Artemis
	"Diana and Endymion," by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, 1755.

Artemis is the hunter Goddess in Greek mythology. She is the Goddess of the harvest and of the moon. She is also the Goddess of childbirth. She is depicted as an eternally young woman, vigorous and beautiful.

Artemis was the daughter of Zeus and his lover Leto. Zeus's wife Hera sent Python to chase Leto to the ends of the Earth after his affair. Unable to find a place to deliver her twin children, she arrived on the island of Delos. Some legends state that Poseidon swept her away to this island, covering it with waves to protect her from Hera. There, she gave birth to Artemis and her twin, Apollo.

From a feminist perspective, Artemis has often been studied as the archetype of the independant woman. Perpetually a virgin, she punished any who challenged her chastity. In particular, she was known to kill men who happened upon her bathing. Besides being a protector, she was also vengeful towards any who gave her misery. She is often frolicking in the forest with the nymphs, having no ties to hearth or husband.

Besides being a Goddess of childbirth and of virginity, Artemis is sometimes depicted as a Goddess of death. This is in part due to her vengeful nature, but she also kills for the other Gods. She prefers to bring death as quickly as possible, using her bow which she always carries. It has been said that Artemis is a Goddess of life transitions, both birth and death.

In Roman mythology, Artemis is referred to as Diana.

Genealogy: Artemis is the daughter of Zeus and Leto, the twin sister of Artemis. She never married and has no offspring.

Symbols: Hounds, the bow.