Artemis - the goddess of hunting, the protector and avenger

Ancient Roman goddess of hunting Diana, the ancient Greeks called Artemis. The meaning of this name is still not precisely defined, some say that it is translated as a "bear paw", others explain the meaning as "lady", there are those who consider it a "killer". Artemis is a goddess who was born simultaneously with her twin brother, the golden-haired Apollo, the supreme god Zeus and the Titanide Leto. Apollo is beautiful and bright, it is like the sun. Artemis, like the moon, is mysterious and beautiful. Very close friendship and the most sincere love binds the brother and sister throughout life, they deeply revere and love their mother.

Lifestyle

Forever young, virgin and charming - this is what Artemis is before us. The goddess likes to hunt, so she constantly rushes through the woods in a light fluttering tunic, surrounded by her retinue with a bow in her hands and a quiver of arrows behind her shoulders. Sixty beautiful nymphs were donated by Zeus to her daughter, so that she was not bored during the hunt, and twenty more courted her dogs and shoes. Lai sweets, screams and merry laughter, issued by a noisy crowd, could be heard far away in the mountains, and echo echoed loudly.

Artemis is the goddess of hunting, she is brave, fast and shoots well, she simply has no equal in her accuracy. No one can escape from her arrows, who do not know a slip: no timid fallow deer, no timid deer, no huge furious boar. Tired of hunting, Artemis loved to rest in seclusion under the vaults of a cool grotto, gleamed by greens, near ringing streams and away from the curious looks of mortals. And woe to him who dared to disturb her peace.

The Cruel Goddess Artemis

The pictures described in the myths quite clearly show her bold character. Once, near the grotto where Artemis was resting, the young hunter Acteon happened to be. Seeing the bathing goddess, he was so impressed by her beauty that he could not move. It should be noted that Artemis - a goddess who never differed in girlish softness, compassion and compassion, on the contrary, had an aggressive and decisive character. When she saw the hunter, she was angry and splashed a handful of water in his face, and then said that he could go and if he could, let everyone boast that he saw the bathing Artemis. In the next instant, Actaeon found his horns on his head, and, running to the river, he saw in reflection that his face had turned into a deer's face, legs and arms were stretched out, and hooves formed instead of fingers.

Frightened by the joke, he rushed to search for his comrades to tell them what had happened, but neither the hunters nor their own dogs recognized him in a new way. Deadly arrows were released. Satisfied with a successful hunt, the comrades planted a bloody deer body on their shoulders and went home, not even suspecting that they were carrying their own friend.

Defender and Avenger

Artemis - the goddess of wild forests and predators, the patroness of hunters. She takes care of all people living on the earth, wild animals and livestock, causes the growth of trees, flowers and grasses. At Artemis people asked for blessings for the birth of a child and a happy marriage. Still, her main features were inflexibility and ruthlessness, blood and torment gave her a certain pleasure. The arrows of Artemis often served as an instrument of punishment for those who violated the customs and established rules of the vegetable and animal worlds.