the goddess to a simple female figure who, after suffering from a blow from Hera, turns to her father, Zeus, in tears.

The Greek mythographer Chalimachus wrote a poem in which he recounts the early childhood of the goddess of the Moon. In it he tells how, when she was only three years old, Artemis asked Zeus to grant her six requests: that he always keep her a virgin (she did not want to marry); to be the goddess who possessed light; to have several names that could differentiate her from Apollo; to dominate all the mountains; to have over herdomain sixty nymphs to be his companion and have the gift of the bow and arrows and a long hunting robe to light up the world.

Because she believed that she had assisted her mother during the birth of Apollo, Artemis believed that she had the task of being a midwife. All the women who accompanied her did not marry and remained virgins; even Artemis closely observed such chastity. The symbols that represent the goddess of the Moon are: bow and arrows, the deer, the Moon, and hunting animals.

According to reports by Callimachus, Artemis spent much of her childhood searching for the things she needed to be a hunter; and from this search she found her bow and arrows on an island called Lapara. The moon goddess began her hunts by hitting trees and branches with her arrows, but as time went on, she began to shoot wild animals.

- Chastity

As she never wanted to marry and decided to remain a virgin, Artemis was a strong target for various men and gods. But it was Orion, a giant hunter, who won her romantic glances. Orion died because of an accident, caused either by Gaia or by Artemis.

Artemis experienced and witnessed a number of male attempts against her virginity and the fidelity of her companions. At one time, the moon goddess managed to escape from the river god, Alpheus, who longed to capture her. Some stories state that Alpheus tried to force Arethusa (one of Artemis' nymphs) to have sexual relations with him, but Artemis protected her companion by transforming her into asource.

Later, Bouphagos is struck by Artemis, after the goddess reads his thoughts and discovers that he wished to rape her; as does Sipriotes, who unwittingly sees Artemis bathing, but she turns him into a girl.

Myth of Artemis

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The myth of Artemis declares the story of a goddess completely different from all others. She was a goddess who did not get involved or get in the way of other people's relationships, much less allow men or gods to get close to her physical body. Her greatest appreciation was for freedom in the face of nature. Artemis felt complete when she was in contact with animals.

As one of the most important goddesses in Greek mythology, Artemis has become a strong feminine symbol. In her myth, there are two facets: the women who cannot stand and do not wish to have contact with men and still deny their presence, and the other is the goddess who wears a long tunic to walk through the fields and lives surrounded by wild animals; at the same time she hunts the animals,I was also their friend.

Orion was the only man who had relevance in Artemis' life, but some people believe he was just a hunting companion, while others believe he was the love of her life.

- Cult of Artemis

Her most famous cults took place in the city where she was born, on an island called Delos. Artemis was always portrayed in paintings, drawings and statues in which she was always surrounded by nature, with a bow and arrows in her hand in the company of a deer. In her rites, some people sacrificed animals to worship her.

There is a myth that a bear often visited Brauro, where there was a shrine to Artemis and where several young girls were sent to serve the goddess for about a year. Since this bear was a regular visitor, it was fed by the people and, in time, became a domesticated animal. There was a girl who always played with the animal and some versionsIn any case, the girl's brothers found a way to kill him, but Artemis was angry. She ordered the girls to behave like a bear while they were in her sanctuary, as a remission for the animal's death.

Her cults were filled with young girls who danced and worshipped Artemis as the goddess taught them. Her rites were extremely relevant in Ancient Greece, so much so that she was given a temple to herself in Ephesus - today it is regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Artemis Archetype

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Artemis represents ambiguity or the two feminine facets: the one who cares and the one who destroys; the one who understands and the one who kills. Even with her decision to remain a virgin, Artemis was also loving, while at the same time nurturing her vanity and her appreciation for revenge.

Many demonize the image of this goddess, but others seek to understand her archetype in a way that makes it possible to see a female model that stands out in a male society: in her story, she is the one who makes her decisions; she decides what she wants to do and how to do it; she deals with her choices and stands firm in her attitudes.

Image of Artemis

Artemis is depicted as a woman with bound hair who carries her bow and arrows, as she is considered to be the goddess of the hunt and protector of wild animals. In her most common representation, she is seen holding a deer with one of her hands.

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