INTRODUCING DIANA/ARTEMIS

DIANA

An Italo-Roman Goddess identified with Artemis. Protectress of femininity.
The two oldest of her shrines were the one at Capua, where she went by the name Diana Tifatina, and the one at Aricia, which is on the shores of lake Nemi, near Rome, here she went by the name of Diana Nemorensis, Diana of the Woods. Diana of Nemi was Taurian Artemis, and brought to Italy by Orestes.

Artemis had given sanctuary to Hippolytus after his death and resurrection at the hands of Asclepius. She had brought him to Italy and hidden him under another name in her sanctuary at Aricia, where he was made priest in charge.
Hippolytus was identified with Virbius.
At Capua a legend exists about a hind that is sacred to Diana, an incredibly long lived animal whose fate was tied up with the preservation of the city.



ARTEMIS


Identified with Diana, she is said to of been the daughter of Demeter, but is usually regarded as the twin sister of Apollo,their parents being Zeus and Leto.
Artemis, the elder twin was born in Delos and helped her mother birth her brother.
Artemis was always a virgin and eternally young, an untame girl whose interests rarely went beyond hunting. Like her brother, her weapon was the bow which she used for hunting stags and mortals, she also inflicted pain on women that died in child birth.
She was vindictive and there were many that suffered from her anger. One of her actions was to assist Apollo in killing the children of Niobe. They done this out of love for their mother, who was insulted by Niobe.
It was in defence of Leto that Artemis and Apollo killed the dragon that came to attack them, the dragon was killed in the same way as they killed Tityus, who was trying to violate Leto.

Artemis took part in the battle against the giants, where she killed Gration. She also destroyed the Aloadae and killed the monster Bouphagus. Other victims of Artemis included Orion and Actaeon who like Orion was a hunter. He owed his death to the wrath of Artemis.
Artemis was also responsible for the Hunt of the boar of Calydon, which led to the death of the huntsman Meleager. Another death that Artemis was responsible for was that of Callisto.
All relate to hunting and depict a ferocious Goddess of the woods and mountains who usually kept company of wild beasts.
The Ceryneian Hind was sacred to Apollo and Artemis, which Heracles Killed, Artemis and Apollo appeared before him and demanded an explanation, Heracles blamed Eurystheus.
Artemis was held in Honour in all the wild and mountanous areas of Greece. In Arcadia and in the country of Sparta, in Laconia on Mount Taygetus and in Ellis. Her most famous shrine was at Ephesus. She was closely associated with the moon as Apollo was to the sun. Not all Artemis cults had lunar significance.
Artemis absorbed some cults that practiced human sacrifice, such as those in Tauris. Artemis was the protecting Deity of the Amazons who like her, were warriors and Huntresses and independent of men.

Blessed Be:)

Cyreon Hp

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