Who is the Greek goddess Artemis?

The Greek goddess Artemis, or her Roman version Diana, is the deity of hunting, magic and the moon. She is also considered the Lady of childbirth and benefactor of fertility, being the protector of younger women, represented by her nymphs.

Artemis is also the representation of the moon, for the Greeks. She is the sister of Apollo, who is the representation of the sun, as well as the deity of prophecies and oracles. With several temples dedicated to her around the world, Diana has a special one.

Its main temple was built in Ephesus in the year 550 B.C. and was one of the seven wonders of antiquity. In it, several virgins who were priestesses of Artemis worked on the construction, while exercising their vows and practicing magic.

Want to know more about the goddess Artemis, including what elements she is associated with in nature, in your birth chart, what her symbols are, and more? Keep reading, as we will discuss all of this below.

Profile and history of the Goddess Artemis

Like many Greek Gods, Artemis has a fantastic and intriguing history, with moments throughout her life that defined her personality. Learn more about the characteristics of this powerful Goddess, her history and her role as the representative of hunting, nature, fertility, childbirth and protector of women, especially the younger ones.

Features of the Goddess Artemis

Artemis is one of the best known Goddesses of the Greek pantheon, being a young, blonde, strong and determined woman. She carries with her a bow and arrows, wears a short tunic, which helps in hunting through the forest and is always surrounded by dogs or lions. Her intelligence was such that her father Zeus granted her a unique gift: to fulfill all her requests.

One of her requests was to be able to remain chaste for the rest of her life, without marrying and to walk freely in the forest, without running any risks. Promptly answered, she also received the nymphs as companions and other women who began to follow her. All were strong, fearless and chaste hunters.

Mythology of the Goddess Artemis

Daughter of Leto - Goddess of nature - and Zeus, Artemis' pregnancy was troubled and problematic because of the wrath of Hera, wife of the God. In a dangerous birth, Leto first gave birth to her daughter, who helped in the birth of her brother, Apollo, bringing him to life. That is why she is the deity of fertility and childbirth.

Beautiful, strong and intelligent, she met Zeus on her third birthday and, delighted, he offered her the rare gift of fulfilling all her requests. It was then that she asked for a tunic suitable for running in the woods, a bow and arrow, hunting dogs, nymphs, eternal chastity and, above all, freedom to go wherever she wanted and to decide about all the things in her life.

She is the Goddess of the moon, while her brother Apollo is that of the sun. While she could bring healing and happiness, she was also a vengeful Goddess and with her arrows, she would launch plagues and kill those who did not abide by her rules. She never married or had children, having only one great love, who was killed by her - by mistake.

Goddess of hunting and wilderness

Artemis is considered the goddess of the hunt, with an unshakeable instinct and total connection with her wild nature. She is the protector of the forest animals and the hunter of those who dare try to enter her domain. Strong, stubborn, intuitive and sagacious, she is fast and represents the free essence of the feminine that exists in everyone. The one who fights for the hunt and protects her pack tooth and nail.

Goddess of fertility and childbirth

Because she was associated with the dangerous labor of her brother Apollo, helping to save his life and his mother's, Artemis is considered the goddess of childbirth, being acclaimed as protector of women in labor. She is also the goddess of fertility, being portrayed with three breasts, as in her temple in Ephesus.

Protector goddess of young women

Artemis is the goddess of the moon, in its crescent, young and fertile phase. Just as she protects her nymphs from all evil, she also takes care of the younger women. Among the many rules imposed by the deity was the prohibition of seeing her nymphs bathing in the river, on pain of facing her wrath.

The representation of the Goddess Artemis

Just like every tradition, there are several representations of the Goddess Artemis. Among them is her own archetype, which even leads to the idea of female emancipation and the manifestation of the feminine in its most natural and wild state. Understand these ideas better below.

Archetype

Artemis is the representation of the natural, wild woman, of the impulse of the self towards action, free from ties and patterns. She is the intuition that protects from danger, the bow that launches the arrow against those who attack her values and the beast that fights for what is hers. Her sexual impulse is directed towards the contemplation of life through movement, towards the pulse in every part of her body, which leads to action andgrowth.

She is the wild feminine that has not been tamed by the standards, she is the absence of fear and the proud possession of the domain of what belongs to her. She does not lower her head, she is not a good girl - she is a fighter, without losing her caring and down-to-earth aspect. She walks with her head held high and squanders her beauty and power, without diminishing herself in order not to hurt fragile egos that pass in her way.

Women's emancipation

According to Greek mythology, Artemis asked her father, Zeus, to grant her some gifts. Among them, freedom of choice and not to be forced to marry. In reality, she wanted a short robe, to run around the forest with her hounds or lions, truly feeling her presence in the world, instead of staying behind the scenes of an alien life.

That is why she is considered the Goddess of female emancipation, who in partnership with other women and their nymphs, created a strong sorority impregnated with magic and power. She represents showing herself in all her greatness, without fear of being judged. She is authentic, without following all the conventions imposed by a social framework. Artemis represents freedom, strength and struggle.

Elements and objects associated with the Goddess Artemis

Being a powerful archetype and a widely revered Goddess, Artemis has many associations. See which sign, planet, chakra and animals are related to her. Also, find out which are the best plants, stones and incense for connection.

Sign of the Goddess Artemis

The sign related to the Goddess Artemis is Libra. Strong, free and balanced, Librians follow their instincts, giving priority to reason over emotion, but without leaving it aside. They do not accept injustice, being lenient with those who deserve it and ruthless with those who need correction. Just like the deity, they like to have their feet on the ground and do not tolerate disrespect.

Planet of the Goddess Artemis

The star related to the Goddess Artemis is not a planet, as happens with other deities of the Greek pantheon, but the Moon. It is the representation of the feminine, of the cyclical and constantly changing nature, the one that is whole and interacts with the Sun in its journeys through the seasons of life.

Chakra of the Goddess Artemis

The chakra related to Artemis is the base chakra, responsible for motivation, struggle and willpower. It is where the kundalini is concentrated, the energy that lies dormant in its base and runs through the chakras until it reaches the crown, helping to reconnect with the immaterial. Located in the perineum region, it is the link between your divine and the material world, just like the Goddess Artemis.

Animals of the Goddess Artemis

Goddess of wild animals, Artemis has them as her companions and symbols. However, in particular are lions, hounds, wolves, cats, deer, bears, bees and wild boars. Caring for these beings is to follow in the footsteps of the Goddess and protect those who have no way to shelter or protect themselves.

Plants of the Goddess Artemis

Daughter of the Goddess of nature, Artemis is related to forests and plants, having some as favorites. If you want to make any offering or spell involving this deity, you can opt for mugwort, walnuts, myrtle, figs, bay leaves, wormwood, southern wood and tarragon.

Incense of the Goddess Artemis

Generally, incense with floral or woody notes are suitable for the Goddess Artemis, especially the scents of mugwort and myrtle, both of which can also be found as essential oils.

Stones of the Goddess Artemis

Rock crystal is the universal stone and can be used for every deity. For Artemis, two other gems are especially important, the true moonstone and also the natural pearl.

Symbols related to Artemis

Like every archetype, there are symbols that relate to it. In the case of Artemis, they are the moon, the bow, the arrow and the forest. See what each one means and understand more about this Goddess.

The moon

The Moon is the main symbol of Artemis and can be more complex if analyzed in depth. In general, she is the complete representation of the star, but there are strands that divide the Moon into three deities: Artemis - the crescent or maiden Moon; Selene - the great mother and full Moon; and Hecate, the sorceress, old woman and new Moon. In this case, Artemis represents fertility and the search for growth.

The bow

The silver bow of Artemis represents destiny and the connection between the material and immaterial. It also symbolizes the resilience needed to achieve your goals, because just as the bow bends to launch the arrow, also in life you must know how to resist to achieve the result, always relying on your drive and intuition.

The arrow

The arrow represents direction and focus. It is the energy and intention that is launched towards a goal, always with the support of rationality and intuition. When united to the bow, it represents justice, one of the main attributes of Artemis.

The forest

The forest represents connection, the return to the wild and primitive. To enter the forest is to explore your inner self and rediscover the sacred that is hidden by social obligations. It is the foot on the ground, the reconnection.

Mythological curiosities about the Goddess Artemis

Greek mythology is full of stories loaded with symbolism, being a fascinating narrative that allies the deities to human characteristics. Learn some curiosities about Artemis, told through generations.

Apollo & Artemis: the sun & the moon

Apollo and Artemis are twin brothers, children of Leto and Zeus. Zeus is the Lord of Olympus and had many children out of marriage with Hera, even with a human. Once, he was enchanted with the beauty and strength of the Goddess of nature, Leto, and they had an affair that resulted in the pregnancy of twins

Hera, wife of Zeus, discovered the betrayal and did everything to end the pregnancy, but without success. Leto had his two children, Artemis and Apollo. He is the god of the oracle and the sun, while she is of the hunt and the moon. They have very similar characteristics, but she is the feminine expression of them. Born in a difficult situation, they grew up very united and it was the jealousy of Apollo that made Artemisto lose his one and only love.

How Artemis killed the nymph Callisto

Artemis commanded a group of nymphs, who promised to maintain eternal chastity, under the protection of the Goddess. In addition, they would not have any kind of involvement with men, and were also excellent warriors. However, Zeus was enchanted with one of them, Callisto. One night, seeing that she had fallen asleep alone, he decided to put his plan into action.

Callisto was one of Artemis' nymphs, who, like all the others, swore eternal chastity. That night, while resting alone in the forest, she was raped by Zeus and became ashamed and afraid of the Goddess, hiding it. The nymphs noticed the pregnancy and told Artemis.

Furious that her nymph had not told her the truth and seeking punishment for her father, the Goddess told Hera. Jealous and very powerful, Hera used her strength to kill the nymph as soon as she had her child and turned Calista into the constellation Ursa Major.

Years later, her son - an accomplished hunter who was raised by Hermes' mother - became the constellation of Ursa Minor, standing forever by his mother's side.

How Artemis killed Orion

Another story about the chaste goddess is her unique and tragic love story. She fell in love with Orion, the giant hunter, but her brother was very jealous. So when Orion was swimming in the sea, with only part of his head out of the water, Apollo challenged his sister, saying she couldn't hit that far away target. Of course she accepted and ended up killing the only love of herlife. Devastated, she turned him into a constellation.

Another version says that Orion tried to rape the Pleiades, Artemis' protector, obviously without success, for she was a great warrior and protected her nymphs. However, her anger took over her mind and she ordered a giant scorpion to kill him. She then transformed both into constellations, so that Orion would spend the rest of eternity running away from this image.

How is the goddess Artemis present in our lives?

Artemis is the representation of the sacred feminine, the wild and untouched side of the Yin energy that exists in all people. She is not passive, in fact she is the one who fights, protects, nurtures and corrects without mercy.

She is present in that friend who extends her hand in the moment of need, but also in the one who confronts and shows the truths, even though this may cause momentary pain, but good results in the future. Artemis is present when you decide to stop giving up your own existence and become present in the world, regardless of who accepts your presence or not.

It's the inner voice that asks you not to be so nice and understanding. The one that warns you that it's not right to allow certain things and not to ignore or let them go. It tells you to hold your head up, love yourself, step firmly on the ground, and stay connected to your essence. It's that mother who raises her children for the world and doesn't hesitate to show it, instead of just talking about it.

Self-love also represents Artemis in her life, for she does not need the other, she is chaste by choice and all her libido is directed towards her own energy. She feels truly, is present in the now, trusts her intuition and protects her sisters. She breaks patterns and creates her own story. In short, she is every woman and man who decides to reunite with his feminine, in a healthy and prosperous way.