Artemis (better known to us by her Roman name of Diana) was the daughter of Zeus by the Titan goddess Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo. Her origins are probably in much older religions; she is associated with wildness, the moon, and chastity, and her followers sometimes practised human sacrifice. Artemis spent most of her time in the woods and mountains with her band of female followers. Any man who pursued them was in danger; they might meet the fate of Actaeon, who surprised Diana bathing and was turned into a stag and killed by his own hounds.
Although Artemis is portrayed as less involved in mortal affairs than most of the Greek gods, she did play a role in the epic of Troy. Agamemnon of Mycaenae killed a stag sacred to the goddess. In her fury, she denied him a wind with which to sail to Troy and join the war, until he sacrificed his own daughter. In some versions, Artemis secretly rescued the girl, Iphigenia, but in any case the act cost Agamemnon his life, as his wife later murdered him in revenge.
Although Artemis is portrayed as less involved in mortal affairs than most of the Greek gods, she did play a role in the epic of Troy. Agamemnon of Mycaenae killed a stag sacred to the goddess. In her fury, she denied him a wind with which to sail to Troy and join the war, until he sacrificed his own daughter. In some versions, Artemis secretly rescued the girl, Iphigenia, but in any case the act cost Agamemnon his life, as his wife later murdered him in revenge.
