Artemis is the daughter of Zeus and Leto and the twin sister of Apollon. They were born on the island of Delos. Both Artemis and Apollon knows how to use the bow; and Apollon is said to use a curved bow and Artemis uses a silver bow. Artemis was one of three who were immune to the enchantments of Aphrodite, the other two were Hestia and Athena.
Artemis was a friend to mortals and she danced through the countryside in her silver sandals giving her divine protection to the wild beasts. She rides her silver chariot across the sky and shoots her silver Moonlight arrows to the earth below. Artemis has a favorite among the mortals. But she couldn?t protect the fine huntsman, Skamandros from the spear of Menelaos at the battle for Troy. Artemis is not skilled in war craft, like he brother, but she can punish and kill as the will of Zeus dictates.
In The Iliad, Artemis mother, Leto, was insulted by a woman named Niobe. Niobe had boasted that she had twelve children and Leto only had two. Apollon killed Niobe?s six sons and Artemis killed her six daughters, as punishment.
In The Odyssey, Odysseus told the story of a wonderful island, Syria, where hunger and grim old age have no power. But when the Fates determined that the noble population of this island were at the end of their lives, Artemis and Apollon would swoop down and painlessly kill them with their silver bows.
Artemis sometimes confused with the Roman goddess, Diana.
Artist's rendition of Artemis
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