Artemis (Q2)

Artemis is the Greek goddess of the hunt and the moon. She is also associated with being the protector of young girls, and the bringing and relieving disease in women. Her symbols are the hunting dog, the stag, the moon, and the golden bow and arrow. Artemis is often seen as a woman that holds a bow and arrow. She is the twin sister of Apollo, the Greek god of music and poetry. They are the children of the daughter of the Titans, Coeus and Phoebe, Leto and the ruling god, Zeus. Since Artemis is the daughter of Zeus, she obviously has many brothers and sisters. Some of these siblings are Ares, Athena, Hephaestus, Hermes, Hercules, Apollo, and Perseus.

Zeus was married with Hera during Leto’s pregnancy. Hera found out about Leto and tried to prevent the birth of Artemis and Apollo in every way possible. She had all the lands shun her, so she could have her children. With the help of the messenger god, Hermes, she found an island that was not connected to the ocean floor. This was land that wasn’t shunning her. This island is called the Island of Delos. In different versions of this myth, Hera has the dragon that guards the apple tree that provides Hera with her well known golden apples, set to follow Leto, to prevent Artemis and Apollo from being born.

She is seen in the myth of Hercules when he needs to capture her deer and return it to Eurythesus. The deer was believed to travel very quickly, making it had for Hercules to capture it. He eventually caught the deer, tied it up, and placed it on his shoulders to carry it back to the creator of the labors. He ran into Artemis on the way, who told him that he could take the deer, as long as he didn’t kill or injure it in anyway.