| “ | 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, (Ancient Greek: Άρτεμις) is the Greek virgin goddess of the hunt, the Moon, chastity, animals, and the wilderness. She and her twin brother Apollo are known as the "Twin Archers." Artemis' handmaidens are chaste maidens who have turned their back from the company of men and have taken a pledge, which if Artemis accepts, to be part of the Hunters of Artemis, and will become immortal and serve her for eternity, most especially during a hunt. Her Roman counterpart is Diana.
History
Zeus, her father
Artemis was the first born child of Zeus and Leto. Her mother was forbidden by a jealous Hera to give birth anywhere on earth or anywhere the sun shines, but the floating island of Delos. Immediately after her birth, Artemis helped her mother deliver Apollo for which is why she is sometimes called a goddess of childbirth even though she is a virgin goddess.
When she was three years old, Artemis asked her father to grant her a wish. She desired (among other things) a silver bow and to be called many different names. She held a passion for hunting and wanted to roam the wilderness forever. As Artemis was Zeus' favorite daughter and he held a special pride for her, Zeus granted her wish. He also took a vow on the River Styx that he would never force her to marry or have children.
Artemis once befriended a huntsman named Orion. Orion was a man who had broken the hearts of many women. Apollo knew of his treachery, but Artemis didn't. Apollo decided to kill him. While Orion was bathing, Apollo challenged Artemis to shoot Orion in the head, which was bobbing above the water. Not knowing it was her companion, Artemis shot him. Other versions say that Orion was escaping from a scorpion, sent by Artemis and Apollo, towards Eo's island, Eos being his current girlfriend. Artemis had already found out when Orion tried to seduce her hunter Opis. The scorpion never caught him in this version, but he was shot by Artemis who had been challenged, once again, by Apollo to shoot the bobbing object in the distance. Orion died, but Artemis put him in the stars with the scorpion constantly chasing him. But According to Homer and Hesiod, Gaea , not Apollo, had sent the giant scorpion to kill Orion because he threatened to kill every beast on earth. The scorpion succeeded in doing its job. In a version by Aratus, Orion took hold of Artemis' robe and she killed him in self-defense.
Many stories were told of Artemis defending her virginity from others, including the giant Otus, who had tried to seize her for his wife. Others such as Actaeon were punished for accidentally seeing her nude. Many of Artemis' myths placed her in the role of an avenger. She is said to have caused quick deaths to her victims with her silver arrows.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
The Titan's Curse
Artemis, along with her hunters, makes her first appearance. She helps Percy and his friends when they face the manticore at Westover Hall and goes on a mission west to hunt the Ophiotaurus, and promises Percy that she will look for Annabeth while hunting for this monster. She is captured by the General, Atlas, and is used to lure Percy and his friends west to save Annabeth. Artemis was convinced to hold the sky, in pity to Annabeth. Artemis could not simply stand by and watch a young maiden die, and she takes the sky from Annabeth.
Percy Jackson, a man whom Artemis respects.
As Percy, Thalia, and Zoë arrive to rescue her, Zoë gives her life to stop Atlas from stabbing Artemis. Meanwhile, Percy takes the sky from Artemis so she can fight Atlas, as Percy was no match for theTitan. During the fight, Artemis forces Atlas back and he is eventually pushed back under the sky as Percy rolls out of the way. 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, and appears fair and honest, as she is 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.
The Last Olympian
Artemis appears again when she battles Typhon. Her Hunters help the Campers of Camp Half-Blood fight against Kronos' army. One of her hunters, Thalia, had a statue of Hera fall on her legs during The Battle of Manhattan. In the council, after Kronos was defeated, she 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 Tam, Hazel tells him about Camp Jupiter's assault on the Titan base. Percy has a flashback of fighting there, remembering when he was there with Artemis, Zoë and Thalia fighting Atlas, but he couldn't remember their names, and the memory soon leaves him. It is also mentioned by Hylla as she explains to Hazel difference between the hunter and the Amazons.
Personality
Artemis possesses a deep caring for maidens, especially for maidens whom she presides over. Unlike her twin, she is less "easy-going" and more focused with a much greater understanding of mortals than most of the gods. Although she is reasonable, Artemis holds a general dislike of men, only acknowledging and respecting those who prove themselves. Artemis is shown to be an independent goddess who prefers the company of her hunters to even that of other gods. She loves hunting and is associated with the moon, which Apollo mentioned happened during the Roman era when the former goddess of the moon faded.
Although less easy-going than her brother, and despite her general disapproval of boys, she is one of the more sympathetic of the Olympians, and weighs individuals by their acts and choices, as opposed to their potential.
Appearance
She can appear as whatever she likes, but chooses to be the average age of her Hunters, which is around twelve, though in the film she is seen as a full grown woman. She has auburn colored hair and eyes as silvery yellow as the moon, and is incredibly beautiful. Percy describes her face as breathtakingly beautiful. Her cabin is number eight at Camp Half-Blood, which is mostly noted for its silver color and silver aura that shines during the night when the moon rises.
Diana
Diana
Artemis can change her appearance into her Roman counterpart of Diana. As Diana, she becomes more disciplined, militaristic, and warlike. The Greeks envisioned Artemis as an independent and vigorous goddess of the wilderness while the Romans depicted Diana additionally as the goddess of the moon.
Abilities
As a daughter of Zeus, Artemis is a very powerful goddess.
- Prowess in Battle: Artemis is shown to be formidable in battle, due to her amazing agility and expertise with fighting with a bow and arrows, as well as long hunting knives. She is shown to be able to hold her own against very strong opponents, even the Titan General Atlas. Due to her skill in battle, she was trusted to kill any powerful monsters Kronos would try to recruit in The Titan's Curse.
- She excels at fighting with a bow and arrows, and long hunting knives.
- Enhanced Hunting: As the goddess of the hunt, Artemis has the same advanced hunting powers her Hunters have, but to a much greater extent.
- She has the ability to control animals associated with hunting, such as wolves and hawks.
- She has enhanced speed, aim, and precision, since she was able to split Dr. Thorn's spikes in-midair.
- She may have a dynamic camoflage ability.
- She can replenish the animals she kills.
- She can transform ordinary things into things associated with hunting.
- She can help heroes more directly since wild animals and monsters are in her domain.
- She can communicate with wild animals
- She can see clearly in the night.
- Creating Constellations: Artemis can transform people into constellations once they have passed, such as Zoë Nightshade.
Items
She has silver bow and arrows, a pair of hunting knives and a silver chariot which she rides in pulled by deer.This later gave mortals the idea of Santa Claus.
Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon
Artemis has two sides of her, the fierce and lively goddess of the Hunt and the mysterious and serene goddess of the Moon. In her two sides, she is mostly seen as the the Goddess of Hunt, where she wears a short tunic with her hair into a ponytail, holding a bow and quiver and mostly with her golden stag. When she is the Goddess of the Moon, she wears a long gossamer dress and has her hair held up.
Relationships
Percy Jackson
Percy seems to be one of the few males that Artemis approves of. She seems to know of his deeds before The Titan's Curse which is the result of her not turning him into a jackalope when they first meet. Artemis also views him as mildly amusing and tolerates his ignorance in some cases. Artemis grew major respect for Percy when he saved her from the weight of the sky to allow her to fight Atlas. This also played into part when Artemis voted heavily when the other gods voted for their deaths.
In The Lost Hero, is said that Artemis secretly sent her Hunters in a mission to find him and bring him back to Olympus.
Leto
Artemis, along with her twin brother, Apollo, showed great love for their mother, Leto. An example of this is shown when Queen Niobe insulted Leto, Artemis and Apollo sought revenge. They killed Niobe's seven daughters and seven sons. It is said that Artemis spared the youngest daughter of Niobe. It is also said that the gods took pity on Niobe and turned her into a stone.
Apollo, her brother.
Apollo
Artemis is mostly seen as to be annoyed and distant from Apollo, maybe because of her strict attitude towards men and him for being so carefree. Though in most parts they are shown to be arguing, Artemis and Apollo show a strong bond between siblings, as depicted in The Titan's Curse when Apollo breaks the law in helping Percy to save Artemis.
Zoë Nightshade
Zoë Nightshade was the former Lieutenant of the Hunters. Zoë was fiercely loyal to Artemis ever since she became a Huntress. Despite knowing that she'd be the one to "die by a parent's hand", she went on the quest because she wanted to save Artemis. When Zoë dies, Artemis turns her into a constellation, "the Huntress", depicting a girl with a bow running across the night sky. Artemis is so upset by Zoë's death that she flicked with silver light.
Orion
This was the only demigod who Artemis fell in love with. She was forbidden to having mortal affairs, Zeus and the other Olympians knew that and Aphrodite isn't supposed to make her fall in love with someone. But Apollo , saw this differently. He thought Orion was using Artemis, so he shot him when he was sitting in the woods, alone. When Artemis found out Orion died, not knowing Apollo killed him, she swore to the River Styx to never fall in love again. She released him to the sky to be a constellation, just like Zoë Nightshade.
The Hunters
Thalia Grace, Artemis' lieutenant.
The Hunters are Artemis' handmaidens, young maidens who are given the gift of immortality, or rather technically the gift of eternal youth, the skill of archery, superhuman strength, speed and dexterity. The Hunters had a choice whether to be this way or remain normal. A hunter must not fall in love or rather more specifically, lose her maidenhood, for she loses her immortality as a result dies, or she will die in battle. They are the closest thing to children Artemis has. While the Hunters cannot die of natural causes, they can be killed, albeit more difficult to do so.
Notable Hunters
- Zoë Nightshade (deceased)
- Thalia Grace
- Bianca di Angelo (deceased)
- Phoebe
Being a Virgin Goddess
- Main article: Virgin goddesses
Artemis - Selene - Hecate
Artemis is one of the virgin goddesses on Mount Olympus besides Athena and Hestia.
Hestia, Athena, and Artemis made an oath on the River Styx to Zeus saying that they would not marry and would stay virgins for eternity.
Artemis is one of the goddesses that make up the triple goddess symbol:
- The Maiden -waxing moon- Artemis, represents the huntress on earth
- The Mother -full moon- Selene, represents the moon in the heavens
- The Crone -waning moon- Hecate, represents the Underworld
Artemis' Chariot
- Main article: Artemis' Chariot
Artemis' chariot can fly. Artemis' chariot is made out of silver and pulled by four golden horned deer. The bridles of her chariot are made out of silver as well. Her chariot gave mortals the idea of Santa Claus.
Film
The Lightning Thief
Artemis was played by Ona Grauer. She was only seen once in the film, in the throne room of Olympus on the Summer solstice.
Trivia
- Originally Artemis was the goddess of Dawn and Frost. Although after a while her dominion over both went to Eos as she was the dawn personified.
- In myth, the sole reason Artemis was sometimes considered a goddess of the moon was because others perceived her to be either Selene or Hecate
- In The Titan's Curse, it is said she likes to turn boys who see the Hunters' camp into jackalopes.
- In The Titan's Curse, she had found a respect for Percy and even called him a 'man' instead of a 'boy' after she and Annabeth were rescued. This respect went so far as to have the Hunters search for Percy.
- Artemis, being the goddess of Hunt, has a collection of furs belonging to many creatures, some maybe extinct since Percy didn't know some of them that were hanging in Artemis' tent.
- She has temples or shrines in Olympus as seen in The Last Olympian when Thalia stated this after seeing Kronos destroy a shrine to Artemis.
- A minor planet, (105) Artemis, a lunar crater, the Artemis Chasma and the Artemis Corona (both on Venus) have all been named after her.
- 78 Diana, an asteroid, is named after her Roman counterpart.
- Diana, a crater on moon, is named after her Roman counterpart.
- Artemis is the only goddess that is described as having auburn hair.
- Artemis has placed two people in the stars: Orion and Zoë.
Gallery
