She may have been the twin sister of Apollo, but Artemis needed no looking after. She was an independent goddess who lived for the hunt and was often associated with the forest, wildlife, childbirth, and the moon. In this article, you will learn more about the goddess who truly knew how to work a bow and hunt on her own.
Artistic Depictions
Artemis was eternally youthful in her appearance with a beauty that was matched only by her strength. By her side, she had a pack of hounds and a bow in her hands. The lunar crescent is often seen on her brow. Since the deer and the cypress were sacred to her, she was often shown with these images in artistic depictions of her.
Strengths
Artemis is able to defend herself and because of this physical strength, she is often seen as the defender and guardian of women in childbirth. She is also seen as a protector of wildlife.
Artemis and Men
Artemis isn’t fond of men. In fact, if one is unlucky enough to catch sight of her when she is bathing, it is not uncommon to find her ordering the man torn apart. She is against the concept of marriage and believes that it leads to a loss of freedom for women. Instead of chasing men and vying for their attention, she prefers to run about the forests with her maidens by her side. Because of this, Artemis has no offspring.
Family
Artemis is the daughter of the almighty Zeus and Leto. She is the twin sister of Apollo. Greek myths state that she was born on the island of Delos, under a palm tree with her brother.
Temple Sites
Artemis has a temple in Brauron (also known as Vravrona) , just outside of Athens. Although the goddess didn’t care too much for men, she still allowed young boys to come study at her sanctuary located in Brauron. In the museum of the city, there are statues that have survived the years that show both young boys and girls.
Greek Myths With Artemis
While there are different versions, Artemis and Adonis appear in a myth where the goddess wishes to kill Adonis. During the Hellenistic period, Adonis makes an appearance in Greek mythology. He is the god known to be admired for his looks. Artemis sent a wild boar to take Adonis’ life because he was bragging that he was a better hunter than she was. Another tale states that Artemis killed Adonis out of revenge.
Myths that appear at a later date states that Adonis was killed to avenge the death of one of her favorite companions, who was killed because of Aphrodite. Since Adonis was a favorite of Aphrodite, Artemis picked him as a way to get back at the goddess.