The Story of Artemis
Artemis was the daughter of Zeus and the Titaness Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo. Jealous Hera had banned Leto from giving birth on any solid ground, so she found refuge on the floating island of Delos. In a well known tradition, Artemis was born first and then helped her mother bring her twin brother into the world.
While still a small child, Artemis sat on her father's knee and asked him for gifts. She wanted to stay a maiden forever, to have a bow and arrows like her brother, a band of nymphs as companions, and all the mountains as her home. Zeus, delighted with her, granted every wish.
The Cyclopes forged her a bow of silver, and the god Pan gave her a pack of fine hunting dogs. Artemis roamed the forests and hills with her nymphs, hunting deer and wild animals but also protecting them and their young. She became the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness and, in later times, the moon.
Artemis never married and had no children, and she expected the same purity from her companions. She was fiercely devoted to her mother and brother, and she joined Apollo in punishing Queen Niobe for insulting Leto. Her closest friendships were with her nymphs and with the giant hunter Orion, whose death led to his place among the stars.
Artemis was a goddess of strong contrasts. She protected young girls and helped women in childbirth, yet she could be merciless to anyone who offended her, like the hunter Actaeon. When King Agamemnon killed one of her sacred deer, she held back the winds and stopped the Greek fleet from sailing to Troy until he agreed to sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia. In many versions she saved the girl at the last moment.
The Greeks worshipped Artemis across the countryside and in the cities. At Brauron near Athens, young girls served her in a ritual where they played the part of little bears. Her temple at Ephesus, in what is now Turkey, was so vast and beautiful that it counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Artemis remains a symbol of independence, nature and the wild. The Romans worshipped her as Diana, a name that still appears often today. Her image as a free spirited huntress with a silver bow has inspired artists and storytellers for thousands of years.
Famous Myths About Artemis
Actaeon the Hunter
The hunter Actaeon stumbled upon Artemis bathing in a forest pool. Furious, the goddess turned him into a stag, and his own hunting dogs chased him down and tore him apart.
Niobe's Boast
Queen Niobe boasted that she was better than Leto because she had fourteen children while Leto had only two. Artemis and Apollo avenged their mother by shooting Niobe's children with their arrows, and the grieving queen turned to stone.
Callisto
Callisto was one of Artemis's devoted companions, sworn to stay unmarried, until Zeus seduced her. When her pregnancy was discovered, she was turned into a bear, and Zeus later placed her in the sky as the Great Bear.
The Death of Orion
The giant hunter Orion was a companion of Artemis. Different stories tell how she killed him, either for threatening her or through a trick by Apollo, and afterward he was placed among the stars as a constellation.
Artemis's Family Tree
Partners of Artemis
Children of Artemis
Frequently Asked Questions About Artemis
Who is Artemis in Greek mythology?
Artemis is the Olympian goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals and the moon. She also protected young girls and women in childbirth.
Who are Artemis's parents?
Artemis is the daughter of Zeus and the Titan Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo. In one tradition, she was born first and helped her mother deliver her brother.
Was Artemis ever married?
No. Artemis asked Zeus to let her stay a virgin forever, and she roamed the forests with her band of nymphs.
What happened to Actaeon?
The hunter Actaeon saw Artemis bathing in a spring. She turned him into a stag, and he was torn apart by his own hunting dogs.
What are Artemis's symbols?
Artemis's symbols include the bow and arrows, the deer, the crescent moon and hunting dogs.
What is Artemis's Roman name?
The Romans called Artemis Diana.
