Artemis
Artemis was the daughter of Zeus and Leto. She was also the twin sister of Apollo and one of the three virgin goddesses. Many believe that Artemis and Apollo were born on the island of Delos. However, a growing number of scholars feel Artemis was born first on the island of Ortygia and then helped her mother across the river to the island of Delos. It was here that Artemis theoretically helped her mother in the delivery of Apollo on the following day. This theory lends itself to the first of several roles played by Artemis, guardian of children and women in childbirth. She has also been dubbed the goddess of fertility, which has been looked at as a contradiction in terms. Though women looked to Artemis for a quick and successful labor, her silver arrows were often blamed for the sudden death that occurred in others. Most notably, Artemis is known as the goddess of the wild, including all animals and the art of the hunt. For this reason, Artemis in art is most often be depicted with a deer and her silver bow and arrows. Sometimes referred to as the virgin goddess, the ideals most important to Artemis herself were those of purity and chastity. She is found at the center of many intriguing and well-debated mythological
In another tale, Agamemnon, after killing a deer in the woods, said, “Artemis herself could not do it better”. This insolent remark enraged Artemis who then stopped the winds from blowing, preventing Agamemnon and his men from sailing to Troy to fight in the war. One of the men, a seer, told Agamemnon that the only way to receive forgiveness from Artemis was to sacrifice his own daughter, Iphigenia. Agamemnon agreed to the plan. It is rumored by many, however, that in a rare moment Artemis spared her life, sacrificing a deer in her place. Artemis then sent the girl back to Tauris to become her priestess where she spent several years sacrificing numerous offenders at the altar in the name of Artemis. (Bulfinch) Artemis has also been portrayed in the conventional style of a fertility figure (Figure 2). In many later paintings she possesses a protruding belly and large breasts. Artemis is shown in a relaxed, almost aloof manner. Again, she is shown accompanied by a deer and her bow and arrows. By not depicting her in a hunting stance and only Though Artemis did not spend her time making many beneficial contributions to Greek society, she definitely made an indelible impression on mythological history. While Artemis’s actions were a bit perplexing at times, her basic code of beliefs was not that complicated. She protected what was sacred to her, the young and endangered. She believed in purity and chastity which are difficult to maintain, but not impossible. She was vengeful against those who had wronged her or the ones she loved, yet was gentle and forgiving to those asking for her help. She is a role model for women to be strong, independent and possess a sense of self. She had many roles as a Greek goddess, allowing so many different artists
Some topics in this essay:
Delos Artemis,
Asia Minor,
King Croesus,
World Artemis,
Leto Niobe,
Artemis Bulfinch,
Callisto Orion,
Orion Artemis’s,
Iphigenia Agamemnon,
Artemis Apollo,
island delos,
bow arrows,
feel artemis,
purity chastity,
born island,
helped mother,
icon fertility,
artemis apollo,
believe artemis,
wooden roof,
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Approximate Word count = 1213
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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