Artemis

[raistlin]

I've been doing some research on Artemis, and I've found out a lot about her. I like her, although there are still some things I'd like to know about her, from the view of someone who worships her.

What is her personality like?

What drew you to her (in other words, what about her interested you)?

I ask this because most of the sites/books I've read about her had a lot of information about her, but I'd also like to know what she's like based on the experiences of her worshipers as well. :smile:

[patch]

Me and Artemis hold each other at arms length.

Sometimes I have dreams about her/related to her, and in them people get shot with arrows in the eye and babies die.

She's and awesome goddess and a real force to be reckoned with. Best of luck with everything!

[Moonlight's Daughter]

I have worked with her as my patron goddess for the last couple of years. To me its more of working with her and learning from her than worshipping-mainly to work on my issues of self esteem and self sufficiancy as a woman.

I feel very blessed.

[Grey Wolf]

if you have some celtic knowledge, compare her to the morrigan.

[patch]

Morrgihan- Goddess of battle, strife and fertility.

Artemis- Virgin goddess of wilderness and the hunt.

I don't see it 0_o.

[ckynes1968]

I work with her for strength...and I feel so powerful when I am experiencing a beautiful full moon.

When I hunt, I feel her presence with me.

[Theres]

Morrgihan- Goddess of battle, strife and fertility.

Artemis- Virgin goddess of wilderness and the hunt.

I don't see it 0_o.
nope, me neither.

[*Rasenna*]

I work with the form of Artemis in its Roman expression of Diana. She is a softer version, more like a blend of love goddess and protectress.

There's an old myth about Orestes fleeing Greece because of the "cruelty" he encountered at hands of the cult of Artemis. As one version of the legend goes, Orestes took off with the statue of Artemis and fled to Italy where he founded a more gentle version of the cult of Artemis at Lake Nemi.

If you're interested in knowing more about Diana, here's a link to a lengthy but very enlightening article on the goddess:

http://www.stregheria.com/Society.htm

[David19]

I work with the form of Artemis in its Roman expression of Diana. She is a softer version, more like a blend of love goddess and protectress.

There's an old myth about Orestes fleeing Greece because of the "cruelty" he encountered at hands of the cult of Artemis. As one version of the legend goes, Orestes took off with the statue of Artemis and fled to Italy where he founded a more gentle version of the cult of Artemis at Lake Nemi.

If you're interested in knowing more about Diana, here's a link to a lengthy but very enlightening article on the goddess:

http://www.stregheria.com/Society.htm

I know I'm not the OP, but, thanks for that article, although, I have a question, if you don't mind me asking, but, are Artemis and Diana the same deity?, it's just I've heard Artemis is more a virgin, or, the type of company she prefers would be women (and, that, if one of her followers left her, for a man, she'd use her arrows to strike both, or just the follower, dead), while Diana isn't a virgin. I'm not sure if that's true, or not, though.

BTW, I hope that made some sense :).

[*Rasenna*]

I know I'm not the OP, but, thanks for that article, although, I have a question, if you don't mind me asking, but, are Artemis and Diana the same deity?, it's just I've heard Artemis is more a virgin, or, the type of company she prefers would be women (and, that, if one of her followers left her, for a man, she'd use her arrows to strike both, or just the follower, dead), while Diana isn't a virgin. I'm not sure if that's true, or not, though.

BTW, I hope that made some sense :).

The most recent evidence supports the idea that Diana is indigenous to Italy, but she was influenced by aspects of Artemis that were introduced through the Greek colonies that settled in Italy. The Etruscan deity Atimite/Artimite appears to be the roots of the Roman Diana.

In mythology Diana had lovers, both male and female, and this would negate the idea that she's simply Artemis in Roman garb. Also, at the sanctuary of Diana at lake Nemi, archaeologists have discovered phallus offerings to Diana (not the kind of gift typically appreciated by virgins).

I don't recall any myths that talk about Artemis slaying her female followers for running off with men. What I recall is that she transformed them into animals (a bear comes to mind).

[David19]

The most recent evidence supports the idea that Diana is indigenous to Italy, but she was influenced by aspects of Artemis that were introduced through the Greek colonies that settled in Italy. The Etruscan deity Atimite/Artimite appears to be the roots of the Roman Diana.

In mythology Diana had lovers, both male and female, and this would negate the idea that she's simply Artemis in Roman garb. Also, at the sanctuary of Diana at lake Nemi, archaeologists have discovered phallus offerings to Diana (not the kind of gift typically appreciated by virgins).

I don't recall any myths that talk about Artemis slaying her female followers for running off with men. What I recall is that she transformed them into animals (a bear comes to mind).

Thanks for that info, I can't recall where I read Artemis striking down female followers who ran off with men, although, turning them into animals sounds familar, I'll see if I can track it down, it was quite awhile ago I read it.

[MonSno_LeeDra]

This is my understanding and awarness of Artemis, as such it is may differ greatly from others. While parts can be supported by documentation, much of it is my own UPG. To me Artemis is a many faceted goddess so is beyond being placed into a nice neat category.

One facet of Artemis is the virgin huntress goddess. In that capacity I first encountered her many years ago in a dream. She was a young girl, perhaps late teens or very early 20's by human ages. Her persona was one of laughter and merryment yet a deep connection to the land and high open places.

Over the years I saw her many times on those high lonesome peaks, always the young girl so care free. At each occurance she was dressed in a short tunic type outfit with heavy sandles upon her feet. She always had a lyre type instrument with her and was accompied by a large stag. A bow and quiver of arrows always with her, though I only saw her take them to hand when she was decscending into the vally ravines.

I once tried to go with her into the valley but she told me that was not my place. Not threatening or anything, simply point blank, it was not for me to enter her place in the hidden valley. Yet though her voice spoke in a calm manner her eyes betrayed a fire that told me I did not want to make her mad. I also learnt that she has a strick concept of what honor is.

Years later while in the Navy I made a port of call in the city of Corfu (Korfu) in Greece. I found an alabaster statue of a goddess with a standing stag with her holding a pulled bow and started to by it. With a resounding slap to the head Artemis informed me that was not her! In some ways I have a faint memory of her telling me that "that is that Roman!"

Needless to say I do not buy the idea of Diana and Artemis being the same person.

A few weeks later I was going into Rhodes Greece and had another image of Artemis appear to me.

In it the young woman image sort of shimmered and faded into that of an older woman, more of a motherly facet it appeared. In it she seemed to pick up small children and creatures and hold them to her breast and feed them. Yet I never could really tell just who many she held.

There was a stearness in her image that was not present in the younger huntress imagery. Where the younger Artemis contained fire and sparks in her eyes this one held a deep void in hers, like ages and ages had been viewed in them and you would become lost in their depths.

It would be years before I first saw the statue of Artmeis of Ephesus, but knew I had seen her in the vistage years before.

In some ways I agree that she is a fertility goddess in that capacity yet it also reminded me of the worlds and lives she watches over and roams. Not only that but the many breast feature has always made me think of her as being far older than she appears to the eye and her eyes conyed that same sence of endless time to me.

There is a third vestage of her that I encountered on that trip as we sailed north into the Black Sea. I'll be honest that vestage was scary. I saw an erupting volcano against the setting sun on the horizion and for a few moments saw the image of an angry Artemis.

That Artemis' anger was like the erupting volcano. Her emotion was destructive and destroying of what ever it was that had caused her to go off. Eyes, once dark and peaceful where shot with flame and anger and her starte could pierce you in a heart beat. She was a destroyer in every manner of the word.

The only difference I could think of was where a volcano would shoot lava bombs and ejecta she would send hot guided arrows. Yet like the volcano, she could erupt into a fury, however once over she went back to her peaceful state. Though after seeing that vistage for but a few seconds, I also know like the volcano, she may seem peaceful and at rest but that passion and fire is there to be respected.

On one occasion I saw her with a snake and though it one of her symbols. In all my searches I have only found one thing that depicted her with a snake and that had to do with a concept of animal mother.

[*~Amora~*]

She was called Mistress of the Animals in the Iliad; she advocates wildlife and forests and open countrysides. If you want to make an offering to her in the modern day, make a donation to a wildlife preserve, to an endangered species, or simply "go green" in your lifestyle.