Artemis

Artemis Parents: Leto and Zeus. Siblings: twin of Apollo. Artemis is the goddess of the wilderness. She became the goddess of childbirth and fertility mainly in the cities. Artemis was often mistaken for "Selene" the goddess of the moon. Artemis was an Olympian and a virgin goddess. Artemis was to roam mountain forests and hunt for lions, panthers, hinds, and stags, Artemis was to was to make sure they were okay and reproducing. She was armed with a bow and arrows made by Hephaestus and Cyclopes. Artemis was born one day before her brother Apollo. Her mother gave birth to her on the island of Ortygia and about immediately after birth she was helping her mother cross the straits to get to Delos where she would then give birth to Apollo. This was the beginning of her duty as guardian of young children and patron of women in childbirth. Being a goddess of disagreements, she was the protectress of women in labor, but it was said that the arrows of Artemis brought them sudden death while giving birth. .Artemis was also a goddess of healing, but brought and spread diseases such as leprosy, rabies, and even gout. Artemis would get rid of any man that raped virgin goddesses, including Orion which Artemis had killed, there are several legends on how he died which almost all include Artemis. Artemis was very possessive. She would show her wrath on anyone who disobeyed her wishes, especially against her sacred animals. Even the great hero Agamemnon got the wrath from Artemis, when he killed a stag in her sacred grove. His punishment came when is ships were becalmed, while he made his way to besiege Troy. With no winds to sail his ships he was told by the seer Calchas that the only way Artemis would bring back the winds was for him to sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia. Some versions say he did sacrifice Iphigenia, others said that Artemis exchanged a deer in her place, and took Iphigenia to the land of the Tauri (the cremea) as a priestess, to prepare strangers for sacrifice to Artemis. Artemis killed children along with her brother Apollo to make Artemis supperior to Leto. Artemis was mostly worshiped in Greek cities but only as a secondary diety. In Ephesus a great temple was created in honor of Artemis which became one of the seven wonders of the Ancient world there were many theries to what that temple was worshiped for. There were festivals in honor of Artemis, such as the Brauronia, which was held in Brauron ; and the festival of Artemis Orthia, held at Sparta, when young spartan boys would try to stele cheeses from the altar. When they tried to steal they would get whipped. When young girls entered puberty they entered Artemis's cult.