Artemis is the Greek goddess of the moon and the hunt. She is also one of the virgin goddesses, and She protects women in labor, small children and wild animals. As a virgin goddess, She, Hestia, and Athena are not affected by Aphrodite's (Greek goddess of love) manipulations. Artemis is the daughter of Zeus and Leto (sometimes called "Letona"), who conceived Her as they mated in the form of quails. Artemis was born nine days before Her twin brother, Apollo, whom she helped her mother to deliver.Artemis may be thought of as the "silver goddess." She wore silver sandals, rode a silver chariot in the silver moonlight, and kills with silver arrows shot from a silver bow. In fact, many dying women, as well as women in childbirth, went to Artemis to ask for a quick, painless death from Her silver arrows.
Artemis is associated with the Egyptian goddess, Bast, as well as the Roman goddess, Diana. She is a moon goddess, and a triple goddess as well, as She is worshipped in many forms.
Sacred to Artemis are:
| Artemis' Temple at Ephesus | Artemis-Related Myths |
| Virtual Altar | FAQ |
| Credits/Bibliography/Links |
A note on the moon graphic at the beginning: I love it, it's awesome, but it goes the wrong way. The moon waxes from the right and wanes from the left. Just wanted to mention that! :)
Please email me with any information, questions, or comments you have. My address is lauraandromeda@hotmail.com.
Last updated: November 30, 1999