Riordan Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Riordan Wiki
Artemis   Diana    

If we destroy heroes who do us a great favor, then we are no better than the Titans. If this is Olympian justice, I will have none of it.

–Artemis to the other Olympians, in The Titan's Curse.

Artemis is the Greek virgin goddess of the hunt, archery, wilderness, animals, forests, the Moon, radiance, maidenhood, and childbirth. She and her twin brother Apollo are known as the "Twin Archers." Artemis drives the moon chariot across the sky at night, a role she received when Selene, the original moon deity, faded. Her Roman counterpart is Diana.​​​​​​

History

Birth and Travel to Olympus

Artemis was conceived by Zeus and the Titaness Leto. After her mother got pregnant, Hera got infuriated for her husband's constant cheating and cursed Leto to wander the earth without finding a place with roots to give birth. After traveling for a long time, the floating island of Delos gave sanctuary to Leto as the nature spirits there welcomed her. All the goddesses begged Hera to allow her daughter Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth, to come to Leto, who finally gave birth to a daughter named Artemis on the seventh day of the seventh month.

Almost immediately, Artemis grew to the size of a six-year-old girl and helped deliver her twin brother, Apollo, nine days later.​​​​​​ Seeing that it took days and nights to help her mother give birth to Apollo, the young Artemis swore to be a virgin and that she didn't like men after that. However, this event also influenced her to become the protector and nurturer of the young.

Four days later, Artemis asked her aunt Hestia to take her to Mount Olympus so she could meet with her father. After Artemis lovingly embraced Zeus with open arms, he swore on the River Styx to grant his daughter anything as a birthday present. Artemis requested to be an eternal maiden, the goddess of the wilderness, and wanted a band of eighty maiden followers who varied from mortals or nymphs, twenty of whom hunted with the goddess personally. The Elder Cyclopes forged Artemis' Silver Bow and arrows, while Pan provided her with hunting dogs. Her followers consisted of about eighty maiden girls who varied from mortals or nymphs,

Capture of the Golden Deer

Needing wild animals to pull her chariot, Artemis and her Hunters decided to capture a herd of five golden deer. Britomartis was her most skilled trapper, using a set snares and concealed nets. The Hunters made noise to scare off the regular deer, while four of the five golden ones charged straight into the traps and were harnessed for Artemis' chariot. The fifth and smartest golden deer escaped, later becoming known as the Ceryneian Hind. She was given Artemis' blessing and protection from other hunters.

First Giant War

During the First Giant War, Artemis was notable for fighting against Otis and Ephialtes, known as the Alodai twins. The giants captured Ares and planned on attacking Olympus by stacking their makeshift mountains on top of each other.

After hearing Ephialtes and Otis intended to seize Hera and Artemis as their wives, Artemis charged down the mountain and struck the Alodai twins with arrows. They tried impaling her with their spears, but she was too fast for either of them. She tricked the giants into killing each other by running between them and dodging at the last moment just as they stabbed at her, causing the twins to kill each other instead.

Kalydonian Boar Hunt

Kalydonian Boar

The Kalydonian Boar, whom Artemis unleashed upon the Greek city of Kalydon.

When King Oineus of Kalydon forgot to honor Artemis at harvest time, the enraged goddess summoned a monstrous boar which she unleashed upon the fields of Kalydon, killing many animals and people in the process. Oineus consulted his son Meleager, who suggested launching a great hunt to appease Artemis. All the best hunters in Greece were summoned to participate in the Kalydonian Boar Hunt, but Artemis sabotaged them.

Mopsos, the strongest spear-thrower in Greece, tried killing the monster by launching his spear at it, but Artemis made it bounce harmlessly off the boar. Another hunter named Ankaios charged at it with a double-bladed ax, but died when the boar rammed his tusk straight into Ankaios' crotch. It was Prince Meleager who finally managed to kill the monster with help from the heroine Atalanta, who paralyzed the boar, but it wasn't enough to please Artemis. She made the other hunters envious and a full-scale civil war erupted when fighting broke out over who really deserved credit for killing the Kalydonian Boar.

Punishing Niobe

When Queen Niobe of Thebes insulted Leto by saying her own children were more numerous and better overall, an enraged Artemis shot arrows at Niobe's seven daughters, while her brother Apollo shot arrows at Niobe's seven sons. In an act of mercy, the gods only left alive to the Queen's youngest daughter and turned Niobe into stone.

Punishing Actaeon

I'm the hunter. I'm always a hunter. And you are a victim. No man who has seen me naked has a right to live.

–Artemis to Actaeon

One night, a prince named Actaeon hunted with his dogs until he stumbled upon Artemis and her Hunters bathing. At the sight of the naked goddess, he immediately fell in love with Artemis and revealed his presence to her. He declared his desire to marry her, though this incited her rage when Actaeon said "[he] must have [her]". As punishment, Artemis transformed Actaeon into a deer and had him killed by his own hunting dogs when she stirred them from sleep.

Encounter with Sipriotes

Sipriotes was an unfortunate boy who spotted Artemis bathing. Unlike Actaeon, Sipriotes fell to his knees and begged Artemis for mercy. Having gazed upon her naked form, she would have killed Sipriotes, but she decided to give him the option of becoming female to live due to her position as the protector of young children. Left with no other choice, Sipriotes was changed into a girl by Artemis and joined the Hunters.

Seduction of Kallisto

Artemis' lieutenant and best friend was Kallisto, a beautiful nymph who caught her father's attention. Zeus appeared to Kallisto in his daughter's form and tried seduce her, but a confused Kallisto rejected his advances. He decided to reveal his true self and had his way with her, fathering a child in the process.

Many months later, after a long hunt, Artemis and the Hunters decide to go swimming. When Kallisto was reluctant to join them, Artemis discovered the pregnancy and demanded to know who took her maidenhood. When Kallisto told her it was Zeus disguised as Artemis herself, the goddess was unable to do much because of her father's power. Declaring that she would have allowed Kallisto to go peacefully and settle into a new life, a saddened Artemis followed her rules and transformed the sobbing girl into a bear, telling her former best friend to leave or face death. Kallisto eventually gave birth to a human son by the name of Arkas, but was later killed by hunters. Upon death, Zeus, who possibly felt guilty for his actions, honored Kallisto in the stars by making her the constellation Ursa Major.

Death of Orion

Orion and Giant Scorpion

Orion facing the scorpion sent by Gaea

Following the incident with Kallisto, Artemis befriended the giant Orion, former royal hunter of the King of Chios. After he had his sight restored by Hephaestus with mechanical eyes, Orion settled on Delos, where Artemis allowed him to join her Hunters as the first ever male due to his impressive hunting abilities and archery. He respected all the Hunters and gave them their space when they were bathing.

However, Apollo drove Orion crazy for being close to his sister, fearing she would break her vows of maidenhood. One day, the giant got carried away with hunting so much that he began killing harmless animals, declaring that "[he] will kill all the animals in the world". This didn't sit well with the Hunters' way of life, nor with the Earth Mother Gaea. His claims stirred the latter from slumber, sending a massive scorpion that killed Orion with its poisonous stinger. Artemis found his body shortly thereafter. Saddened by the death of yet another friend, she made Orion into a constellation with a scorpion to immortalize his story.

Befriending Hippolytus

Hippolytus was a charming, handsome prince and legacy who had no interest in romance whatsoever. His passion for hunting made Artemis accept him into the Hunt, though her followers were rather hesitant at the thought of having an attractive male among their ranks. However, Hippolytus never tried anything romantic with the Hunters. His asexuality and aromanticism greatly enraged the love goddess Aphrodite, who manipulated his father Theseus's emotions when he returned home to visit his family. The two got into an argument about Hippolytus marrying and having children, despite the latter insisting to remain at Artemis' Hunt, which resulted in Theseus drawing a sword and striking Hippolytus dead.

Upon hearing of her friend's death, a devastated Artemis promptly rushed to Hippolytus' tomb and carried his deceased body to her nephew Asclepius, the best physician in all of Greece. She requested that Asclepius revive him from the dead, which he did with the Physician's Cure. However, this had immediate repercussions: Aphrodite complained to Zeus about Hippolytus' revival along with Hades, as it could possibly cause chaos in both the mortal world and the Underworld. Zeus appeased his aunt and brother by personally striking down Asclepius with a thunderbolt, but Apollo was angered and devastated by the death of his favorite son and killed one of the younger Cyclopes who forged Zeus' thunderbolts in retaliation. To prevent a feud, Asclepius was resurrected and made into a god, but Hades forbid him from ever resurrecting the dead again. Fortunately, Artemis protected Hippolytus and had him sent off to Italy, where he lived to an old age as a priest to one of her sacred shrines.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

The Titan's Curse

"Stars." she whispered. "I can see the stars again, my lady."

A tear trickled down Artemis's cheek. "Yes, my brave one. They are beautiful tonight."

– The death of Zoë Nightshade

Along with the Hunters of Artemis, Artemis helps Percy Jackson and his friends when they face the manticore, Dr. Thorn, at Westover Hall. She then goes on a mission west to hunt the Ophiotaurus, promising Percy that she will look for Annabeth Chase, who had been taken by the manticore.

Percy Jackson

Percy Jackson, a man whom Artemis respects.

Whilst hunting, Artemis is captured in an ambush by the General Atlas, being used to lure Percy and his friends west, alongside Annabeth. By the time she was captured, Annabeth was holding the sky. Artemis couldn't simply stand by and watch a young maiden die, so she takes the sky from Annabeth, incapacitating her as Atlas had hoped. As Percy, Thalia Grace, and her lieutenant Zoë Nightshade arrive to rescue her, Percy takes the sky from Artemis so she can fight Atlas, as Percy and Zoë were no match for him.

Although she was exhausted from holding the sky, Artemis was able to hold her own against the Titan General during their battle and ultimately manages to force Atlas back, eventually pushing him back under the sky as Percy rolls out of the way. Unfortunately, Zoë then dies from the stab wound and gash that Ladon gave her. In honor of her memory, Artemis creates a constellation of her in the sky.

Artemis leaves to report to the Olympian Council, but not before promising to send help, namely Blackjack and his companions. She also praises Annabeth for her bravery and commends Percy for his heroism, calling him a "man" rather than a boy.

Artemis, Percy, Thalia, and Annabeth return to Olympus for the Winter Solstice. She is the first to suggest plans for war preparations against the Titans. She is honestly horrified at the vote of whether or not to destroy Percy, as he risked his life for them and stands up for him against the other Olympians when they vote. She makes Thalia her new lieutenant to replace Zoe and so that the council would spare her. On both her and Poseidon's word, the council votes to spare Percy.

The Battle of the Labyrinth

When Percy is fighting Geryon, the only way to defeat him was with an arrow, as Geryon's three bodies must be killed at the same time. Being a terrible shot, Percy asks Artemis and Apollo to guide his arrow, which manages to kill Geryon. As thanks, Percy offers a part of Geryon's barbecue to the gods after defeating the three-headed giant. Percy later learns that it was Hera that guided his arrow, not the archer twins.

The Last Olympian

In the Battle of Manhattan, Artemis battles Typhon alongside the other gods. She sent her hunters to help the demigods of Camp Half-Blood fight against Kronos' army. Although her hunters killed many monsters, her lieutenant Thalia had a statue of Hera fall on her legs before the final battle in Olympus.

In the council, after Kronos was defeated, Artemis convinced Hades to send her deceased Hunters to the Underworld realm of Elysium and congratulates Thalia on defending Manhattan.

The Heroes of Olympus

The Lost Hero

Artemis is noted to be one of the gods who disagreed with Zeus' decision to close Olympus. She sent out her Hunters to search for Percy, showing that she was still interfering in mortal affairs.

The Son of Neptune

When Percy sees Mount Tamalpais, Hazel Levesque tells him about how Camp Jupiter attacked the Titan base there. Percy remembers another time he was there with Artemis, Zoë, and Thalia fighting Atlas, but he couldn't remember their names and the memory soon leaves him.

She is also mentioned by Hylla as she explains to Hazel the difference between the Hunters and the Amazons.

The Mark of Athena

Along with most of the other Olympians, Artemis was incapacitated (with her personality split between her and her Roman form Diana) after Leo was manipulated by Gaea into shooting upon Camp Jupiter from the Argo II.

The House of Hades

When Percy sees her grandfather, the Titan Koios, he notes that he has Artemis's cold eyes.

The Blood of Olympus

After Leo, Frank, and Hazel travel to the island of Delos to find the final ingredient to the Physician's Cure from Apollo, the group is greeted by Artemis, who warns them about the onagers acquired by Octavian.

When Reyna finally manages to place the Athena Parthenos on Half-Blood Hill with the help of six pegasi, golden light ripples across the ground, seeping warmth into the bones of both Greek and Roman demigods and curing all of the Olympians (including Artemis) of their split personalities. As a result, Artemis and Apollo promptly leave Delos to participate in the final battle with the Giants in Athens. The twins help slay quite a few Giants with their arrows, after which Hades sends their bodies back to Tartarus by opening up abysses after each Giant is killed.

After the battle, Artemis attempts to soothe the rage of her father Zeus, who is determined to punish Hera and Apollo for letting another Gigantomachy happen. She tells this to Jason in his mind that she will reason with Zeus when he is calmer (it's possible since Jason not only stood up for Apollo, but because he is also the brother of Thalia, that Jason became one of the few males she favored). She watches as Zeus hurls the Argo II all the way back to Camp Half-Blood.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

The Chalice of the Gods

Percy suggests that he could approach Hermes and Artemis for new quests for the godly letters of recommendation that he needs to get into New Rome University, the two gods being the first that Percy can think of who might give him a simple quest, remember that he had helped them in the past, or even just remember his name in the first place. However, Poseidon tells his son that he can't go asking the gods for quests and they must instead come to him.

The Trials of Apollo

The Hidden Oracle

Artemis was mentioned by her brother numerous times, and he wonders if their father threatened her if she tried to make any form of contact with him. Apollo also wonders if Meg is Artemis in mortal form, stating that his sister usually appears as a twelve year old girl.

The Dark Prophecy

It is revealed that Zeus has prohibited Artemis from contacting her brother or ordering her Hunters to help him. Despite this, Artemis secretly sends Britomartis and other hunters to help Apollo on his quest.

The Burning Maze

Apollo mentioned his twin sister when stating he misses her.

The Tyrant's Tomb

Apollo mentions his sister throughout his time at Camp Jupiter, thinking of the times he flirted with her Hunters and feeling that she would like Lavinia Asimov. He is shown to prefer Artemis' Greek form to her Roman form of Diana.

During the Battle of San Francisco Bay, Apollo manages to summon his sister’s Roman aspect, Diana, who arrives just in time to cure him of his infection and kill Tarquin. After the battle, the two talk briefly before Diana leaves.

Thalia later explains that Diana had to leave as she couldn't risk overstaying her summons. However, Thalia admits that the goddess has been so worried about her brother that she has literally been beside herself - getting so worried that she splits into Artemis and Diana right in front of Thalia.

The Tower of Nero

In the "Advance Commentary" on the back cover of the book, Artemis was upset that her twin brother was still in trouble. She was worried she might have to come and help him again.

As she and the other Olympians watch her brother during the Battle of Nero's Tower, she begs Zeus to make him a god again and screams at Aphrodite for suggesting what would happen if Apollo died.

Two weeks after her brother becomes a god again, she is sitting by Apollo's side when he wakes up on Olympus and they share a hug. She tells him how long it has been since he defeated Python and that she sent word of his victory to the demigods. She also tells him he has been summoned in the throne room leaves him when he says he has to think first. At the meeting she gives her twin subtle nods of encouragement and is the last to leave before him.

Appearance

As shown in Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, Artemis is tall and possesses a well-built body. She has shoulder-length raven-black hair and striking silver-grey eyes that can easily intimidate when she is angry. Artemis is extremely beautiful and lovelier than all her attendants.

The other novels depict Artemis as a beauty, though there are some inconsistencies with this description of her. In The Titan's Curse, she was portrayed as a girl of the average age of her Hunters - around twelve or thirteen. She had a face of such beauty that it made Percy catch his breath, cold and bright eyes as silvery yellow as the winter, and auburn hair gathered back in a ponytail. In The Blood of Olympus, Artemis was depicted as a young girl of the same age and dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. She wore black leggings and a silver tunic. In The Dark Prophecy, Apollo notes that Artemis never seems to assume a form any older than twenty years old. The differences in Artemis's physical description throughout the novels could be attributed to the fact that as a goddess she has the ability to assume any shape she desired, though it must be noted that she retains her incredible beauty and grace no matter what physical manifestation she adopts.

Personality

Artemis is a focused, reserved and reasonable woman, but also extremely stoic and pragmatic. She doesn't frequently lose her temper and speaks calmly with others, even male demigods. She prefers the company of her followers and animals to even that of other gods, passing most of her time hunting in the wilderness. She possesses a deep caring for maidens, especially for the ones whom she presides over.

Unlike her twin brother Apollo, Artemis is less "easy-going" and has a much greater understanding of mortals than most of the other Olympians, much like her half-brother Hermes. She is among the more sympathetic and selfless Olympians, weighting individuals by their actions and choices as opposed to their potential as shown when she defends Percy from the Olympian Council for saving her and putting his life on the line for them all. She doesn't discriminate when selecting girls to join her ranks, allowing mortals, demigods, and nymphs to become Hunters, including her former lieutenant Zoë Nightshade, a daughter of the Titan Atlas.

However, she is known to be quite sneaky and sometimes pranks her brother. In the Hidden Oracle, Apollo mentions that on festival days Artemis tapes "kick me" signs on Apollo's toga.

Though rarely, Artemis acts out in anger whenever her wishes were disobeyed, especially if anyone transgressed against the animals that were sacred to her. Her dark side is mostly shown in Percy Jackson's Greek Gods: she banished her best friend Kallisto from among her Huntresses and transformed her into a large bear for not tell her about Zeus' assault, ruthlessly killed Queen Niobe's seven daughters after she insulted her mother (sparing only the youngest one), and unleashed a huge boar on the fields of Kalydon because King Oineus forgot to honor her at harvest time, which induced a subsequent full-scale civil war after the boar's death. All these actions shows a formidable capacity for carrying grudges, much like her uncle Hades.

Although she is mostly reasonable, Artemis holds a general dislike and distrust towards men, though she has a softer side towards children and hunters. She doesn't marry or have children because she was very affected with helping her mother to give birth to her twin brother for entire days. However, she does acknowledge and respect those who prove themselves to her, including Orion, Hippolytus, and Percy. The ones that Artemis doesn't respect (and neither respect her) suffer horrible consequences. In Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, she transformed Actaeon into a stag after he saw her naked, though many people in that situation would have assumed that Actaeon planned to rape her and she defended herself accordingly. She was far more merciful to an apologetic Sipriotes, though she permanently changed the young man's gender. In The Titan's Curse, it is said she likes to turn boys who see the Hunters' camp into jackalopes.

Abilities

As a daughter of Zeus, Artemis is an extremely powerful goddess. Due to her considerable influence and followers, she bears a greater level of worship than most of the Olympians, contributing to her powers greatly. The elder Olympians (the Big Three, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia) are the only gods who surpass her. She is equal to Apollo and rivaled by Athena.

  • Enhanced Hunting: As the Goddess of Hunting, Artemis is an unrivaled master of hunting and tracking, having the same advanced hunting powers her hunters have, but extremely increased. She can help heroes more directly since wild animals and monsters are in her domain.
    • Archery: As the Goddess of Archery, Artemis is an extremely skilled archer only rivaled by Apollo and Orion. She inherited her skill from her mother. As revealed in Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, her arrows strike her target no matter how far they are though it might be magic. Her aim was so incredibly precise and fast that she was able to split the Manticore's spikes mid-air with her arrows in The Titan's Curse.
    • Knifemanship: Artemis has amazing agility and impeccable expertise at using long hunting knives in close combat.
  • Prowess in Battle: Artemis is shown to be extremely formidable in battle. In Percy Jackson Greek Gods, she defeated the powerful giants Otis and Ephialtes (who previously kidnapped Ares). She was trusted by Zeus to kill any powerful monsters Kronos would try to recruit in The Titan's Curse. She held her own and ultimately prevailed against the stronger Titan General Atlas, even though she was exhausted due to having held up the sky and he had a greater weapon - an amazing feat considering that he overpowered the combined might of Percy and Zoë. However, it should be noted that Atlas initially had the upper hand and was only through a sneak attack. Alongside the other gods, Artemis fought against Typhon for several days in The Last Olympian.
    • Hunting Transfiguration: Artemis can transform ordinary objects and creatures into things associated with hunting. In Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, she transformed Actaeon into a stag and Kallisto into a brown bear. In The Titan's Curse, she transformed a helicopter and the mortals piloting it into a flock of ravens.
    • Strategic Skill: Although not on par with her half-sister Athena, Artemis is very tactical in combat. She effectively utilizes certain advantages that she possesses against enemies, such as running fast between Otis and Ephialtes to change their target and transforming into a number of animals to elude Atlas.
  • Wilderness Manipulation: As the Goddess of the Wilderness, Artemis has divine authority and absolute control over the forests, including its inhabitants and surroundings.
    • Animal Authority: Artemis has divine authority over wild animals, primarily over wolves, hawks, and stags. In Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, she unleashed a huge and fierce boar upon the fields of Kalydonia.
      • Animal Replenishing: She can replenish the animals she kills, thus balancing the fauna.
      • Zoolingualism: She can communicate with wild animals.
    • Atmokinesis: Artemis has absolute control over the elements surrounding her domain, though to a lesser extent than her father. In The Titan's Curse, Percy observed that "the weather seemed to bend to [her] will."
      • Aerokinesis (limited): Artemis can control and manipulate air. She can halt the wind at least in the immediate vicinity of the Hunt, even in a snowy day.
    • Chlorokinesis (limited): Although she isn't quite as powerful in this regard as her aunt Demeter or her half-brother Dionysus, Artemis has control over the plants over any forest and its surroundings. She controls every aspect from its trees to the ground, as shown in The Titan's Curse.
  • Lunakinesis: As the Goddess of the Moon, Artemis has absolute control and divine authority over the Moon.
    • Photokinesis: Artemis has absolute control and divine authority over the moonlight.
      • Moonlight Rays: She can shoot lasers of concentrated moonlight. This is shown in the gods' battle against Typhon.
      • Enhanced Vision: She can see clearly in the dark.
  • Teleportation: She travels through waves of light, which can blind people.
  • Artemis' Blessing: As the Goddess of Hunting and Maidenhood, Artemis is capable of granting eternal youth, immunity to illness, enhanced hunting skills, and superhuman physical abilities greater than that of a demigod. Should her chosens break their vow, she can strip them of the powers she grants.
    • Immortality Reversal (possibly): She is apparently able to take away a goddess' eternal youth, such as Hemithea, who became a minor goddess before joining the Hunters. However, her former immortality may only be a condition of her vow.
  • Reproduction Manipulation: As the Goddess of Childbirth, Artemis has absolute control and divine authority over reproduction. As shown in Percy Jackson Greek Gods, she helped her mother's delivery of Apollo as soon as she was born.
    • Gender Reassignment: As seen in Percy Jackson Greek Gods, she permanently transformed the young Sipriotes into a maiden after he accidentally witnessed the virgin goddess bathing.
  • Shapeshifting: As a goddess, Artemis has the power of shapeshifting, which allows to turn herself into any animal. This is shown in her duel with Atlas when she fluidly transforms into a tiger, a gazelle, a bear, and a falcon.
  • Vitakinesis: As a goddess, Artemis has the power of healing despite it not being her specialty. In The Titan's Curse, she attempts to heal Zoë Nightshade's poisoned wound, but is stopped by Zoë herself who knows that it's no use. As Diana, Artemis was able to heal her brother's zombie infection.

Attributes

  • Her attributes are a silver bow, arrows, and the crescent moon (or the full moon).
  • Her sacred animals are the deer, stags, bears, guinea fowl, bee, snakes and hunting dogs.
  • Her sacred plants are the flowering almond, hazel, ranunculus, honeysuckle, thistle, the fir tree and the cypress tree (the last symbol represents grief and mourning because Artemis could bring terrible diseases such as leprosy, although she also was associated with healing).
  • Her sacred colors are silver (which represents the moon), white (which represents purity) and green (which represents the forests).
  • Her sacred gems and metals are moonstone, quartz, crystal, silver, turquoise, iron, aluminum, and diamonds.

Attendants

Artemis' attendants include a group of young women that have pledged themselves to her Hunt, large hunting dogs and wolves, and the reindeer of her chariot.

Relationships

Gods and Titans

ApolloGG

Apollo, her twin

Artemis acts distant and annoyed with her twin brother Apollo, probably because of his carefree and flirting attitude compared to her more serious attitude. Though the two often argue, the twins participated in many battles side by side. Artemis and Apollo show a strong bond between siblings. This is depicted in The Titan's Curse when Apollo breaks the law in helping Percy to save Artemis, and in The Dark Prophecy, when Artemis secretly sends her Hunters and Britomartis to help Apollo on his quest. Apollo randomly joins the Hunters for fun to annoy Artemis. In The Tyrant's Tomb, Artemis and her Roman form Diana are the one Olympian god that Apollo is sure will respond to his magical call for help during the Battle of San Francisco Bay. Thalia later tells Apollo that Artemis was so worried about her brother that the goddess was quite literally beside herself, manifesting as both Artemis and Diana in her worry. In The Tower of Nero, Artemis expresses concern about Apollo being forced to face Python as a mortal and happily greets him two weeks later when her brother awakens on Olympus as a god once again

Along with her twin brother, Artemis shows a great love and protection over their mother, who risked her life and traveled around the world in order to give birth to them. When Queen Niobe insulted Leto in Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, both twins sought revenge by personally killing Niobe's children.

Zeus

Zeus, her father.

Her father likes Artemis' adventurous, brave and ambitious attitude, claiming that it is similar to his own. Though she disagrees over her father's womanizing tendencies (especially towards her hunters), Zeus has never been able to be angry with Artemis for long since she has the ability to charm him into forgiving her. She was the one who managed to somewhat soothe his rage in The Blood of Olympus.

Athena

Athena, her fellow Olympian and half-sister.

Artemis gets along quite well with her half-sister Athena due to their similar personalities. The two often talk after meetings.

Friends

The Hunters are Artemis' maiden followers who pledged their loyalty and often hunt at her side. They are the closest thing to children she has. She gives them the choice whether to be live forever or remain normal, but they mustn't lose their maidenhood for the hunter would lose her position as a result.

Zoe Nightshade

Zoë Nightshade, a former lieutenant and loyal follower.

Zoë was the former lieutenant of the Hunters, which shows how much Artemis respects and appreciates her follower. Zoë was fiercely loyal to the goddess ever since she became a Huntress, going on the quest because she desperately wanted to save Artemis despite knowing that she would be the one to "perish by a parent's hand". After Zoë's death, Artemis was so upset that she flickered with silver light. She turned her beloved follower into a constellation-"the Huntress"- depicting a girl with a bow running across the night sky.

Thalia Grace

Thalia Grace, her lieutenant and half-sister

Artemis and Thalia are half-sisters through Zeus. They share an adventurous attitude, though Thalia doesn't share her disdain for boys. When first offered a position in the Hunt, Thalia refused because of Luke, her friend and romantic interest. However, Thalia took over as first lieutenant after he betrayed her, and Zoë died. At the end of The Titan's Curse, Percy noted that Artemis acted as if she didn't initially know what to make of Thalia, but sympathized with her when the demigod looked her in the eye. Thalia became very loyal to her mistress, who began to act as her maternal figure since the events of The Last Olympian. In The Tyrant's Tomb, Thalia is well aware of Artemis' worry for Apollo and how it has been affecting her.

As revealed in Percy Jackson's Greek God, Kallisto was Artemis's best friend and one of her most loyal followers. After Zeus cornered the nymph and fathered her child, Kallisto tried and failed to hide it from the goddess, who discovered the truth and became enraged at her father. Though she knew it wasn't Kallisto's fault, Artemis felt betrayed for Kallisto for not telling the truth and turned her former best friend into a brown bear.

Orion was one of the rare males to gain Artemis' favor and her rival in archery along with her brother. He was a rare exception to the goddess' exclusively female group of hunters, accompanying them at hunting by her side and respecting their vows of remaining virgin. When Orion died, a saddened Artemis made him into a constellation to show her love and respect for him. However, they became bitter rivals when Orion was came back to life and was manipulated by Gaea, targeting the Amazons and her Hunters.

Others

Percy seems to be one of the few male heroes that Artemis approves of. She seems to know of his deeds before The Titan's Curse, which results in her not turning him into a jackalope when they first meet in her cabin. The goddess initially viewed her cousin as mildly amusing and tolerated his ignorance in some cases. However, Artemis' respect for Percy grew after he saved her and Annabeth from the weight of the sky so she could fight Atlas. Artemis voted heavily to reward the heroes when the other gods voted for their deaths and called Percy a 'man' instead of a 'boy' afterwards.

In The Lost Hero, Artemis secretly sent her Hunters on a mission to find Percy and bring him back to Olympus, showing her respect.

In The Chalice of the Gods, Artemis and Hermes are the two gods that Percy instantly thinks of who he thinks will be willing to give him a simple quest in exchange for the godly letters of recommendation that he needs, remember that Percy had helped them in the past, or even just remember Percy's name in the first place.

In The Titan's Curse, Artemis is shown to be impressed by Frederick Chase and his Celestial Bronze machine gun after Frederick comes to the questers' rescue. Given Artemis' general disdain for males, this is quite a feat, especially as they only met for a few minutes.

Percy Jackson (Film Series)

The Lightning Thief

Artemis was played by Ona Grauer in The Lightning Thief. She was only seen once in the film, in the throne room of Olympus on the Summer Solstice.

She appears in a form that is much older than the form she takes in the novel adaptations. Her clothing choices also appear to be more princess-like, as she is dressed in robes and jewelry that are fit for a queen.

Gallery

Trivia

  • In Homer's Iliad, Artemis is referred to as potnia thērōn (in Greek πότνια θηρῶν, “mistress of beasts”), referring to her role as a hunter and protector of wild creatures.
  • She has a collection of furs belonging to many creatures, some of which may be extinct as Percy knows some of them that were hanging in her tent.
  • Artemis shares jurisdiction over childbirth and midwifery with her half-sister Eileithyia.
  • Though she is said to be the protector of young women, Artemis is said to have been appeased of crimes by the sacrifice of young women, such as Agamemnon's daughter, Iphigenia.
    • However, some versions say Artemis took Iphigenia from the pyre seconds before it was lit without Agamemnon or his men being aware. In the series, Iphigenia appears among the Hunters in The Dark Prophecy. Artemis could have only pretended to want young women sacrificed while secretly rescuing them, not just from the pyres but from whatever society they lived in.
  • Artemis has temples and shrines in Olympus, as seen in The Last Olympian when Thalia stated this after seeing Kronos destroy a shrine to Artemis.
  • The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
  • A minor planet, (105) Artemis, a lunar crater, the Artemis Chasma and the Artemis Corona (both on Venus) have all been named after her.
  • NASA announced that their mission to the moon in 2024 would be named after Artemis.
  • Artemis is one of only three current Olympians who is a virgin.
  • According to one source, Artemis was born a day before Apollo and then served as a guardian to him, which provided a context for her desire to protect and nurture.
  • Ancient Greek tradition held that Artemis and Apollo were born on the sixth and seventh day of Thargelion, the eleventh month in the Athenian calendar, and the Thargelia festival was held every year to commemorate the occasion.
  • In myth, Artemis's bow and arrows, chariot, and clothing are typically described as golden rather than silver.
  • According to many myths, the Hunters of Artemis are nymphs and Artemis is the source of their lifeforce.​​​​​​
  • In late Ancient Greece, Artemis came to be part of a triad with Selene and Hecate. Three goddesses that had so much in common they were often conflated with each other. This is how she became known as a moon goddess.
  • In myth, Artemis has a cruel side: When Niobe boasted that her childbearing was better than Leto's (Artemis' mother), Artemis killed all six of Niobe's children.
  • One source says Zeus put Orion in the stars at Artemis' request.
  • Diana, a crater on the moon, is named after her Roman counterpart.
  • 78 Diana, an asteroid, is named after her Roman counterpart.
  • Her Egyptian equivalents (in terms of attributes) are Khonsu, Pakhet, Thoth and Neith.
  • Her Norse equivalents are Skaði and Ullr.
  • While not the first to appear, Artemis was the first character to both physically appear and be identified as LGBTQ+.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Core Series: The Lightning Thief | The Sea of Monsters | The Titan's Curse | The Battle of the Labyrinth | The Last Olympian
Main Characters: Percy Jackson | Grover Underwood | Annabeth Chase | Tyson | Clarisse La Rue | Thalia Grace | Nico di Angelo | Chiron | Luke Castellan | Rachel Elizabeth Dare
Secondary Characters: Sally Jackson | Travis Stoll | Connor Stoll | Mrs. O'Leary | Silena Beauregard | Charles Beckendorf | Paul Blofis | Blackjack | Zoë Nightshade | Bianca di Angelo | Juniper | Ethan Nakamura | Daedalus
Minor Characters: Gabe Ugliano | Argus | Tantalus | Hylla Ramírez-Arellano | Frederick Chase | Michael Yew | May Castellan | Austin Lake | Kayla Knowles | Maria di Angelo | Will Solace | Elevator Security Guard
Olympian Gods: Zeus | Hera | Poseidon | Demeter | Ares | Athena | Apollo | Artemis | Hephaestus | Aphrodite | Hermes | Dionysus | Hades | Hestia
Minor Gods: Amphitrite | Ariadne | Ganymede | Hecate | Iris | Janus | Morpheus | Nemesis | Pan | Phobos | Deimos | Persephone | Triton
Titans: Kronos | Atlas | Calypso | Iapetus | Krios | Hyperion | Oceanus | Prometheus
Mythical Creatures: Minotaur | Centaur | Furies | Satyr | Cyclops | Manticore | Ophiotaurus | Nemean Lion | Empousa
Related Content: Rick Riordan | Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief | Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters | The Demigod Files | Demigods and Monsters | The Ultimate Guide | The Heroes of Olympus | The Trials of Apollo | Percy Jackson Demigod Collection | The Lightning Thief: Illustrated Edition | Disney+ Series
The Heroes of Olympus
Core Series: The Lost Hero | The Son of Neptune | The Mark of Athena | The House of Hades | The Blood of Olympus
Main Characters: Jason Grace | Piper McLean | Leo Valdez | Percy Jackson | Frank Zhang | Hazel Levesque | Annabeth Chase | Iapetus/Bob | Reyna Ramírez-Arellano | Nico di Angelo | Gleeson Hedge
Secondary Characters: Hylla Ramírez-Arellano | Dakota | Tyson | Ella | Octavian | Halcyon Green | Dr. Howard Claymore | Alabaster C. Torrington | Lamia
Minor Characters: Rachel Elizabeth Dare | Grover Underwood | Thalia Grace | Clarisse La Rue | Fleecy | Mrs. O'Leary | Kinzie | Arion | Calypso | Lou Ellen Blackstone | Chiron | Will Solace | Tristan McLean | Don | Julia | Jacob | Michael Varus | Burly Black | Medea | Midas | Lityerses | Phineas | Otrera | Echo | Narcissus | Sciron | Pasiphaë | Lycaon
Olympian Gods: Zeus | Hera | Poseidon | Hades | Ares | Demeter | Athena | Apollo | Artemis | Hephaestus | Aphrodite | Hermes | Dionysus
Minor Gods: Achelous | Aeolus | Asclepius | Boreas | Eurus | Hecate | Iris | Hypnos | Keto | Khione | Kymopoleia | Mithras | Nemesis | Nike | Notus | Phorcys | Serapis | Thanatos | Triptolemus | Zephyros
Roman Gods: Jupiter | Juno | Neptune | Pluto | Mars | Minerva | Ceres | Lupa | Bellona | Fortuna | Janus | Terminus | Vulcan | Mercury | Apollo (Roman) | Diana | Venus | Bacchus | Pomona | Aquilon | Hercules | Cupid | Auster | Favonius | Letus | Victoria
Giants: Enceladus | Porphyrion | Alcyoneus | Polybotes | Ephialtes | Otis | Damasen | Clytius | Mimas | Orion | Hippolytos | Thoon | Periboia
Undead: Gray | Zombie
Primordial Gods: Gaea | Tartarus | Ourae | Nyx | Chaos | Ouranos | Akhlys | Hemera | Elpis | Spes
Monsters and Magical Creatures: Cynocephali | Gorgon | Gryphon | Harpy | Basilisk | Lycanthrope | Gegeines | Cyclops | Katobleps | Unicorn | Giant Eagle | Ichthyocentaur | Satyr/Faun | Storm Spirit | Laistrygonian Giant | Lares
Related Content: Rick Riordan | Haley Riordan | Percy Jackson and the Olympians | Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Ultimate Guide | The Demigod Files | The Demigod Diaries | The Son of Sobek | The Singer of Apollo | The Staff of Serapis | Percy Jackson's Greek Gods | Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes | The Crown of Ptolemy | Demigods & Magicians | Demigods of Olympus | Percy Jackson Demigod Collection
The Trials of Apollo
Core Series: The Hidden Oracle | The Dark Prophecy | The Burning Maze | The Tyrant's Tomb | The Tower of Nero
Main Characters: Apollo/Lester Papadopolous | Meg McCaffrey | Percy Jackson | Peaches | Leo Valdez | Calypso | Grover Underwood | Piper McLean | Jason Grace | Reyna Ramírez-Arellano | Frank Zhang | Hazel Levesque | Lavinia Asimov | Nico di Angelo | Will Solace | Rachel Elizabeth Dare
Secondary Characters: Chiron | Austin Lake | Kayla Knowles | Hemithea | Josephine | Georgina | Lityerses | Trophonius | Gleeson Hedge | Mellie | Chuck Hedge | Medea | Herophile | Crest | Don | Tyson | Ella | Tarquin | Luguselwa | Claudia | Janice | Blaise
Minor Characters: Sally Jackson | Thalia Grace | Mrs. O'Leary | Festus | Cade | Mikey | Harley | Connor Stoll | Miranda Gardiner | Cecil Markowitz | Ellis Wakefield | Sherman Yang | Damien White | Malcolm Pace | Paolo Montes | Valentina Diaz | Germani | Agamethus | Olujime | Phillip McCaffrey | Hunter Kowalski | Sssssarah | Prickly Pear | Aloe Vera | Joshua | Naevius Sutorius Macro | Incitatus | Tristan McLean | Bombilo | Aurum | Argentum | Julia | Jacob | Dakota | Poison Oak | Screech-Bling | Annabeth Chase | Elon | Mamurius Veturius | Mimi
Olympian Gods (Greek & Roman): Zeus/Jupiter | Hera/Juno | Poseidon/Neptune | Demeter/Ceres | Ares/Mars | Athena/Minerva | Apollo/Apollo (Roman) | Artemis/Diana | Hephaestus/Vulcan | Aphrodite/Venus | Hermes/Mercury | Dionysus/Bacchus | Hades/Pluto
Minor Gods: Nero | Commodus | Caligula | Iris | Britomartis | Styx | Terminus | Lupa | Terpsichore | Harpocrates | Cardea
Titans: Rhea | Leto | Mnemosyne | Helios
Monsters and Magical Creatures: Python | Nosoi | Karpos | Palikos | Myrmekes | Colossus Neronis | Blemmyae | Gryphon | Carthaginian Serpent | Scythian Dracaena | Cynocephali | Centaur | Cyclops | Yale | Satyr/Faun | Strix | Dryad | Dragon | Pandai | Eurynomos | Skeleton Warriors | Vrykolakai | Khromandae | Amphisbaena | Troglodyte | Tauri Sylvestres
Related Content: Rick Riordan | Percy Jackson and the Olympians | The Heroes of Olympus | Demigods & Magicians | Camp Half-Blood Confidential | Camp Jupiter Classified: A Probatio's Journal | Percy Jackson Demigod Collection | Un Natale Mezzosangue | The Sun and the Star: A Nico di Angelo Adventure
Advertisement