From thy woodlands great
I call unto thee.
I have answered thee
In the dark of night.
Thy hands have fed me,
And I am full.
Thou Huntress of the Night,
Divine Protectress,
Keeper of all Mysteries,
Let thy light flood me with wisdom
And thy presence fill me.
I have answered thee
In the early morn.
Thy song has comforted me
And I am strong.
Great Goddess of Moon and Magic,
Mistress of the deer and owl,
Be thou my guide and inspiration.
Teach me thy mysteries,
And lead me in thy ways.
For I have seen thee beneath the cool, dark night,
And I have answered thee.
Notes on Artemis
Artemis was the "Lady of the Wild Things". In Artemis Brauronia (a precinct of Athens), the arkteria ("bear-service") was performed by the young women. The girls wore yellow bear skins and danced in a crouch bear position before the Goddess Artemis. A goat was then sacrificed. This ritual kept the girls safe from marriage for another year. Eventually, a saffron robe was used instead of the bear skin and, in place of the bear dance, the robes were dedicated to the Goddess.
Artemis shares with Apollo the ministry of death to mortals, reflecting the "darker underworld side of the Earth Mother". (Harrison p119) She is the Goddess of beasts, the earth, the moon and the hunt. As Artemis Agrotera, she was paid homage by hunters. They would pour a libation, crown her statue with flowers and sing hymns to her. (Harrison, "Mythology" pp 112-129) They would offer the first fruits of the game taken. They would then feast together with their dogs, whom they would also crown with flowers.
Artemis is one of the 12 Olympian gods. She is the daughter of Zeus and Leto and the twin sister of Apollo. She is also associated with Selene and Hecate. She was universally worshipped in Greece, Delos, Crete, Sicily and southern Italy. Armed with a silver bow, she is the "Rainer of Arrows" and uses arrows to punish, heal and reward. Sudden death in women is also attributed to Artemis.
Artemis was born without pain and is, therefore, invoked by women in childbirth. She is known as Ilythyia (the birth-goddess). She was born on the island of Ortygia, after which she helped her mother cross the water to the island of Delos, where she acted as mid-wife at the birth of Apollo. Her father, Zeus, took her on his knee and asked what gifts she wanted. She asked for eternal virginity and became one of the three goddesses whose heart cannot be moved by the power of Aphrodite (the others are Athena and Hestia). She also asked for a bow and arrows like Apollo's. She requested for 60 ocean nymphs to be her companions and 20 river nymphs from Crete to look after her hunting gear and hounds. She also asked for all the mountains in the world and one city. Zeus also made her the goddess of roads and harbors.
She captured alive two pairs of golden-horned, bronzed-hooved stags and harnessed them to a golden chariot. She jealously guards the honor of her mother and brother and sends heavy punishments on those who fail to giver due honor (such as first fruits, etc.).
She was called "Laphria" by the Calydonians. They would set up a circle of green logs around her altar. At the end of the procession which marched to the temple, the maiden priestess would ride in a car drawn by a deer. The next day, great numbers of live animals were hurled on to the fire lit by the green logs.
She was also called "Hermasia" (She who soothes), because her sanctuary at Melampus cured the daughters of Proetus of their madness. At Pyrrihicus in Laconia, where she stayed the advance of the Amazons, she was called "Astrateia". At Ephesus, she was known as Artemis Polymastus (Many-breasted); and she was worshipped as a fertility goddess whose symbol is the bee. ("The New Century Handbook of Greek Mythology and Legend")
As a goddess of nature and fecundity, Artemis was not always regarded as a virgin (in its modern definition). She was concerned with the loss of virginity and childbirth and encouraged women to be fruitful. In some places, maidens would offer a lock of their hair to her before marriage. Euripides says that Artemis, in her capacity of mid-wife, would not even speak to childless women. ("The Golden Bough; The Magic Art Vol. 1")
Names of Artemis
* Agrotera (Huntress)
* Coryphaea (Of the Peak)
* Limnaea and Limnatis (Of the Lake)
* Daphnaea (Of the Laurel)
* Lyceia or Lycea (Wolfish)
* Aeginea (Goat-Goddess)
* Caryatis (Of the Walnut tree)
* Cedreatis (Of the Cedar)
* Eurippa (Horse-finder)
* Hiereia (Priestess)
* Pyronia (Fire-Goddess)
* Peitho (Persuasion)
* Selasphorus and Phosphorus (Light-bearer)
* Ariste (Best)
* Calliste (Fairest)
* Paedotrophus (Nurse of Children)
Attributes of Artemis
* bow and quiver
* torch
* javelin
* crescent
Sacred to Artemis
* Laurel
* Fir tree
* hind
* bear
* dog
* boar
Hymns and Verses to Artemis
"Come with bows bent and with emptying of quivers,
Maiden most perfect, lady of light,
With a noise of winds and many rivers,
With a clamour of waters and with might,
Bind on thy sandals, O thou most fleet,
Over the splendor and speed of thy feet;
For the faint east quickens, the wan west shivers
Round the feet of the day and the feet of the night."
(Swinburne, "Atlanta")
"Maiden of the Mere, Timarete here brings,
Before she weds, her cymbals, her dear ball
To Thee, a Maid, her maiden offerings,
Her snood, her maiden dolls, their clothes and all.
Hold, Leto's Child, above Timarete
Thine hand and keep her virginal like thee."
("Anthology" [an offering before marriage])
"Hail to thee, Maiden blest, Proudest and holiest:
God's daughter, great in bliss,
Leto-born, Artemis!
Hail to thee, Maiden, far
Fairest of all that are,
Yea, and most high thine home,
Child of the Father's Hall;
Hear, O most virginal,
Hear, O most fair of all,
In high God's golden dome."
by Andrea E. Feeser
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