Artemis: Goddess of the Moon & of the Valiant Heart
I was given the name "Artemis" by my dear friend & frat brother Ed Mines (also known as Hellraiser& Spellbound to Phi Beta Sigma, Ed to his friends, and Spawn by me as "Artemis.") He gave me this name because I share many of Artemis' characteristics and I will cherish the name because she has a strong and rich mythology about her. :) *HUGS*
Artemis (or Diana in Roman Mythology) is the twin sister of Apollo and Goddess of many things. She is the Goddess of the Moon, the Valiant Heart, the Hunt, and of Wild Things, just to name a few. She is associated as the Goddess of Childbirth although she was a chaste virgin goddess. She was vain by nature and the punishment of seeing her naked (even by her male worshippers) was death. The picture below is of Artemis casting a spell upon Actaeon the hunter when he had accidentally stumbled upon Artemis as she bathed. She became so angry, she turned him into a stag and had his own hounds devour him.
Artemis loved to kill the very forest animals She also protected; like many another Goddesses, She not only protected life but took it away. With Her nymphs and hounds She hunted in the deepest wilderness, slaughtering stags and lions. Artemis is also Athena's half-sister and, like Athena, she chose to be a chaste goddess in her own right. She was the moon-goddess "who rode the night sky in a silver chariot drawn by white stags, and bent her silver bow shooting arrows of silver light." Although Poseidon was king of the seas and oceans, Artemis controlled the waves and tides by her lunar influences.
Artemis was also the Goddess of Wild Things, and punished those who killed more than they could eat. She caused them to be thrown off their horses or devoured by wolves. Wild animals were sacred to her, among those being the lion, bear, wolf and all kinds of wild birds.
Among all these things, Artemis was seen as the patroness of young lovers. She has taken pity and in many cases helped lovers met under her moonlight by casting shadows so they can hide or lend torches for their revels.
"The summits of the high mountains tremble, and the shady forest holds the frightened cries of the beasts of the woods; the earth trembles, as well as the seas, filled with fish. The goddess of the valiant heart springs forth on all sides, and sows death among the race of wild animals." -- "To Artemis (II)," The Homeric Hymns, translation by Apostolos N. Athannassakis
Click here & here to know about Artemis.
Artemis casting a spell to turn Actaeon into a stag
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