Artemis
– ancient Greek goddess (Roman name Diana) of hunt, daughter of
Zeus
and Leto, twin sister of Apollo. Artemis
was always a virgin and eternally young, with no interests beyond hunting.
Like her brother, her weapon was the bow. Her arrows inflicted sudden death
without pain. She was vindictive and there were many who suffered from
her anger.
See: François Boucher. Diana
Leaving Her Bath. Diana after
the Hunt.
Correggio Diana.
Pierre-Auguste Renoir Diana.
Peter Paul Rubens and Frans Snyders Diana
Returning from the Chase.
Jan Vermeer Diana
and Her Companions.
Paolo Veronese. Diana.
Callisto – Jupiter, the principle god
of Roman mythology (corresponds to Greek Zeus) impregnates the nymph
Callisto, who is in retinue of Diana, the chaste goddess, and therefore
also sworn to chastity. As they bathe together, the goddess discovers that
Callisto is pregnant and rejects her.
See: Titian Diana and Callisto.
Actaeon – the hunter, who came across Diana and her nymphs as
they were bathing. As he had seen the chaste goddess naked she turned him
into a stag; in the shape of the stag Actaeon was torn apart by his own
dogs who failed to recognize him.
See: Thomas Gainsborough Diana
and Actaeon.
Titian Diana and Actaeon.
Diana and Endymion. In later times Romans began associate the
goddess Diana (Artemis) with Selene (goddess of Moon), who, unlike
Diana, was not famous for her chastity. With this Diana/Selene and Endymion,
a young shepherd of great beauty, the following legend deals: when Selene
saw Endymion, she fell violently in love and seduced him. At Selene’s request
Zeus, her father, agreed to fulfill any of his fancy. He chose the eternal
sleep, and fell asleep, remaining young forever.
François Boucher. Diana
and Endymion.
Karl Brulloff. Diana,
Endymion, and Satyr.
Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson.
Endymion
Asleep.
Nicolas Poussin. Diana
and Endymion.
Jacopo Robusti, called Tintoretto. Diana
and Endymion.