Myth
Artemis is the twin sister of Apollo, the sun god. Their mother, Leto, is a nature deity, the daughter of two titans, and their father is the supreme god of Olympus, Zeus.
Leto conceived twins from Zeus - Apollo and Artemis - out of wedlock. And the wife of the thunderer, Hera, sent the serpent Python to pursue the unfortunate pregnant woman everywhere, not allowing her to stop.Finally, Summer found refuge on the deserted island of Delos.
Artemis was born first and helped Leto during Apollo's long and difficult labor. For nine days and nine nights, Leto suffered terrible pain caused by the efforts of the vengeful Hera. Artemis, who became a midwife for her mother, was revered as the patroness of childbirth. Women turned to her, calling her “healer of pain” and “no pain.” They prayed to her to ease their labor pains and help them give birth to a child, or to grant them an “easy death” from her arrows.

When Artemis was three years old, Leto took her to Olympus to introduce her to Zeus and her divine relatives. The Hymn to Artemis says that she sat on the lap of her magnificent father, who caressed her with the words: “When goddesses bear me children like this, the wrath of jealous Hera does not frighten me. My little daughter, you will have everything you "as you wish."
Artemis asked for a bow and arrows, a pack of hounds for hunting, a retinue of nymphs, a tunic short enough for running, wild forests and mountains at her disposal - and eternal chastity. Father Zeus willingly provided all this to her. All this plus a privilege make your own choice.
Artemis became the protector of babies and all animals that suck milk, as well as teenagers and young animals. In the classical era, Artemis became an absolute virgin and guardian of chastity. Therefore, before the wedding, an atoning sacrifice is made to her. She is the goddess of wild forests, predators and game, hunting and hunters. She competes with men, primarily with her brother Apollo.

Artemis was the guardian of roads, which brought her closer to Hecate, the guardian of night paths and crossroads. These goddesses made up the lunar triad Artemis-Selene-Hecate, which can also be imagined as the triune goddess Hecate.

Archetype
Artemis, goddess of the hunt and the Moon, personifies the independence of the feminine spirit. As an archetype, she gives a woman the right to pursue her own goals in her chosen field.

Virgin Goddess [ 2]
As a virgin goddess, Artemis is immune to love. She was not subjected to violence, did not know marital ties. The archetype of the virgin goddess is expressed in a feeling of untouchedness, self-sufficiency, it determines the life position “I can take care of myself” and allows a woman to act confidently, independently and independently. A woman feels whole, does not need a male protector, pursues her own interests and chooses an area of ​​activity without needing male approval. Her self-definition and sense of self-worth are based more on who she is and what she does than on whether she is married or to whom.

Sister [ 1]
Of the family ties for the goddess Artemis, the main one was her relationship with her brother Apollo. The Artemis archetype is associated primarily with the image of the Sister and sisterhood How with both men and women.
The Sister archetype does not always allow you to be an even and calm friend and companion: it often encourages you to start competing and compete with men. In this case, it is extremely important for a woman to be “no worse than a man.” Achieving certain goals and, most importantly, following your principles turns out to be much more important than arranging your “woman's destiny.”
Artemis is a sister-friend to other girls. For her, there is no rivalry with other women over a man.and home. It is possible only where it is necessary to prove one’s ability to act and fight, one’s best qualities, often physical or volitional.

Shooter focused on target
Goddess of the hunt, Artemis the marksman can choose any target close or far away. When going in pursuit of prey, she knows that her arrows will unerringly reach their targets. The Artemis archetype gives a woman the ability to completely focus on the subject that is important to her and not pay attention to the needs of others. Perhaps competing with other people only increases her excitement from the “hunt.” Focus and persistent pursuit of goals help Artemis achieve success. This archetype makes it possible to achieve the desired result independently, without outside help.

"Wild Huntress"
Artemis-goddess - archer, hunter. The bow has long been perceived as a weapon (and tool) wild person. Archery and reaching the target with an arrow always come as a surprise to the victim. The huntress Artemis establishes and observes the laws of the wild world, natural nature, practically undisturbed by man. In all this there is patient waiting and tension, caution and swiftness, accuracy, dexterity and hope for chance and luck, composure and a thirst for murder.
It is the Artemis archetype that attracts a woman to deserted places and wild nature. Thanks to him, a woman comes to terms with herself and, when wandering through deserted forests and mountains, falls asleep under the moon and stars or, looking into the distance, walks along the deserted seaside, experiencing a feeling of unity with existence.

Protector of the weak
The goddess Artemis was the protector of children, teenagers (youth) and women. She nurtured and protected new young life, all the young and simple-minded, as well as those who gave them life - mothers. Artemis herself had youthful fearlessness and straightforwardness, and she became the protector of the world of the young.
Nowadays, we see the trace of Artemis wherever it comes to the real protection of children, youth, women or wildlife. But the support and protection of Artemis is different from the protection of Demeter. The latter helps in a maternal way, calming and consoling the offended, looking for a shelter for a kitten, taking in a friend and children who left her husband. Artemis does not give so much affection to the weak and defenseless; she will only take care of their safety and, if possible, punish the offender. She is driven primarily by the desire for justice and the need to commit an act. Each time she is able to prove that “all power lies in truth,” with feminine persistence and masculine aggressiveness.

Woman Artemis

Childhood and parents
The qualities of Artemis appear in girls at a very early age. Usually little Artemis is active and completely absorbed in learning new subjects. Encouraged by Artemis to explore new territories, the girl climbs out of her crib or playground and goes out into the “big world.” Artemis is confident in her motivations and life principles. She protects the weak and is the first to say: “This is unfair!” Artemis girls, raised in families where preference is given to sons, cannot come to terms with this. They do not take such injustice as a “given”. Often, in a younger sister who demands equality with her brothers, one can discern a future fighter for women's rights.
The Artemis archetype is easily activated in girls from large families, where primacy and superiority are given to boys, or they themselves are older sisters, no matter brothers or sisters. Then the girl can simply imitate and copy the most successful (or powerful) behavior patterns - male ones. Or from childhood she may be accustomed to the fact that she must take care of the younger ones, or even the mother herself. In other cases, the father himself, without waiting for a son-heir, raises the girl as a boy, teaching her all sorts of “male” activities.
It is important that the parents of “Artemis”, like Leto and Zeus, are proud of their daughter and contribute to the realization of the potential of Artemis, which lies in their daughter.
Problems arise when parents criticize the Artemis in their child because she does not live up to their idea of ​​what a daughter should be. A mother who would like to have an obedient, cuddling girl, but who is forced to raise an active, limitless child, may feel disappointed and feel that she is not accepted. Also, the archetype of the virgin goddess in the daughter Artemis is strengthened due to the lack of respect for the weak mother. Trying not to be like her mother, she tries with all her might to get rid of her daughterly affection, hides her own vulnerability and, above all, strives for independence.

Adolescence and youth
In adolescence, the daughter Artemis demonstrates an innate desire to compete, showing her inherent perseverance, courage, and will to win. To achieve any goal, already at this age she is quite capable of self-restraint.
There is a certain spirit of rebellion in her. This is the time of Wild Spring, when you can do anything without getting caught and eaten. It's time for teenage rebellion. Girls in whom the Artemis archetype has manifested themselves try to learn new and unknown things, get acquainted with various companies, political or spiritual movements, and plunge into adventures. The sphere of their interests lies outside the field of relations between a man and a woman (like Aphrodite), but in the field of human relations with the whole world, the surrounding nature or the state. They also embark on adventures, but not love or sexual ones: they are drawn to multi-day kayak trips, they hitchhike throughout Europe, and go to Altai. They do not meet beautiful and rich young people in expensive foreign cars, but with unkempt, crazy ideologues of anything. They spend hours talking about loyalty and betrayal, everyone’s duty and the meaning of life. Friends and acquaintances of this period may be perceived by the girl herself as “brothers” or “just acquaintances.” She usually does not attach any erotic or matrimonial meaning to communication with them. Sex for her is often another adventure, an exploration of the world.

Job
The Artemis woman puts a lot of effort into her work. Competition and rivalry only encourage her. She won't wait for a sudden big win like Aphrodite. Or surprises that change everything, like Cora-Persephone. She will not count on well-deserved success, like Athena. She strives for victory in a situation of struggle, competition with competitors. For her, an opponent is the best incentive for action.
Besides Among various professions, we will find the most characteristic Artemis women among athletes, especially those who are engaged in group sports or where physical indicators of endurance, speed and strength are primarily important. It is not surprising that they live from competition to competition, from chance of victory to another. The goal is always clear and understandable, and the ways to achieve it are also clearly defined.
Often “Artemis” chooses the profession of a lawyer or gets another job where she can help other people. At the same time, the interests of many Artemis women are often far from any kind of commerce, are not compatible with career growth and do not provide either fame or a solid bank account. They follow unbeaten paths, pursuing goals that are incomprehensible to most, and at the same time they do not have time to either establish close relationships with people or achieve success in life. The defender of the losing side, the misunderstood reformer, the “voice of one crying in the desert” to which no one pays attention, the representative of “pure”, non-commercial art - all this is Artemis (however, in the latter case Artemis is joined by Aphrodite, with her influence on creativity and emphasis based on subjective experiences).

Relationships with women: sisterly
The Artemis woman experiences a strong sense of female solidarity. Like the goddess herself, surrounded by nymph companions, friendships with other women are very important to her. This pattern of behavior dates back to elementary school. Her “best friends” are those with whom she shared everything that is important in her life. Such friendships can last for decades.She loves to communicate with girls, can be a keeper of other people's secrets and a faithful assistant. She will always provide shelter to a friend who has left home and will do everything in her power in a difficult situation. The only thing that irritates her is the men of these women. She is not envious of the "female successes" of others, but can be extremely jealous of female friendships.
Working Artemis women easily unite in support groups, various women's organizations, societies for the guardianship of young women in one or another field of activity - all this makes it possible to express sister archetype.

Relationships with men: fraternal
A woman in whom the Artemis archetype turned out to be the most important most often in her life has brothers and lovers with whom she behaves like a sister, as well as friends whom she perceives as brothers. In general, this is her most common relationship with men. Such a woman may have a brother with whom she spends all her free time and whose affairs and interests she lives with. And he compares all his young people with his brother or chooses him in his image and likeness. But even if such a woman does not and has never had a brother, she builds brotherly-sisterly relationships of comrades, and sometimes rivals, with her men.
When “Artemis” does get married, her husband is usually a fellow student, work colleague, or competitor. In marriage, she remains a champion of equality. She is drawn to creative individuals with strong aesthetic and musical inclinations. Usually he is her intellectual equal and shares her interests. Relationships like "Artemis - Apollo" involve similar interests. Both partners can be athletes or travelers. Such common hobbies mitigate possible disagreements between them. Such relationships can lead to a marriage in which companionship will prevail over sexual relations. In such a marriage, partners are best friends. Artemis women even marry homosexuals, because above all they value friendly relations and the complete freedom of action that in such cases the partners provide each other.

Children
It is believed that the woman Artemis has no instinctive desire to become a mother. However, she loves children. If she gives birth to a child, she usually becomes a good mother - like the bear, which serves as her symbol. As a mother, she encourages independence in her children and can even be cruel in defending them. Artemis women who do not have children of their own gain satisfaction by investing energy of a young aunt in communication with someone else's child. They make good stepmothers and educators. By taking on such roles, they, like the goddess Artemis herself, patronize girls on the threshold of maturity.
Artemis mothers first of all look to the future, thinking about the time when their children will finally become independent. Active, exploratory boys and girls discover that their mother Artemis is willing to participate in all their endeavors. However, if the child is dependent and passive, such parenting methods only worsen the situation. The child may feel rejected and unable to live up to the standards imposed on him by his mother Artemis.

Average age
A woman who embodies the Artemis archetype and lacks the qualities of other goddesses experiences a midlife crisis at the age of 35-45. Artemis is an image suitable for a young, energetic woman who dreams of great achievements and is purposeful. However, as the years go by, the Artemis woman notices that there are fewer and fewer “white spots” left on the map of her life. She either succeeded in achieving her goals, or she failed and nothing can be changed.
And then she turns to her inner depths. Here she is driven more by Artemis, the goddess of the Moon, than by the goddess of the hunt. During menopause V She awakens those feelings and desires that she had until now ignored. This deep focus on oneself relates to the old woman Hecate, the goddess of the dark side of the moon, ghosts and all things supernatural. Hecate and Artemis - they were both goddesses of the moon and both wandered the earth. Their relationship is visible in the older Artemis women, who set out on the spiritual path with the same fearlessness with which they pursued other goals in their youth.

Old age
The Artemis woman retains her energy until old age. Her activity never ceases; body and mind are always in motion. In old age, she continues to think clearly, perceives the world vividly, does not feel the burden of the years she has lived and is not able to settle down. She travels, exploring new places and other countries.

Psychological problems s
Destroyer and avenger. The goddess Artemis did not hesitate to punish those whom she considered unrighteous. The Artemis archetype gives us a feeling of confidence in our own rightness - without any complex justification, simply as a fact, once accepted. It also leads to the fact that we begin to see the world in black and white, to divide people into “us” and “strangers,” “right” and “wrong.”
Contempt for weakness . A man is interesting to a woman Artemis only as long as she feels the need to hunt . If a man strives for a deep emotional relationship and thinks about marriage, the excitement of the “hunt” goes away. The Artemis woman loses interest in him and, if he shows weakness and signs of dependence, begins to treat him with contempt.
Unavailability. Artemis was nicknamed "Unavailable". The Artemis woman, who is completely absorbed in her goals and therefore does not notice the feelings of others, is characterized by an emotional distance from others. Her indifference towards the people who care about her leads to them feeling useless and rejected. This makes them angry and hurts them.

I hope you found it interesting and informative!
See you!

Photo materials taken from pinterest.com

Galina Borisovna Bednenko “Greek goddesses. Archetypes of femininity." - Series: Library of psychology and psychotherapy of the independent company “Class”, 2005
and also get acquainted with the new electronic edition of the book
Greek gods and goddesses as role archetypes: New electronic edition. - M.: Spinners, 2013
at http://halina.livejournal.com/1849206.ht ml

Jean Shinoda Bolen "Goddesses in every woman: New psychology of women. Archetypes of goddesses" Sofia publishing house, 2007

czarstvo-diva.livejournal.com 2013

Artemis is very scrupulous in matters of her veneration. She demands the first sacrifice from any prey or harvest and is very jealous of competition (like her beautiful brother, it must be said). So, she was angry with King Oeneus for not sacrificing the first fruits of the harvest to her, and sent the Calydonian boar to his kingdom. King Agamemnon paid for his vanity when he not only killed the sacred doe of Artemis, but also boasted to the goddess, declaring that Artemis herself could not have surpassed him in accuracy. For this he had to sacrifice his own daughter Iphigenia. Although, it must be said, Artemis took pity on the innocent girl and sent her as a priestess to her temple, but Agamemnon’s family life was destroyed: his wife - and Iphigenia’s mother - killed him upon returning home. So the curse of Artemis, the protector and avenger, nevertheless came true. The prerogative of this goddess was to bring death not only easy and painless, but also unexpected.

In the classical era, Artemis became an absolute virgin and guardian of chastity. Therefore, before the wedding, an atoning sacrifice is made to her. She patronizes the virgins of Greek mythology - in particular, Hippolytus, the son of Theseus and, of course, the Amazons. It is believed that she punished Callisto, her friend and companion - she turned her into a bear because she got along with Zeus (according to another version, Zeus himself turned Callisto into a beast to hide her pregnancy), and killed her, but raised her son.

She is the goddess of wild forests, predators and game, hunting and hunters. She competes with men, primarily with her brother Apollo, sometimes acting on an equal footing, sometimes succumbing to “weakness.” Her only lover, according to a few versions, was considered Orion, whom she then accidentally shot. Subsequently, she avoided any romances, and rumor ascribed to her only a secret love for Endymion (a young man who slept all the time) - and this story reveals her confusion with the lunar goddess Selene.

Artemis was the guardian of roads, which brought her closer to Hecate, the guardian of night paths and crossroads. These goddesses made up the lunar triad Artemis-Selene-Hecate, which can also be imagined as the triune goddess Hecate.

The Artemis archetype is not one of those glorified by the direct followers of Jung and the classics, which is easily identified as Mother and Daughter, the Eternal Teenager, Beloved or Crone, the symbolic dream image of the Self of a woman or the Anima of a man. Virgin and independent female images would have gone almost unnoticed if not for the emergence of a system of role archetypes. But Jean S. Bohlen, for example, finds in Artemis, the free huntress and maiden, the mythological forerunner of feminism. And we, in line with the chosen trend, will look for what the Artemis archetype gives us. What is so special about it for us? At what time in a woman's life does it peak? And how does it differ from other archetypes that are more determined by biological needs or natural social changes in a woman’s life?

In its natural and most vivid form, the Artemis archetype awakens in a girl with the first glimpses of independence, active activity, manifestation of stubborn will and desire to achieve a certain goal. The three-year-old goddess Artemis sits on the lap of Zeus and - without any shame or doubt - demands an independent “divine share” for herself. In E. Erikson’s system, this may be the second phase of human development - “Autonomy versus shame and doubt,” which ends at exactly 3 years with the “separation stage.” It is noteworthy that it is at this moment that Artemis separates from her mother Leto and becomes a self-sufficient goddess. And perhaps we will see the first signs of her archetype in girls precisely at this age. Another thing is that the next stage, “Initiative against guilt,” also belongs “to the department of Artemis,” and for the development of this archetype it must also be quite successful.

And yet, we most often manage to see from the outside or clearly discover the role archetype of Artemis in ourselves in adolescence. We have received information that even nine-year-old Greek girls (hardly all of them, rather, these were the traditions of individual cities and regions) were sent to the sanctuaries of Artemis, where they dressed up in bear skins and learned hand-to-hand combat. This is precisely the time when separation from parents (mainly the mother) becomes more and more distinct and even necessary - this is where the Artemis archetype comes to the rescue and comes to the fore. Of course, a girl usually has a choice: she can remain Cora in her mother’s arms - and wait for “her Wolf,” and this is traditionally the most pleasant model for the family. Or become Artemis, forever or temporarily, joining new companies and communities, trying one thing or another, finding yourself now as a game, now as a hunter.

All this for the sake of the will of a free, free and independent girlhood. This is the time of the craziest girl groups, sometimes imitating “boyish” ones - and cruel, sometimes naively, spontaneously and playfully, but certainly implying some kind of action, adventure, feat and event. And in this there is always a huge (and often completely randomly organized) force, aimed and concentrated (sometimes absurd and little meaningful).

Of the family ties for the goddess Artemis, the main one was her relationship with her brother Apollo. The Artemis archetype is associated primarily with the image of the Sister and sisterly relationships with both men and women. During adolescence, for example, friendships and friendly relationships often arise with the opposite sex, even with a whole company or group of boys of the same age. At the same time, all erotic attempts on their part will be rejected. This is somewhat similar to the role of the Princess under the seven heroes, except that the “maiden-sisters” are more active and fierce.

The Sister archetype does not always allow you to be an even and calm friend and companion: it often encourages you to start competing and compete with men. In this case, it is extremely important for a woman to be “no worse than a man.” Achieving certain goals and, most importantly, following your principles turns out to be much more important than arranging your “woman's destiny.” When we encounter such an urge or desire, the archetype of the virgin goddess speaks within us - Artemis (sometimes also Athena or Hestia, but they have their own nuances). Here we already see the image of the Tsar-Maiden, the Warrior, familiar to all cultures, even the most patriarchal.

Artemis is a sister-friend to other girls. For her, there is no rivalry with other women over a man; on the contrary, she creates a closed society against men. In the “sisterhood” of women, formed in defiance of men or to protect against them, we will always notice the trace of Artemis.

GIRL'S FREEDOM

The image of a free warrior has always been quite popular. Even when women were forced to devote their lives exclusively to home, children, husbands and churches, the image of the Tsar Maiden or the Amazon excited people's imaginations. Therefore, there is no doubt that this is a fairly important female role: if it is missing in life, it will manifest itself in fantasies, fairy tales, epics, literature, and artistic images.

Often this is a metaphor for free girlhood, a free life outside the parental home, but not yet in the husband's. Historically, this may be due to the tradition of a girl living in a “man’s house.” Among the ancient Slavs and Scandinavians, these were girls serving the warriors. We see echoes of tradition in fairy tales about robbers or heroes (whichever way you look at it...) who live in the same house with their maiden sister. At the same time, although the possibility of marriage relations is sharply denied, behind this denial they see something else: most likely, the girls enjoyed sufficient sexual freedom, but at the same time they were not connected by marriage with anyone in particular. Moreover:

“Researchers note that girls living in “men’s houses” as group lovers were not only not subject to contempt, but in some nations their parents themselves encouraged them to join or sent them by force. Sexual relations with girls, who “represented the temporary property of young men” in “men’s houses,” were considered as their service, which was rewarded with gifts or even payment.”

Here we again see a “fork in the road” for choosing a role archetype: remain “Kora with her mother” or go to “Artemis”. It is difficult to say whether in ancient times girls made their own choices or whether their parents forced them to do so. Most likely, it happened in different ways.

One way or another, the life of the girls in the “men’s house” is probably with complete sexual freedom (we, of course, don’t know how much the girls’ consent was asked... as always, this all happens and happens naturally and spontaneously, both consent and and the right to refuse), was thought of as a free life, in wars and feasts. Young men underwent their initiation in the “men’s house” and either got married (not to those girls they already knew?), or remained “professional military men”, turning into warriors under the leader. Girls found themselves part of the world of youthful initiation and trials. From this, perhaps, the image of the Warrior Virgin arose, who must be defeated in order to make her his wife.

Returning to modern women, we just note that the Artemis archetype makes it possible to feel independent and free from the opinions of relatives or dear men. This goddess makes it possible to go beyond the “civilized order”, into the world of natural laws, the Wild Forest. This is the first spring of the young, with its trials and games, competitions and competition, first courtship and making their first pair. At times it is necessary to awaken this Wild Woman within yourself, the “she-wolf” of Clarissa Pinkola Estes.

RIVALRY

The goddess Artemis was the twin sister of the god Apollo. We know how differently boys and girls are treated in patriarchal societies. It is not surprising that girls - with all other advantages being equal - begin to feel inferior and strive to compete with their brothers or men in general. In this we also see the influence of the Artemis archetype (by the way, this is not the only way to achieve “male” success in a “male world”; there is also Athena). In this, the sister is also very similar to the brother, who certainly needs to demonstrate that he is the best.

The Artemis archetype gives us the desire to compete with others (it doesn’t matter whether they are men or female sisters), but it is important that the sphere of competition here is not marital or status, it is not at all connected with the struggle for a man. For anything, but not for men and home. This is an area in which it is necessary to constantly prove your efficiency and combat capability, your best qualities, often physical or strong-willed.

Numerous warrior super agents of modern cinema are all fantasies about Artemis. Slender and fit, athletic and unapproachable (sexy, but unapproachable), they cope with the task no worse (if not better) than men. At the same time, an important point for us is the plot motive of the Assignment. Artemis always performs a certain Task, which - often - is set for her by others. There is a goal and you need to achieve it. Artemis is the one who achieves and achieves. Why exactly this is needed and what it will lead to - she doesn’t care; prove that can, - that's the main task. We, being aware of this, are able to consciously and at the right moments activate this archetype and its character in ourselves.

This desire for competition, the need to find out who won and who lost, who is the hunter and who is the game, unconsciously manifests itself in personal life, in love. So from Marina Tsvetaeva (here it no longer matters who the partner is, a man or a woman; it was Artemis among the goddesses that the ancients attributed a tendency toward same sex):

Under the caress of a plush blanket

I induce yesterday's dream.

What was it? - Whose victory? –

Who is defeated?

I'm changing my mind again

I'm tormented by everyone again.

In something for which I don’t know the word,

Was there love?

Who was the hunter? - Who is the prey?

Everything is devilishly the opposite!

What did I understand, purring for a long time,

Siberian cat?

In that duel self-will

Who, in whose hand was only the ball?

Whose heart is it yours or mine?

Did it fly at a gallop?

And yet - what was it?

What do you want and regret?

I still don’t know: did she win?

(Translation from French by M.L. Lozinsky Studio)

In real life, as soon as we have similar metaphors, we can see the Artemis-hunter archetype in a situation of personal experiences or dreams.

PROTECTOR OF THE WEAK

The goddess Artemis was the protector of children, teenagers (youth) and women. She nurtured and protected the new young life, all the young and ingenuous, inexperienced in life, which made them naive and defenseless, as well as those who gave them life - mothers. Artemis herself had youthful fearlessness and straightforwardness, and she became the protector of the world of the young.

Nowadays, we see the trace of Artemis wherever it comes to the real protection of children, youth, women or wildlife. When we cannot simply pass by a beaten child or an insulted woman, this archetype also turns on in us. The support and protection of Artemis is different from the protection of Demeter. The latter helps in a maternal way, calming and consoling the offended, looking for a shelter for a kitten, taking in a friend and children who left her husband. Artemis (her activation) does not give so much affection to the weak and defenseless; she will only take care of their safety and, if possible, punish the offender. She is driven primarily by the desire for justice and the need to perform an act (feat). Each time she is able to prove that “all power lies in the truth,” with feminine persistence and masculine aggressiveness.

DESTROYER AND AVENGER

The goddess Artemis did not hesitate to punish those whom she considered unrighteous. The Artemis archetype gives us a feeling of confidence in our own rightness - without any complex justification, simply as a fact, once accepted. It also leads to the fact that we begin to see the world in black and white, to divide people into “us” and “strangers,” “right” and “wrong.” This is the lever that is well known to any creators, inspirers and leaders of non-state, unofficial and quite active, aggressive organizations and communities, from feminists and lesbians to, unfortunately and horror, participants in terrorist organizations. A woman, defending some of her truth (or the one that the Leader told her about; we will return to the figure of the Leader in the history of the Artemis women), can become a destroyer and a murderer, without reasoning and incapable of an emotional response. She is then identified with Artemis the killer.

But we can see these features of the archetype in more harmless forms, when they are quite usable for good purposes. For example, a popular Japanese cartoon that embodies the scenario and archetype of Artemis is Sailor Moon. The slogan of the main character: “I am a fighter for goodness and justice. I, Sailor Moon, bring retribution in the name of the Moon!” The mention of the Moon is not accidental." Artemis was a lunar goddess, a crescent moon shone on her headband (like the heroine Sailor Moon). And girls who watch this cartoon and love it learn courage, determination, bravery, perseverance, integrity - following the example of such same young, but absolutely magical heroine. In the end, the knowledge and ability to embody Artemis is an important part of the development of a female personality. And by adolescence, it already makes sense to get acquainted with the useful qualities of this archetype.

Artemis as Anima men

Artemis, it seems to us, is a fairly typical Anima in adolescence. This is the time when a boy is attracted to female friends who have similar interests and who can often do everything “just as well.” Actually, adoration of a certain brave, independent and strong girl happens even before adolescence. It may not have any erotic connotation: the boy will simply be admired and delighted by a woman who is not like a caring and nurturing mother, but another who is independent, independent and strong. This is the image of the Elder Sister (remember that Artemis and Apollo were the elder sister). Actually, at the age when Artemis is clearly activated in girls, boys begin to admire this Artemis... while maintaining, of course, a fair distance or not at all thinking about any other rapprochement.

In adolescence, already expecting and wanting emotional intimacy, meeting Artemis (as an Anima and a girl similar to Artemis, onto whom this Anima will be projected) can turn into first love. And, most likely, she will cause a completely cold misunderstanding on the part of such a girl (because Artemis is usually either “not ready to open up” or begins to test the applicant and find out which of them is faster, taller, stronger). This is a girl (or girl) who agrees to friendship, but does not understand love. Most often, however, boys (young men) do not dare to take any active actions, conquests... They foresee defeat and transformation into game, a deer torn to pieces by dogs. Metaphorically, Actaeon's dogs are his feelings that he cannot cope with. It is clear that in this we also see a projection of the archetypal Anima, because in reality a young man (if he does not cause unequivocal disgust) is, in principle, capable of awakening other “goddesses” in a girl. But he is unlikely to need others if he sees the need in Artemis-Anima.

It is not for nothing that the image of the beautiful, virgin and unapproachable Diana (Artemis) is very loved by poets and artists, who are certainly familiar with the archetype of Apollo. Here is a characteristic poem by Heinrich Heine:

These sweet forms

piles of female beauty -

a dream come true

They lie obediently before me.

If, possessed by passion,

I approached them boldly,

then things would be upset

or injury was resolved.

Oh, what lips and neck!

(I couldn’t look above.)

God will accept your soul first,

than I dare to get closer.

We see that the lyrical hero is not going to reduce the distance and, perhaps, does not even want to “get closer”: the entire emotional intensity lies precisely in “delight and impossibility.”

By the way, Artemis-Anima is capable of returning to a man already in adulthood. Firstly, when his daughter grows up, if she is sufficiently active and independent, and he does everything to ensure that she is like that. At the same time, it does not so much determine her path as Athena’s father, but rather allows her to be quite free. Secondly, when he becomes a grandfather and his granddaughters are already growing up: some men are not able to tolerate freedom-loving children, but agree to such grandchildren.

Men are able not only to project their Anima, but also to embody it in a real woman, “sculpting” her and - in fact - activating the archetype of a particular goddess in her. This is especially noticeable when it comes to virgin goddesses, whose activation and development are not associated with a woman’s biological cycle (paradoxically, a man is able to consciously “create” any goddess in a woman except Demeter and Hecate). Artemis is the wild Spring of life, and, nurturing, simply encouraging or admiring young Artemis, even old people remember their youth. Actually, a similar story is told in the film “Million Dollar Baby” by Clint Eastwood, in which an elderly trainer turns a strange, tortured woman into a boxing champion. Thus they both revive the Spring of Artemis.

When the father turns out to be an overly powerful and cruel person, suppressing his loved ones and at the same time violent and unbalanced, then the only way for the daughter to survive and maintain self-esteem in such a family is to play the role of a man, or at least a boy. Because to be a man in such a family means to be strong. Even just a preference for boys over girls (“actually, we were expecting a boy... but since you were born...”) can encourage a girl to play a masculine role and compete with real men.

TOMBY GIRL

You can always easily recognize a girl in whom the Artemis archetype has been strong since childhood. This is such a “girl-boy”, active, hooligan, lover of boyish games. She is definitely more interested in exploring the world around her than sitting in the sandbox and making Easter cakes or spoon-feeding a dull doll. She will not be satisfied with a set of obedient tin soldiers or colorful collapsible Indians, like Athena, but would prefer to go into the forest and observe the life of an anthill. Or she will find a viper... All sorts of stories constantly happen to her, which often end happily (“It could have been worse!” the parents think). But the children's camp with its sports competitions, excursions, and group activities turns out to be her favorite vacation spot. With the further development of this archetype, she can retain an inquisitive mind and curiosity, a readiness for active action for the rest of her life.

At the same time, such a girl, to put it “in Tsvetaev’s style,” has “the soul of a Spartan child.” This is a constant desire for asceticism and self-harm as a test. These are dangerous and truly painful experiences and experiments. They are driven by the need to find out “what I am capable of”, or whether I really am “nothing”. She proves her worth as an individual time and time again, competing on par with boys or attacking and beating girls and weaker and younger boys. A “hooligan” girl, in her experiments and testing the world as a kind of exploration of it, can really get into trouble and trap. She will end up as a wild beast in a cage or trap if other goddesses do not help her.

The cockiness of Artemis, with the preservation - and at the same time the lack of development - of this archetype, can manifest itself until quite mature years. Then the woman will aimlessly compete with anyone, “tease”, assert her superiority (usually physical, for example, emphasizing her figure) or “hooligan”. My older sister, when I boasted to her that my fifth book had been published, said: “Well, you’ve become a pissy... in your old age.” I don’t think she consciously wanted to offend me, it just happened that way.

TEENAGE REVOLT

In older childhood, Artemis gives a certain spirit of rebellion, aggression and even a tendency towards revenge towards other children. This may be provoked by the social insecurity of her family and social envy. Then the child grows up to “make life better” by eradicating this or that. In other cases, it is simply the time of Wild Spring, when anything is possible without being caught and eaten.

It's time for teenage rebellion. Girls in whom the Artemis archetype has manifested themselves try to learn new and unknown things, get acquainted with various companies, political or spiritual movements, and plunge into adventures. The sphere of their interests lies outside the field of relations between a man and a woman (like Aphrodite), but in the field of human relations with the whole world, the surrounding nature or the state. They also embark on adventures, but not love or sexual ones, like the girls in whom Aphrodite awakened. They are drawn to multi-day kayak trips, they hitchhike throughout Europe, and go to Altai. They don’t meet beautiful and rich young people in expensive foreign cars, but with unkempt, crazy ideologues of anything, who finally “shoot” a cigarette from them. They spend hours talking about loyalty and betrayal, everyone’s duty and the meaning of life.

Friends and acquaintances of this period may be perceived by the girl herself as “brothers” or “just acquaintances.” She usually does not attach any erotic or matrimonial meaning to communication with them. Sex for her is often another adventure, an exploration of the world.

I remember and nostalgically recall my “wild spring”, which began with the divorce of my father and stepmother (and I began to live in completely different conditions and under different rules) and came at the end of the 1980s with their perestroika unrest and still quiet riots, seething and fermentation of minds, of course - “informal associations of youth.” A great time that gave me a sense of freedom and autonomy. I learned to take risks and calculate escape options, avoid traps and scare enemies, bluff and go all-in. I tried my hand and found it in myself.

It was a happy time and a completely natural state for youth, when the world seems quite simple and open, and in order to determine your path it is enough just to remove it. Nowadays I sometimes walk the streets and try to revive in myself this feeling of interest and curiosity about the world as something new. To be honest, it’s difficult to do, so I’m thinking about it and now trying other methods. You must be able to revive Wild Spring within yourself.

STRAIGHTNESS

The Artemis archetype gives women a certain straightforwardness. It can be frankness and rudeness, openness or ingenuousness - it will manifest itself in different ways, depending on individual characteristics and upbringing. There is also some kind of “teenage”, “youthful” spontaneity felt in this. Women in whom the Artemis archetype is strong enough value these traits in themselves and those around them. This gives them the opportunity to trust themselves and the world around them, in which everything is fair, as well as a certain independence. For a woman, the opportunity not to be constrained by conventions, recognized or unspoken, is also freedom. Therefore, the experience and ability of the Artemis archetype to say “Yes” when you want and think “yes”, and “No” when you want and think “no” is of great value.

We gradually squeeze out of ourselves the “obedient girl” or “slave” when we learn to tell the truth about our feelings and desires to those with whom we are close. And in this too there is the courage of Artemis, a refusal to pretend or make concessions. As, for example, from self-conviction: “Well, it’s not difficult for me, but it’s nice for him,” or “I’ll give in to him, and then he’ll owe me.” All these “games” are not for Artemis; for her they are humiliating and uninteresting.

Here is an excerpt from an interview with Olga Korbut (a famous gymnast of the 1970s, she talks about her work in the sports committee):

"I am the way I am! I never pretended and never played official games. And I didn’t shout “hurray” to Leonid Ilyich or anyone else. Yes, and I probably couldn’t, character is fate. If I had put on a sweatshirt and boots and gone to dig up potatoes, they would have made me a hero. Or at least she would come to work in a black formal suit, speak carefully, look her boss in the face, sit decorously at meetings, and assent; the main thing is to be manageable, loyal, predictable - and order, and everyone is happy. But I can not! I am different, from a different test. I want to do what I can do, what I am predisposed to, what comes easily and for pleasure and benefit

ACHIEVING THE GOAL

The essence of hunting is to identify a target and hit it accurately. The Artemis woman does not have to actually hunt for food or trophies in the forest. Hunting is a unique way to achieve your goals. An archer who takes aim hits any target, near or far. Likewise, a modern woman, in whom this archetype turns out to be especially strong, can complete any intended task, regardless of the waiting period. Artemis women know how to both wait and act quickly and swiftly, even cruelly. “I see the goal - I see no obstacles” - this is about them, Artemis, and not at all about Athens. (Athena sees obstacles well and always takes them into account.) However, setting a specific immediate goal and achieving it, and then choosing another for a woman in whom the Artemis archetype has been activated, is still easier than waiting too long.

“Small victories every day” will not attract a woman “in the state of Artemis.” She won't wait for a sudden big win like Aphrodite. Or surprises that change everything, like Cora-Persephone. She will not count on well-deserved success, like Athena. She strives for victory in a situation of struggle, competition with competitors. For her, an opponent is the best incentive for action. “I never lose! “I only win,” she tells those around her. “Prepare to lose...” She is focused on winning simply because she has set herself such a task. That is why it is so valuable for us to be able to “turn on” this archetype precisely when everything around seems somehow vague and unclear, old priorities no longer matter much and life seems to have passed... it is not known exactly why. Artemis is able to re-ignite us and excite us, show us a new goal and help us not to care about conventions.

ATHLETE

Among various professions, we will find the most characteristic Artemis women among athletes, especially those who are involved in group sports or where physical indicators of endurance, speed and strength are primarily important. It is not surprising that they live from competition to competition, from chance of victory to another. The goal is always clear and understandable, and the ways to achieve it are also clearly defined.

The modern tendency of women to begin training in previously purely professional and (or) male sports characterizes the strengthening of the Artemis archetype in society. Today it is not necessary to devote yourself to sports from childhood (and under the pressure of the wishes of your parents): a choice in one favor or another can now be made independently and at any adult age. This is how women's martial arts clubs arise and develop, which certainly belong to the sphere of Artemis. Let us at least pay attention to the style of perception and description of “women’s fights” in this “inner circle”:

“Forty-six-year-old Buttafuco weighs 111 kg and is 181 cm tall. This big guy has managed to make the most of the exaggerated fame that he once unexpectedly acquired. Buttafuco feigned ferocity, grimaced, and not even a trace of embarrassment was noticeable at the fact that he had to fight with a woman. His opponent behaved with surprising dignity, declaring before the fight that she wanted to hit this upstart hard. The contrast between a dense but slender lady with curves and a hefty one-hundred-kilogram man who had been doing physical work all his life was striking... Buttafuco behaved competently... and it immediately became clear that Laurer had very little chance of reaching his face. There was no trace of any giveaways, and in the first round Buttafuco began to beat Lorer with full force... It was clear that the woman was embarrassed and demoralized. In the second round, the man grabbed her by the neck with two gloves and threw her to the floor like a kitten. She was rightfully outraged and upset, and the judge took no action. In the third round, the bull hit the woman hard again and threw her over the ropes. The purple-faced Lorer found the strength to get up and finish the fight. ...With a score of 2:1, the victory was awarded to Buttafuco. It must be said that not just a woman, but not every man would dare to fight such a hefty fellow. ...The audience was divided - many dissatisfiedly raised their hands with their thumbs down, and a group of painted girls wildly rejoiced, apparently that there was no point for a woman to fight with a man - so, they say, that’s what she needs...”

Let us pay attention to the fact that a fight is described between a professional wrestler (who has already dedicated her life to Artemis!) and a non-professional man, an auto mechanic of great height and weight: and in this we already see the deliberate contrast of the “high style” of the woman and the “rough animal nature” of the man . This is a typically feminine hint: Artemis is, after all, a woman, and women of this type also know how to embody and nurture their mythical fantasies. We also note that the emphasis in the story is placed in turn on the vulgarity and imperfection of men; on the perseverance, courage and good figure of a woman; the absolute need to put a man in his place; absolutely dishonest superiority of brute force; on the courage and fortitude of a woman; to the fact that it was “unfair game”, and to the final bastardry of the girls covered in cosmetics. A description of a typical “Artemisian” internal myth, a shared illusion, amazing in its brightness. We have said more than once and will continue to say that the superiority of one archetype gives a distorted perception of reality.

FAITHFUL COMPANION

Many women, in whom the Artemis archetype is dominant, actively participate in social movements.

They wage a political struggle (unlike Athenian women - not for themselves, but for the “good of the people”) and join various public organizations. Here such a lady feels in her place: she has clear and often simple goals, she is provided with ways to achieve her goal, and everything is explained by the desire for justice and the fight for a just cause. She is capable of becoming a loyal friend and ally, not paying attention to the weaknesses of her sex, and enduring all the hardships of party or social service.

We know many such “fighting friends” from revolutionaries of the 19th and 20th centuries, social and party activists of our days, radical feminists and fierce participants in environmental movements. As usual for Artemis, women of this type, among other things, need to prove that they can do everything no worse, and sometimes better, than men. (For Athena, who also plays on a “male” field, the question does not arise at all. She simply does what she considers necessary, with men on an equal basis; for her there is no challenge in this.)

DEVOTED TO THE LEADER

An active girl who fights for justice can easily become carried away by an ideologist, the leader of a particular social or political movement. She will respect and adore him without seeking to become “his woman.” If they get closer, then the “faithful friend” will still remain a comrade in the struggle. When Hera is not awakened in her, the Artemis woman may perceive a close relationship or marriage with a leader simply as getting closer to the leader and proof of her true loyalty to the cause. She will try to justify such trust. And she will not reproach her husband or lover for his infidelity or flirting with other women.

If Demeter has awakened in her, then she will become more of a “mom” to him than a wife. However, using the example of N.K. Krupskaya, we see that the leader’s wife can remain the eternal Artemis-comrade-in-arms, looking into her husband’s mouth, an inept housewife and a tendentious pedagogical theorist. We can say that her soul remained in exile and camps, and the biggest holidays were still modest parties with dumplings in the company of old party members. Modern friends of people's leaders who share their political views (often these are young friends) represent the Artemis of our days. Artemis will follow her leader through fire and water. I can’t resist and quote my favorite “Artemis” poem:

My life stood in the corner

With a loaded gun -

But the owner took me -

And we left together.

Now we are wandering through the forests -

We track the game -

As soon as I shout - the hills

They pick up the cry.

I will smile - and warm light

Everything will light up around -

It’s as if Vesuvius itself.

He came here suddenly.

When my Master sleeps -

I'm lying in my head -

I'm safer than a pillow

Then I serve him.

I am a fierce enemy to his enemy.

Only laughs once

That offender - on whom

I put a yellow eye.

My eyelid is longer - not given

We will grow old at the same time -

I can only kill -

Unable to die.

(Emily Dickinson, translation by A. Gavrilov)

CLOSE TO WILDLIFE

As we remember, the goddess Artemis spent her time hunting and walking in the wild places of nature. The wilderness and mountain paths are its territory (just as cities are the territory of Athens). Women who vividly embody the Artemis archetype enjoy hiking, mountaineering, and simply cycling. Many of them are passionate about equestrian sports - they take care of horses and enjoy riding. Their love for wild nature manifests itself in their participation in environmental movements. The activity of “greens” gives them the opportunity to take care of animals and the environment, travel, and really act in this world, asserting that they are right.

A bright woman who embodied the principles of Artemis in her life was Joy Adamson. She researched, described, rescued and cared for animals in Africa. Notably, she disproved the theory that, once domesticated, an animal could no longer live in the wild. With her own funds, Joy Adamson founded four national parks in Kenya: Meru, Shaba, Samburu and Hells Gate. Her book "Born Free" about the lioness Elsa and the film of the same name influenced the views of entire generations. And the enthusiasm inspired the green movement. It seems that all women currently participating in environmental movements certainly embody the bright features of the Artemis archetype.

FRIENDSHIP WITH WOMEN

The goddess Artemis, more than all other immortals, preferred the company of women. She was constantly surrounded by friends. They say that she demanded from her companions that they keep their virginity, just like her, without giving themselves to any man. When Zeus seduced one of them - Callisto (according to one version - in the image of Artemis herself) - and she became pregnant, the angry Artemis drove her friend away, turned her into a bear and unleashed dogs on her. The culprit of this ugly story - Zeus - hastened to turn the unfortunate Callisto into the constellation Ursa Major.

A woman in whom the Artemis archetype is strong sometimes resembles a goddess in some way. She loves to communicate with girls, can be a keeper of other people's secrets and a faithful assistant. She will always provide shelter to a friend who has left home and will do everything in her power in a difficult situation. She maintains loyal relationships with other women for a long time. There is only one thing that irritates her - the men of these women. She is not envious of the "female successes" of others, but can be extremely jealous of female friendships. If an old friend got married and now communicates with her less often, then she perceives this as a betrayal. If a friend chose a date with a man over meeting her, she will be indignant. However, most likely, he will give the unfortunate woman a chance to “correct”... and will expect a repentant return, regardless of the real state of affairs.

Not so categorical women with a strong element of Artemis in their souls are capable of faithful and strong female friendships that survive love, marriage, the birth of children, their upbringing, and fuss with grandchildren. “We are like sisters to each other!” - they say to others. And the children and grandchildren of these women can consider themselves one family.

EMOTIONAL DISTANCE

Just as a man, whose Anima has taken the form of Artemis, is afraid to approach a girl, so the woman herself, like Artemis, strives to maintain a distance, physical and (or) emotional, even with her beloved and dear person. It is easier to be distant and “love from afar” than to decide to get closer. Maybe that’s why in late Roman mythology Diana (Artemis) was identified with Selene, who always looks at the sleeping Endymion - looks and enjoys only this. It’s too scary to come closer and open up, too scary to be wounded yourself. Therefore, Artemis punished Actaeon, who “came too close”; Therefore, she became anonymous and faceless, smearing her face with white clay along with the girls when she was pursued by the river god Alpheus. It’s easier to remain unrecognized than to meet someone halfway - it’s safer. So in the song of the already quoted “Night Snipers”:

open your face

in front of you. Ballast

becomes a ring

logical for us.

Disturbing features with me.

my holiday, my judge,

you bring pain of empty worries

and the uselessness of existence.

And just a gesture

The last one is like an arrest

like a shot of a sparrow.

I treasure you

a long time ago

I'm walking on the edge of a knife.

In the arms of darkness

ready to die with you.

my whirlpool, my Paris,

The city was not built for me,

You’re not in a hurry to come to me.

And only the mouth

deaf muteness,

like the sound of iron roofs.

(Group “Night Snipers”, album “Baby Talk”, song “Paris”)

The story of Actaeon, it seems to me, also tells about Artemis’s fear of being torn apart by her feelings, like dogs. The hunter himself turns into game under the arrows of Eros, and he is torn apart by his own friends, assistants who previously served him, dogs - instincts, feelings.

MEN LIKE BROTHERS

Women, in whom the Artemis archetype turned out to be the most important, most often perceive men either as brothers, friends and comrades, or as deserving of contempt and insignificant or dangerous animals. Let us remember that on a hunt there are either comrades and assistants, or game.

The goddess Artemis had a beloved brother - Apollo. They were very similar in their love of hunting, as well as in their affection for their own sex. Both loved to compete and show off to each other. But one day Artemis had a lover and also a hunter - Orion. And Apollo became jealous of his sister. One day he seized the moment and bet with Artemis that she would never shoot “that thing over there” that was visible in the water. Artemis' arrows never missed. But the target turned out to be the head of Orion, who went out for a swim. Thus, Artemis’s desire for competition turned out to be stronger than her love for a man.

This story very well shows the relationship of a woman in whom the Artemis archetype is especially strong with brothers or lovers with whom she behaves like a sister. And also with friends whom she perceives as brothers. In general, this is her most common relationship with men. Such a woman may have a brother with whom she spends all her free time and whose affairs and interests she lives with. And he compares all his young people with his brother or chooses him in his image and likeness. But even if such a woman does not and has never had a brother, she builds brotherly-sisterly relationships of comrades, and sometimes rivals, with her men.

For example, a girl and a guy can engage in martial arts, shooting, horse riding - in a word, one thing. At times they scatter, then come together again. Moreover, interestingly, after a breakup, the “official” appearance of another lover or beloved by the other half becomes a sign for a feverish resumption of relationships. As if the appearance of a rival aroused a willingness to compete with him (or her). Without any competition, the Artemis woman may simply not see the point in this connection. (It is clear that, on the other hand, only her twin brother Apollo can play along with Artemis in this way.)

With other men, the Artemis woman can behave exactly like a sister. And it’s better for them not to break the established rules. She is ready to help, care, and love her “brothers” in her own way... Sometimes she competes - she generally loves aggression and conflicts, this is her element. But the lover will almost certainly become her “victim.” However, “brothers” who do not agree with the general line of the party and the Leader himself may also turn out to be “guilty”, if not enemies, in the eyes of such a woman.

The most famous is the tragic story of the hunter Actaeon, who was so good at his job that he began to compete with Artemis. One day he managed to accidentally spy on the bathing of the goddess and her retinue. Actaeon did not hide from his friends that he had seen the immortal naked, and this infuriated Artemis even more. She turned the talkative hunter into a stag, and he was torn to pieces by his own dogs.

This story is reminiscent of the relationship between women, in whose soul Artemis reigns, with those whom they consider their offenders or simply guilty. They can fight to the bitter end, trying to destroy the opponent, if not physically then mentally, or remove him from the field altogether. Similarly, N.K. Krupskaya removed books by A. Dumas or L.N. from children's libraries. Tolstoy, considering them harmful to the younger generation.

Such a woman can let a man get close enough to her (like Artemis while swimming - it’s unlikely that she didn’t notice the hunter staring with all his eyes), for example, by quickly becoming intimate with him or simply bringing him closer to her. At the same time, a person can see her as she really is - tender, playful, vulnerable... But at the slightest retreat of a man even a step (a brief withdrawal, or an incorrect action, or simply excessive slowness and uncertainty) Artemis will punish him. She will try to humiliate him in the eyes of his friends by telling his intimate secrets or simply making up something. She will speak of him with contempt and indignation. She will not forgive him for seeing her defenseless.

Men easily fall in love with her - she attracts with her swiftness, strength, independence, and self-sufficiency. And she easily lets them come to her. But it may not give them the opportunity to express themselves as men, always competing and showing how a man should really act. Too often, the hidden task of such a woman is to demonstrate her superiority over men.

ESCAPE FROM RELATIONSHIPS

This topic becomes very relevant from time to time. Artemis gives a woman the opportunity to escape from a relationship that hurts her:

It's easier to start all over again

It's easier to hit the road again

Why stay at the pier

And teach what life is all about.

It's easier to freeze at the start

And returning is close, after all,

Heavy fire of passion

Kindle, but don't burn.

It’s easier to take a quiver and arrows -

Once again Diana - on horseback,

How to grow mistletoe

Wait like Vesta by the fire.

It's easier to break it apart again

To be free, to look into the distance,

Emerging from the bottom of the sea

(Group "Palm Honey", song "Remedy for Jealousy")

Of all the Greek goddesses we are considering, only Hera leaves men (by leaving Zeus, she leaves their joint territory, sphere of influence, but this is rather a demonstrative step, a sign for Zeus), but not forever, and Artemis - and she is the one who runs away and disappears forever, returning to his freemen. It is possible to catch the one who ran away with the swiftness (and strength!) of Artemis only when she “turns into another goddess.” For such a woman herself, escaping can be an important and significant act, giving her the strength and determination to live on and independently.

Obviously, the strong traits of the Artemis archetype are her activity, integrity, ability to be honest and direct, desire to protect the weaker, and friendship with women (and children or teenagers). Accordingly, a woman can consciously “include” these qualities in herself or develop them, and on the other hand, not bring them to the point of absurdity if they are already sufficiently developed in her. Certain negative traits of the archetype - cockiness, desire for competition, constant competition with men for a place on the pedestal - a woman in whom this archetype is strong and who leads a fairly conscious life is able to control it independently. This is something that she can cope with within the archetype itself, this is part of the personal resources of Artemis herself.

However, there is also something that she cannot cope with without the help of other goddesses: first of all, this is the fear of intimacy, mainly emotional (Artemis is no stranger to physical trials), and the preference for relationships in the group and with the group over the partnership of two. However, we can indeed attribute the development of individual relationships to the jurisdiction of other goddesses, and it is no coincidence that mortals in ancient times worshiped different gods and goddesses, depending on whose influence they themselves were under or which of the celestial beings was most important in a particular period of time. For the theory of role archetypes, this is also a successful find, a metaphor; and this is the meaning of our appeal to gods and goddesses.

Heroines of Artemis

The heroines of Artemis stand at a fork in the road, fearing “death from marriage” (or “from a man,” since he always somehow changes a woman), on the one hand, and doubting whether to continue their eternal run with the chaste goddess-hunter, on the other. . Britomartis' story suggests both possibilities. Many Amazon heroines also represent the embodiment of the Artemis archetype. We won’t tell you about all of them; although they are typical, they are quite similar. This is the story of Melanippe and Hippolyta, who are either ready to give themselves to a man - to “sacrifice themselves” and, perhaps, get pleasure from it, or to run away back to the maiden freemen, or to die. The plots of Artemis develop the theme of “marriage or death,” which we have already discussed in connection with Cora-Persephone.

BRITOMARTIS

Britomartis is a heroine directly identified with Artemis. She was the daughter of Zeus and was considered the goddess's companion. It is believed that this name is more likely associated with the Cretan goddess-hunter, who later became one of the images of Artemis. However, we are interested in the classic plot here: King Minos fell in love with Britomartis (the same one, the husband of Pasiphae and the father of Ariadne and the Minotaur; one of the most glorious kings of all Greek mythology!), but the girl rejected love and affection and threw herself off a cliff into the sea. According to one version, she escaped death thanks to the intervention of Artemis. And here we see, rather, “salvation from marriage” (the metaphor of marriage as death was discussed in detail by us in the part about Persephone). Another version tells that Britomartis was caught in a fishing net and escaped, so her nickname was “Dictinna,” which means “caught in the net.”

In fact, this is a nickname, and the very motive of getting caught in a network (entanglement) is reminiscent of the image of a person “tangled in the networks of love,” trapped in a relationship or his own feelings. It is not known how things were with the ancient Greeks, but it is reliably known that among the Slavs, a net - a fishing net - was a symbol of fertility, and therefore (and at the same time in order to protect themselves from witchcraft damage) brides wore it to their wedding under their dress. Britomartis getting caught in the net certainly strikes me as an alternative to "Artemis saving her virginity" - and a better alternative in life, for that matter, although perhaps not the best in a really critical and dangerous situation.

ATALANTA

It is believed that the image of Atalanta is made up of the stories of two heroines of the same name: an Arcadian archer and a Boeotian runner. For our story, both of these qualities are important. They said that Atalanta's father, dissatisfied with the fact that a daughter was born, threw the child away, and she was suckled by a bear and raised by hunters. She refused to marry, and completely shot the centaurs who encroached on her honor with a bow.

When King Oeneus unexpectedly forgot to include Artemis among the twelve gods to whom annual sacrifices are made, she clearly reminded him of this by sending the mighty and terrible Calydonian boar. The beast began to destroy the cattle, fields and subjects of Oeneus, and then the king sent messengers calling on all the heroes of Greece to kill the monster. Atalanta, the only woman, participated in the Calydonian hunt. This puzzled and angered the other hunters, and some of them even abandoned the venture. However, the king's son Meleager announced that in this case they could go home, and the heroes agreed. The boar himself rushed at the hunters (and managed to emasculate and tear the belly of Ancaeus, the one who refused to hunt next to the woman), and Atalanta was the first to wound the beast, and Meleager killed him.

It was the girl who received the main trophy from the hero Meleager, who was in love with her: the head and skin of the beast. Here the first wound inflicted on the boar is quite comparable to the first sacrifice that Artemis was supposed to make. Therefore, Meleager, respecting (or adoring) Atalanta, in his own way honored Artemis herself. When Meleager’s uncles opposed this decision and wanted to take Atalanta’s skin (they were still concerned about the question of her gender), the nephew became furious and killed both of them. In a certain way he was "possessed by Artemis" (we can say Artemis-Anima). Father Oeneus cursed him, and Meleager refused to defend the kingdom when his other two uncles came, wanting revenge and spoils.

However, at the last moment, his wife Cleopatra persuaded him to defend his father’s house, and Meleager killed his mother’s remaining brothers. The mother, consumed by a thirst for revenge, burned a log in the fire, killing her son. We see how the desire to compete with the opposite sex - in this case, women - and vindictiveness lead to the death of the Oeneus family. The men turned out to be possessed by Artemis-Anima, and the woman, the mother of Meleager, was possessed by the goddess herself. So Artemis took enough victims for herself. This happens when people don't pay enough attention to a particular goddess (or god), for atheists we can say "aspect of existence".

Atalanta nevertheless had an affair with Meleager, the glorious hero of Greece and, according to rumors, the son of Ares himself, apparently similar to the relationship between Artemis and Orion. After the Calydonian hunt, Atalanta was finally recognized as the heir by her father Ias. But it was too late: Atalanta never forgave her father, although she agreed to become queen. And here we see the motif of “unforgiveness of the father,” pastorally retouched in the myth of Artemis, but so often found in reality.

Various young men of good origin began to woo Atalanta, but the huntress set a condition. The contender for her hand must compete with her in a race, and she ran in full armament and armor and even gave a head start to her opponent. If she caught up, then the unlucky groom was killed. So many glorious young people failed the tests (we remember that Artemis is the goddess who accompanies the trials of young men), until finally it was Melanion’s turn to flee (according to another version, his name was Hippomenes). The night before, he prayed to Aphrodite, because he was interested in Atalanta's love, and not her kingdom as a dowry, and the goddess of love gave him golden apples... When Atalanta was already catching up with Melanion - not a very strong runner - he began to throw apples. The girl couldn’t help but pick them up and therefore was a little late to the finish line.

Jean S. Bolen interprets this legend beautifully. She says that in the life of every Artemis woman (or representative of any other virgin goddess) there are “calls of Aphrodite”, when there is a chance and a reason to pause your run a little and change your priorities:

"Apple 1. Understanding that time is passing. At the very beginning of the race, Hippomenes threw the first apple in Atalanta's path. She was attracted by the radiant beauty and slowed down to pick it up. Hippomenes stepped forward while Atalanta looked at the golden apple in her hands. Reflected in it, she saw her own face, distorted by the curves of the apple: “This is how I will look when I get old,” she thought.

Many active women are unaware of the passage of time until one day in mid-life when challenges from rivals or goals begin to decline. For the first time in her life, such a woman may realize that she will not be young forever, and think about the course she is following and where it is leading her.

Apple 2. Understanding the importance of love. He then threw the second apple into her path. Atalanta concentrated on the race again and easily overtook Hippomenes. As soon as she stopped to pick up Aphrodite's second golden apple, she immediately remembered Meleager, her dead lover. Aphrodite evokes a thirst for physical and emotional intimacy. When this is combined with the awareness that time is passing, the Artemis woman's usual sense of purpose is directed in a different direction by an awakened sensitivity to love and intimacy.

Apple 3. Generative instinct and creativity. Finish This line was already visible when Atalanta caught up with Hippomen. She was ready to beat him and win when Hippoman threw the third golden apple. Atalanta hesitated for a moment: should she cross the finish line and win the race, or should she pick up the apple and be late? Atalanta decided to pick up the apple, and Hippomenes crossed the finish line, winning the race and getting Atalanta as his wife.

The procreative instinct inherent in Aphrodite (and reinforced by Demeter) slows down the pace of many active, goal-oriented women after thirty-five. Career-oriented women are often overwhelmed by the urgency of having a baby.

This third golden apple may also represent other, non-biological creativity. Achievement may become less important after midlife. In this case, the generation offered by Aphrodite is aimed at transforming experience into some form of personal expression.

If understanding Aphrodite is brought by love for another person, then the one-sidedness of the Artemis woman, no matter how satisfying, can give way to the possibility of becoming whole. A woman can turn inward to understand what is important to her and become inwardly oriented in the same way that she was previously outwardly oriented. She begins to understand that she has a need not only for independence, but also for intimacy. When she recognizes love, she - like Atalanta - will have time to determine her own decision, to understand what is most important to her.

In the myth, Atalanta becomes the wife of Melanion (or Hipomenes), but her story does not end there. Indulging in violent passion, the couple forgot about caution. Zeus, in whose temple they dared to make love, turned both of them into lions. Here we see a warning about the danger both for “a woman possessed by the Artemis archetype and for a man who finds himself under the power of Artemis-Anima. They can trample on human laws (Zeus gave people laws and order) and turn into animals. And we know such stories - this is a common component of most riots, uprisings and wars, in which both men and women break down.

IPHIGENIA

Iphigenia is the daughter of the king of Mycenae Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, who was taken by force as his wife. The Achaean fleet, which went to conquer Troy under the leadership of her daddy, could not go to sea. The lack of a fair wind was quickly explained by the anger of Artemis, who was angry at Agamemnon’s disrespect for her (who stated that he shoots and hunts no worse than the goddess herself). To appease the goddess, the oracle Kalkhant advised making a human sacrifice. She was supposed to be the daughter of Agamemnon, young Iphigenia. The king summoned his daughter from Mycenae under an insidious pretext: as if the most glorious hero of the Achaeans, Achilles, was going to marry her. And when Iphigenia arrived, her father sent her to the altar as a sacrifice. Only at the last moment did Artemis replace the girl with a doe, which fell under the blow of the priest’s knife. And the girl herself ended up in the temple of Artemis in Tauris and became a priestess of the goddess.

Looking closely at this story, we see that Iphigenia was not born and raised in the most prosperous family. Her father was one of the most authoritarian and eccentric kings in all of Greek mythology. Agamemnon was given a lot of luck and prosperity, but he behaved too carelessly and unsightly, bringing suffering and hardship to the people around him. Her mother Clytemnestra did not love her husband, but hated him even more after he deceived both her and Iphigenia, sending the latter to death. We have already considered this plot in connection with the attitude of the Zeus man to his Anima.

In the female version of this story, in terms of Iphigenia's role, we see an unjust and cruel father (or other paternal figure) who uses his daughter as a pawn in his game. This is not so uncommon in families whose head has a high status in society and a powerful character. For him, the family is a subordinate resource that he will dispose of at will. This situation was common quite recently, in the generation of our great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers, at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries.

In the myth, the maiden is saved by Artemis herself. If you look at this myth as a universal plot, then the goddess saves Iphigenia from marriage, frightening with the fact that this is a sacrifice. This is a characteristic move of the Artemis archetype: to convince the girl that marriage is death, and to provide the opportunity for escape. To loneliness, but also to serving some high idea... Therefore, the saved maiden became its priestess. In real life, a woman can escape even from a very real husband and family and choose the path of Artemis. The famous cavalry maiden Durova left her husband and child to go to war as a man.

We later meet Iphigenia in the continuation of this story. Her brother Orestes some time later arrived at the command of Apollo in Tauris to return the ancient wooden statue of Artemis to Hellas. The inhabitants of Tauris killed all foreigners, and Iphigenia should have killed Orestes, but she recognizes her brother, helps to steal the idol of the goddess, and they return to Greece together. We can interpret this plot as Iphigenia’s awareness of her role as a “killer, destroyer” and her conscious refusal of this role. She stopped competing with men in principle and recognized in her “victim” the brother sent by Apollo. Likewise, a woman in whom the Artemis archetype is strong can suddenly see the Apollo brothers in men and stop taking revenge for an insult once inflicted. We can also talk about the productive development of one’s animus. The joint return of Iphigenia and Orestes home rather symbolizes the return of a certain integrity, and, therefore, speaks of internal psychological processes in the life of a woman (and a man, if we were talking about Orestes).

N. Webster, Primitive secret societies: a study in early politics and religions, 2nd edition (New York, 1968), p. 165; H. Schurtz, Altersklassen und Mannerbuende, p. 296.

Koptev A. “Fornicator immensus - about the “harem” of the Kyiv prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich” // Russian history / Histoire russe, vol. 31, no. 1-2, 2004, p. 1-37. (Internet address http://pryahi.indeep.ru/history/koptev_01.html).

For more details see Bednenko G.B. Gods, heroes, men: Archetypes of masculinity. M.: Independent company “Class”, 2005.

de Heredia J.M. Trophies. M.: Nauka, 1973, p. 20.

Hence the wonderful stories about a boy falling in love with a girl. who at some point hit the fan with something strong or did something else in a similar spirit.

If she doesn't resist too much.

Let's pay attention to the text in the first person, but in the masculine gender. This is also quite typical.

A good figure (oddly enough) is often the “fad” of Artemis. We will notice this later.

I noticed the triumph of the ideology and principles of Artemis (and a little less of Athena) in the book of the German writer Ute Erhardt “Good girls go to heaven, and bad girls go wherever they want...” (M.: Independent Firm “Class”! 2003). I recommend it to anyone interested in activating these particular role archetypes.

“Pesnyary” and Olga // Russian news. October 22-28, 2003. (Quoted from http://www.rosvesty.ru/numbers/1698/sport/article_65.phtml).

I allowed myself to choose the description of the fight between a man and a woman.

Excerpt taken from the website of the Women's Martial Arts Club (http:// www.fscclub. com). Article address: http://www.fscclub. com/kaleidoscope/korbut.shtml.

Although it would seem that the rules of the game are known to everyone and the possibilities are easily calculated.

As in I. Kalman’s operetta “Silva”: “...What do you mean not a boy??? Who?!!"

We know that this was common practice in ancient times. “Unnecessary” children, especially girls, were left in wild places.

When Meleager was born, it was predicted that he would die only when the log burned out. And the mother grabbed the log from the fire and kept it, and when she learned about the death of her brothers, she threw it back into the hearth.

Bolen J. Sh. Goddesses in Everywoman: A New Psychology of Women. Harper & Row, 1985.

Surprisingly, the ancient Greeks believed that lionesses could only make love with leopards. Thus, the punishment included not only an animal appearance, but also the impossibility of nice activities for Atlanta.

See Bednenko G.B. Gods, heroes, men: archetypes of masculinity. M.: Independent company “Class”, 2005.

Artemis is the twin sister of Apollo, the sun god. Of the two, she was born first. Their mother, Leto, is a deity of nature, the daughter of two titans, and their father is the supreme god of Olympus, Zeus.

Many things prevented the birth of twins. Everyone feared the vengeful wrath of Hera, the legal wife of Zeus, and Leto's presence was unwelcome wherever she appeared. Finally, she found refuge on the deserted island of Delos and there gave birth to Artemis and Apollo.

Artemis was born first and helped Leto during Apollo's long and difficult labor. For nine days and nine nights, Leto suffered terrible pain caused by the efforts of the vengeful Hera. Artemis, who became a midwife for her mother, was revered as the patroness of childbirth. Women turned to her, calling her “healer of pain” and “no pain.” They prayed to her to ease their labor pains and help them give birth to a child, or to grant them an “easy death” from her arrows.

When Artemis was three years old, Leto took her to Olympus to introduce her to Zeus and her divine relatives. The Hymn to Artemis says that she sat on the lap of her magnificent father, who caressed her with the words: “When goddesses bear me children like this, the wrath of jealous Hera does not frighten me. My little daughter, you will have everything you "as you wish."

Artemis asked for a bow and arrows, a pack of hounds for hunting, a retinue of nymphs, a tunic short enough for running, wild forests and mountains at her disposal - and eternal chastity. Father Zeus willingly provided all this to her. All this plus a privilege make your own choice.

Soon Artemis went to the forests and ponds to choose the most beautiful nymphs. She then went down to the bottom of the sea and found the Cyclopes, masters of Poseidon, who forged her a silver bow and arrows. And finally she found Pan, the deity of the wild, half-man, half-goat, playing the pipe, and begged him for some of the best hounds. Artemis was impatient to put the gifts she had received to the test, and at night, by the light of torches, she started a hunt.

As is known from myths, Artemis, helping those who turned to her with a plea for help, acted quickly and decisively. But she was also quick to deal with her offenders.

One day, when Leto went to Delphi to visit Apollo, the giant Titius* tried to rape her. Artemis quickly responded to her mother’s call, as if she took aim with a bow and struck him down with an arrow.

* Tityus - in Greek mythology, a giant of chthonic origin, the son of Zeus and Elara. Born in the bowels of the earth, where Zeus hid his beloved, fearing the wrath of the jealous Hera. Later, the vengeful Hera instilled in him a passion for Leto, beloved by Zeus (Mythological Dictionary, "Soviet Encyclopedia". M., 1991). – Note ed.

Another time, the arrogant and stupid Niobe insulted Leto, boasting that she, Niobe, had many beautiful sons and daughters, while Leto had only two. Leto called on Apollo and Artemis to take revenge for this insult, which they immediately did. Apollo killed six sons of Niobe with his arrows, and Artemis killed her six daughters. Niobe turned into a stone that always sheds tears.

It is noteworthy that Artemis repeatedly came to her mother’s aid. Nothing like this is known about any other goddess. Artemis also willingly responded to the pleas of other women. The forest nymph Arifusa called upon Artemis when she was about to be raped. Arifuza returned from hunting and entered the river to refresh herself with a swim. The river god desired the naked nymph and attacked her. Arifuza tried to escape in horror. Artemis heard her cry, covered her with a cloud of fog and turned her into a spring.

Artemis was merciless to those who insulted her. This fatal mistake was made by the hunter Actaeon. One day, while wandering through the forest, Actaeon accidentally approached a creek where the goddess and her nymphs were bathing. Offended by the intrusion, Artemis turned him into a deer by splashing water on his face. Her hunting dogs attacked Actaeon like a wild animal. In panic, he tried to escape, but the dogs overtook him and tore him into small pieces.

Artemis also killed another hunter, Orion, whom she loved. It was unintentional murder on her part. One day, Apollo, offended that Artemis fell in love with Orion, saw that he had swam far out to sea. Orion's head was barely visible above the water. Apollo found Artemis and pointed out to her a dark object in the sea far away from them, telling her that she would not be able to hit such a small target. Incited by her brother, Artemis, not knowing that she was aiming at Orion's head, fired an arrow that killed her beloved. Subsequently, Artemis placed Orion among the stars and gave him one of her hounds, Sirius, as a celestial companion. So the only man she loved became a victim of her passion.

Artemis is known primarily as the goddess of the hunt, but she is also the goddess of the moon. Night is her element. Artemis wanders through her wild domain by moonlight with burning torches. The Moon Goddess Artemis is associated with Selene and Hecate. The three of them form a lunar triad: Selene rules in the heavens, Artemis on earth, and Hecate in the eerie and mysterious underworld.

Artemis(Diana among the Romans) – goddess of the hunt and the Moon. The beloved daughter of Zeus and Leto, slender Artemis happily wanders through wild forests, meadows and hills, surrounded by nymphs and hunting dogs devoted to her.

Artemis is the twin sister of Apollo, the sun god. Their mother, Leto, is a deity of nature, the daughter of two titans, and their father is the supreme god of Olympus, Zeus.

Artemis was born first and helped Leto during Apollo's long and difficult labor. Artemis, who became a midwife for her mother, was revered as the patroness of childbirth.

When Artemis was three years old, Leto took her to Olympus to introduce her to Zeus. Holding her on his knees, Zeus said: “When goddesses give me children like this, the wrath of the jealous Hera does not frighten me. My little daughter, you will have everything you want."

Artemis asked for a bow and arrows, a pack of hounds for hunting, a retinue of nymphs, a tunic short enough for running, wild forests and mountains at her disposal - and eternal chastity. Father Zeus willingly provided all this to her. All this plus the privilege of making your own choices.

Artemis, helping those who turned to her with a plea for help, acted quickly and decisively. But she was also quick to deal with her offenders.

One day, when Leto went to Delphi to visit Apollo, the giant Tityus tried to rape her. Artemis quickly responded to her mother’s call, as if she took aim with a bow and struck him down with an arrow.

One day, the hunter Actaeon accidentally approached a creek where the goddess and her nymphs were bathing. Offended by the intrusion, Artemis turned him into a deer by splashing water on his face. Her hunting dogs attacked Actaeon and tore him into small pieces.

Artemis also killed the hunter Orion, whom she loved. One day, Apollo, offended that Artemis fell in love with Orion, saw that he had swam far out to sea. Orion's head was barely visible above the water. Apollo found Artemis and pointed out to her a dark object in the sea far away from them, telling her that she would not be able to hit such a small target. Artemis fired an arrow that struck her lover. Subsequently, Artemis placed Orion among the stars and gave him one of her hounds, Sirius, as a celestial companion. So the only man she loved became a victim of her passion.

Artemis is also the goddess of the Moon, night is her element. Artemis wanders through her wild domain by moonlight with burning torches.

Athena- the Greek goddess of wisdom, patroness of crafts, known to the Romans as Minerva. Athena is a virgin who took a vow of chastity and celibacy.

Of all the Olympic goddesses, only she was depicted in military armor: the visor of her helmet was raised, revealing her beauty to the eyes. She holds a shield in one hand and a spear in the other. As an emblem, intertwined snakes were depicted on her shield or on the hem of her robe.

The name of Athena was associated with military skill and household crafts, that is, those types of activities that require careful planning and precise execution of plans. Athena defends the superiority of will and intellect over instincts. Cities are dear to her, she believes that pristine nature should be punished.

She was born from the head of Zeus as an adult woman in shining golden armor, with a sharp spear in one hand, while uttering a loud war cry. Zeus felt a headache like “birth pangs” and called for help from his son Hephaestus, who split his skull with a powerful blow of a sharp ax, opening the way for Athena.

Athena believed that she had only one parent - Zeus, with whom she was forever connected. She was her father’s “right hand,” and only to her did he entrust the symbol of his power—lightning and the aegis.

Athena's mother Metis, the deity of the ocean, was the first wife of Zeus and was famous for her wisdom. When she was pregnant with Athena, Zeus tricked her into becoming small and swallowed her. By swallowing Metis, Zeus overcame the fate predicted to him that Metis would have two extraordinary children: a daughter equal to Zeus himself in courage and wisdom, and a son with the soul of a conqueror who would become the king of gods and men.

Athena was the patroness and adviser of all male heroes. She helped Perseus defeat the Gorgon Medusa, giving him a copper shield shining like a mirror, and she guided his hand when he cut off Medusa's head.

She helped Jason and the Argonauts build a ship on which they went to mine the Golden Fleece, and helped Hercules in his twelve labors.

During the Trojan War, Athena actively acted on the side of the Greeks, took care of her favorite Achilles and helped Odysseus in his return home.

She supported patriarchy in general. She turned the weaver Arachne into a spider, who dared to depict the love affairs of Zeus on her canvas.

Hestia- the goddess of the hearth - more precisely, the fire that burned in the round hearth in the house. She is the least known of the Olympian deities. Artists did not depict Hestia (Vesta among the Romans) in human form, but the presence of this goddess was felt in the living flame in the center of every house and temple.

Hestia is the first child of Rhea and Kronos. She was the elder sister of the first generation of Olympian gods. By right of birth, she was one of the twelve main Olympians, but she could not be on Olympus and therefore did not protest when she was replaced there by the famous Dionysus, the god of wine and winemaking. Since then, she has not taken part in the love affairs and wars that abound Greek mythology. Hestia was highly revered and received the best sacrifices offered to the Gods by mortals.

The treacherous Aphrodite made Poseidon, the god of the sea, and Apollo, the god of the sun, fall in love with Hestia. Both desired her, but she resolutely rejected both, making a great vow to remain a virgin forever.

Zeus gave her a wonderful privilege instead of a wedding gift - he placed Hestia in the center of the house so that she would receive the best sacrifices.

Two of Homer's hymns dedicated to Hestia are appeals to her with a request to enter a house or temple.

Awakening this archetype gives a woman a feeling of wholeness and untouchedness. Hestia concentrates on her subjective inner experiences. She is completely absorbed in meditation.

Inwardly oriented and preoccupied with her own concerns, Hestia can become emotionally detached and inattentive to those around her. In addition, Hestia’s self-sufficiency gives rise, in addition to a tendency to withdraw from human society, to a need for silent peace, which is most easily achieved in solitude.

As the eldest sister of the first generation of Olympian gods and the maiden aunt of the second, Hestia took the position of respected elder. She stood outside of intrigue, did not compete with her relatives and avoided momentary passions.

Hera(among the Romans Juno) - majestic, regal, beautiful Hera, was the goddess of marriage. She is the wife of Zeus the Thunderer. Her name means "Great Lady". Hera is the child of Rhea and Kronos. She was swallowed by her father shortly after birth, as were her four siblings. When she was freed from her captivity, she was already a young girl who was given to the care of her mother's parents, two nature deities, Oceanus and Typheis, who raised her at the end of the world, in love and care.

Hera grew up to be a charming goddess. She attracted the attention of Zeus, who by that time had defeated Kronos and the Titans and became the supreme god of Olympus. To achieve intimacy, Zeus turned into a small bird trembling from the cold, over which Hera bent and placed it on her chest. Then Zeus threw off the guise of a bird, returned to his male form and tried to take possession of her by force. She resisted his amorous advances until he promised to marry her. The honeymoon lasted 300 years, after which Zeus returned to his promiscuous lifestyle.

Hera's rage was directed not at her unfaithful husband, but at the “other woman” (who was most often seduced, raped or deceived by Zeus), at children conceived by Zeus, or at innocent bystanders. When Zeus brought Aegina to the island to take possession of her, Hera released a monstrous dragon, which destroyed many people.

Zeus deceived the nymph Callisto, taking the form of Artemis, and then seduced her. For this love affair, Hera turned Callisto into a bear and tried to force her son to unknowingly kill her, but Zeus placed both mother and son in the sky as the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.

Hera was humiliated by Zeus's many love affairs. By giving life to his daughter Athena on his own, he added a new insult to the previous insults and wounds, thereby demonstrating that he did not need a wife even for this function.

Hera had several children. In retaliation for the birth of Athena, Hera also decided to become the only parent of a son. She conceived Hephaestus, the god of fire and blacksmithing. When he was born with a mutilated foot - a frail and deformed child in contrast to the perfect Athena - Hera rejected him and threw him from Olympus.

Hera's favorite son, Ares, is the god of war; Zeus despised him because he lost his head in the heat of battle.

In some cases, Hera, humiliated by another betrayal of Zeus, retired from Olympus; she wandered to the ends of the earth and sea, shrouding herself in deep darkness, separating herself from Zeus and the other Olympians.

One day Hera went to the mountains, where she had spent the happy days of her youth, Zeus saw that she was not going to return and tried to arouse her jealousy with the rumor that he was going to marry a local princess. He then performed a playful ceremony with a statue of a woman, this amused Hera, she forgave Zeus and returned to Olympus.

Hera represents the three states of a woman’s life. She was worshiped throughout the year, in the spring - Hera the Virgin, plunging into a pond, restoring virginity. In the summer of Hera Perfect in marriage rites. In winter to Hera the Widow, symbolizing her disagreement with Zeus and separation from him.

Demeter(Ceres among the Romans) – goddess of fertility and agriculture, educator and mother. The second daughter of Kronos and Rhea, was depicted with golden hair, in blue clothes, and with a golden sword. She is the fourth wife of Zeus, from whom she gave birth to her only child, Persephone (Proserpine among the Romans).

Hades, the brother of Demeter, agreed with Zeus and kidnapped Persephone. For nine days and nine nights, Demeter searched for her kidnapped daughter, without rest, sleep or food. At the dawn of the tenth day, she met Hecate (goddess of the dark moon and crossroads), who suggested going to Helios (god of the sun), who said that Hades had kidnapped Persephone and taken her to the underworld. He advised Demeter to accept what had happened, but Demeter decided to leave Olympus and go wander the world, turning into an old woman.

One day she reached Eleusis, where the king's daughters saw her. They had a much-loved little brother named Demophon, and when Demeter told them she was looking for work as a nanny, they brought her home to their mother Metaneira.

Under the supervision of Demeter, Demophon grew like a god. She fed him ambrosia and tempered him in fire, which was supposed to bring him immortality, but Metanira one day saw her son lying in the fire and screamed shrilly in fear. Demeter became angry and took on her usual form as a goddess. She ordered the construction of a temple and remained to live in it, grieving over her kidnapped daughter and refusing to act, as a result all living things stopped being born. The famine threatened to destroy the human race and thereby deprive the Olympian gods of worship and sacrifice. Finally, Zeus responded to what was happening. He sent Iris, and then all the Olympian gods, who brought gifts and paid homage to Demeter, but the angry Demeter made it known that she would not set foot on Olympus and would not allow plants to grow until her daughter Persephone was returned to her.

Eventually Zeus gave in. He sent Hermes to Hades. Persephone, learning that she was free, jumped up cheerfully to go with Hermes, but Hades gave her several sweet pomegranate seeds, which she ate.

On the chariot of Hades, Hermes and Persiphone rushed to the temple at Eleusis. Demeter embraced Persephone and asked if she had eaten anything in the underworld. Since Persephone ate the pomegranate seeds, she will now be forced to spend two-thirds of the year with her mother and one-third in the underworld with Hades.

Demeter returned flowering and fertility to the earth and established the cult of the Eleusinian Mysteries. These were awe-inspiring, closed cultic ceremonies in which people learned how to live joyfully and die without fear.

Persephone(Proserpina or Kore among the Romans) - Girl, mistress of the underworld. The only daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Persephone has two hypostases - a slender, beautiful young girl, associated with pomegranate, cereals, and narcissus - the flower with which she was lured. In another form, she is a mature goddess who rules the souls of the dead, a guide for the living who visit the underworld. She demands fulfillment of her desires.

Hades kidnapped the girl while she was picking flowers, appearing before her from the open ground on a chariot. Persephone was inconsolable until Hermes came and announced that Hades would be forced to let her go. Persephone was delighted, but agreed to eat a few pomegranate seeds offered by Hades. Hermes took Persephone to the temple to her mother, where Persephone lied to her that Hades forced her to eat several pomegranate seeds. After eating pomegranate seeds, she had to spend a third of the year in the underworld with Hades.

The annual return of Persephone from the underworld was experienced by the Greeks as a rebirth and renewal of life after death.

Later, Persephone became the mistress of the underworld; all the heroes who descended into the ascent kingdom met Persephone there. She gave Psyche a magic ointment for Aphrodite. She gave permission to Hercules to take with him Cerberus, who he had tamed.

Persephone competed with Aphrodite for the possession of Adonis, a beautiful youth. Aphrodite gave Adonis to Persephone as an infant to raise. But Persephone was captivated by the beauty of the baby and later they turned to the court of Zeus, who decided that Adonis would spend one third of the year with Aphrodite, one third with Persephone, and one third would be left to himself.

Aphrodite(Venus and the Romans) – goddess of beauty, love and creativity. According to Homer, Aphrodite was born in the usual way, she was the daughter of Zeus and the sea nymph Dione. According to Hesiod, Aphrodite was born as a result of Kronos cutting off the reproductive organs of his father Uranus with a sickle and throwing them into the sea. They were covered with snow-white foam, mixed with sperm, from which Aphrodite was born, emerging from the sea waves as an adult.

According to myths, Aphrodite first set foot on the shore of either the island of Cythera or the island of Cyprus. Then, accompanied by Eros, she was taken to Olympus and became the most beautiful of the goddesses in the host of gods.

Many of the gods competed as contenders for her hand and heart. Unlike other goddesses who did not choose their spouses or lovers, Aphrodite was free in her choice. She chose Hephaestus, the lame god of fire and blacksmithing. Thus, the rejected son of Hera becomes the husband of Aphrodite - and will often be deceived by her. Aphrodite and Hephaestus had no children.

Aphrodite preferred to choose her lovers from the second generation of Olympians - the generation of sons, not fathers. Aphrodite had a long romantic relationship with Ares, the god of war, with whom she had several children. Her other lover was Hermes, the messenger of the gods, who escorted souls to the underworld, the patron of travelers, thieves and merchants, the inventor of musical instruments and at the same time the god of eloquence, resourcefulness and deception.

Aphrodite and Ares had three children: a daughter, Harmony, and two sons, Deimos (terror) and Phobos (fear), who accompanied their father in battle. Aphrodite and Ares represent the union of the two least controlled passions - love and war, which, being in perfect balance, could create harmony.

The child of Aphrodite and Hermes was the bisexual god Hermaphroditus, who inherited the beauty of both and possessed the sexual qualities of both.

According to some opinions, Eros, the god of love, was one of the sons of Aphrodite. Hesiod states that Eros was the primary force in creation, present before the Titans and Olympians. Eros was also seen as the god who accompanied Aphrodite when she emerged from the sea. However, later myths described him as the son of Aphrodite, born without a father.

The goddess of love and beauty had many love affairs with mortal men. She responded to Hippomenes' pleas on the eve of the speed race with Atalanta. She gave him three golden apples and advice on how to use them, which saved his life and helped him win the hand of the woman he loved.

At a festival in honor of Aphrodite, the sculptor Pygmalion prayed to the goddess to send him a wife similar to his sculpture. Later, when he kissed the beautiful statue, it came to life. She became Galatea, whom he married - this was Aphrodite's answer to his prayers.

Seeing Anchises grazing cattle on the mountainside, she lusted after him (a mortal with a “body like a god,” as Homer describes him). Pretending to be a beautiful girl, she aroused his passion with her words and seduced him.

Later, when sleep overtook him, she threw off her mortal mask and awakened her sleeping lover. Aphrodite revealed to him that she would give birth to a son, Aeneas, who would become famous as the legendary founder of Rome, and warned him not to reveal to anyone that she was the mother of his son. Anchises, who drank too much wine, began to boast of his love affair with Aphrodite, after which he was struck by lightning and crippled.

Women were also very strongly influenced by Aphrodite.

The daughter of the priest of Aphrodite, Mirra, fell passionately in love with her father. According to various versions of the story, Aphrodite aroused this forbidden passion either because her mother boasted that her daughter was more beautiful than Aphrodite herself, or because Myrra neglected to perform rites in her honor. One way or another, Mirra wooed her father in the dark, while in disguise, and became his secret lover. After several secret meetings, he discovered that this seductive woman was his own daughter. Feeling horror and disgust, he tried to kill her. Myrrh prayed for her salvation and the gods turned her into a fragrant myrrh tree.

Psyche had the misfortune of being so beautiful that men called her “the second Aphrodite”, they revered her and revered her as a goddess, which insulted Aphrodite. According to the myth of Eros and Psyche, Psyche sought the favor of the goddess, whose wrath she had incurred. Aphrodite gave her four impossible tasks, each of which at first seemed beyond her abilities. In each case, thanks to help coming from an unexpected quarter, Psyche achieved success. Aphrodite acted as a transformative teacher, setting tasks, the solution of which developed Psyche - a mortal who had the characteristic properties of vulnerable goddesses.

"Selene, the personification of the Moon in Greek mythology, was often identified with the goddesses Artemis and Hecate."

Genealogy and mythology

Artemis is the twin sister of Apollo, the sun god. Of the two, she was born first. Their mother, Leto, is a deity of nature, the daughter of two titans, and their father is the supreme god of Olympus, Zeus. Many things prevented the birth of twins. Everyone feared the vengeful wrath of Hera, the legal wife of Zeus, and Leto's presence was unwelcome wherever she appeared. Finally, she found refuge on the deserted island of Delos and there gave birth to Artemis and Apollo.

Artemis was born first and helped Leto during Apollo's long and difficult labor. For nine days and nine nights, Leto suffered terrible pain caused by the efforts of the vengeful Hera. Artemis, who became a midwife for her mother, was revered as the patroness of childbirth. Women turned to her, calling her “healer of pain” and “no pain.” They prayed to her to ease their labor pains and help them give birth to a child, or to grant them an “easy death” from her arrows.

When Artemis was three years old, Leto took her to Olympus to introduce her to Zeus and her divine relatives. The Hymn to Artemis says that she sat on the lap of her magnificent father, who caressed her with the words: “When goddesses bear me children like this, the wrath of jealous Hera does not frighten me. My little daughter, you will have everything you "as you wish."

Artemis asked for a bow and arrows, a pack of hounds for hunting, a retinue of nymphs, a tunic short enough for running, wild forests and mountains at her disposal - and eternal chastity. Father Zeus willingly provided all this to her. All this plus the privilege of making your own choices.

Soon Artemis went to the forests and ponds to choose the most beautiful nymphs. She then went down to the bottom of the sea and found the Cyclopes, masters of Poseidon, who forged her a silver bow and arrows. And finally she found Pan, the deity of the wild, half-man, half-goat, playing the pipe, and begged him for some of the best hounds. Artemis was impatient to put the gifts she had received to the test, and at night, by the light of torches, she started a hunt.

As is known from myths, Artemis, helping those who turned to her with a plea for help, acted quickly and decisively. But she was also quick to deal with her offenders.

One day, when Leto went to Delphi to visit Apollo, the giant Titius* tried to rape her. Artemis quickly responded to her mother’s call, as if she took aim with a bow and struck him down with an arrow.

* Tityus - in Greek mythology, a giant of chthonic origin, the son of Zeus and Elara. Born in the bowels of the earth, where Zeus hid his beloved, fearing the wrath of the jealous Hera. Later, the vengeful Hera instilled in him a passion for Leto, beloved by Zeus (Mythological Dictionary, "Soviet Encyclopedia". M., 1991). – Approx. ed.

Another time, the arrogant and stupid Niobe insulted Leto, boasting that she, Niobe, had many beautiful sons and daughters, while Leto had only two. Leto called on Apollo and Artemis to take revenge for this insult, which they immediately did. Apollo killed six sons of Niobe with his arrows, and Artemis killed her six daughters. Niobe turned into a stone that always sheds tears.

It is noteworthy that Artemis repeatedly came to her mother’s aid. Nothing like this is known about any other goddess. Artemis also willingly responded to the pleas of other women. The forest nymph Arifusa called upon Artemis when she was about to be raped. Arifuza returned from hunting and entered the river to refresh herself with a swim. The river god desired the naked nymph and attacked her. Arifuza tried to escape in horror. Artemis heard her cry, covered her with a cloud of fog and turned her into a spring.

Artemis was merciless to those who insulted her. This fatal mistake was made by the hunter Actaeon. One day, while wandering through the forest, Actaeon accidentally approached a creek where the goddess and her nymphs were bathing. Offended by the intrusion, Artemis turned him into a deer by splashing water on his face. Her hunting dogs attacked Actaeon like a wild animal. In panic, he tried to escape, but the dogs overtook him and tore him into small pieces.

Artemis also killed another hunter, Orion, whom she loved. It was unintentional murder on her part. One day, Apollo, offended that Artemis fell in love with Orion, saw that he had swam far out to sea. Orion's head was barely visible above the water. Apollo found Artemis and pointed out to her a dark object in the sea far away from them, telling her that she would not be able to hit such a small target.

Incited by her brother, Artemis, not knowing that she was aiming at Orion's head, fired an arrow that killed her beloved. Subsequently, Artemis placed Orion among the stars and gave him one of her hounds, Sirius, as a celestial companion. So the only man she loved became a victim of her passion.

Artemis is known primarily as the goddess of the hunt, but she is also the goddess of the moon. Night is her element. Artemis wanders through her wild domain by moonlight with burning torches. The Moon Goddess Artemis is associated with Selene and Hecate. The three of them form a lunar triad: Selene rules in the heavens, Artemis on earth, and Hecate in the eerie and mysterious underworld.

Artemis as an archetype

Artemis, goddess of the hunt and the Moon, personifies the independence of the feminine spirit. As an archetype, she gives a woman the right to pursue her own goals in her chosen field.

Virgin Goddess

As a virgin goddess, Artemis is immune to love. She was not raped or kidnapped like Demeter and Persephone. Artemis did not know marital ties. The archetype of the virgin goddess is expressed in a feeling of untouchedness, self-sufficiency, it determines the life position “I can take care of myself” and allows a woman to act confidently, independently and independently. A woman feels whole, does not need a male protector, pursues her own interests and chooses an area of ​​activity without needing male approval. Her self-definition and sense of self-worth are based more on who she is and what she does than on whether she is married or to whom. A typical sign of the awakened Artemis virgin goddess archetype is when a woman insists on being addressed as “Miss,” thereby emphasizing her independence and detachment from men.

Shooter focused on target

Goddess of the hunt, Artemis the marksman can choose any target close or far away. When going in pursuit of prey, she knows that her arrows will unerringly reach their targets. The Artemis archetype gives a woman the ability to completely focus on the subject that is important to her and not pay attention to the needs of others. Perhaps competing with other people only increases her excitement from the “hunt.” Focus and persistent pursuit of goals help Artemis achieve success. This archetype makes it possible to achieve the desired result independently, without outside help.

Archetype of the women's movement

Artemis is the embodiment of the qualities idealized by the women's movements: independence from men and male opinion, success in life, caring for persecuted helpless women and girls. The goddess Artemis helped her mother during childbirth, saved Leto and Arifusa from rape, punished the rapist Tityus and the hunter Actaeon who invaded her domain. She was the patroness of young girls and especially teenage girls.

All this corresponds to the tasks that feminists set for themselves. They organize clinics for those who have been raped, and shelters for abandoned women, and conduct classes for women with sexual problems. The women's movement pays special attention to the problems of childbirth and obstetrics. Its activists are sounding the alarm about pornography and incest, since both of them traumatize children and women.

Sister

The goddess Artemis was accompanied by nymphs - minor deities associated with forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, seas and springs. They traveled with her, hunting and exploring wild places. The nymphs were not bound by household chores, they were not interested in what women “should” do, and men did not claim their rights over them. They lived as "sisters", and Artemis, who led them and always came to their aid, was their "elder sister". It is not surprising that the women's movement especially emphasizes the "sisterhood" of women, since its archetypal inspiration is Artemis.

Artemis merging with nature

It is the Artemis archetype that attracts a woman to deserted places and wild nature. Thanks to him, a woman comes to terms with herself and, when wandering through deserted forests and mountains, falls asleep under the moon and stars or, looking into the distance, walks along the deserted seaside, experiencing a feeling of unity with existence.

This is how Lynn Thomas describes the feeling of a woman who perceives pristine nature according to her inner Artemis:

"In the beginning - a majestic landscape and silence, clean water and clean air. And also detachment... the opportunity to forget for a while about family ties and daily home rituals... And the gift of energy. Pristine nature fills you with energy. I remember, how one day I lay on the banks of the Snake River in Idaho and was aware of everything around me... I could not sleep... Existence held me in its palms. I was absorbed in the dance of molecules and atoms. My body responded to the attraction of the Moon."

Artemis Woman

The qualities of Artemis appear in girls at a very early age. Usually little Artemis is active and completely absorbed in learning new subjects. About this ability of her to focus attention on what interests her, people often speak like this: “How focused is she - at the age of two” or “Think before you promise her something. She has an excellent memory, she knows nothing.” forgets." Encouraged by Artemis to explore new territories, the girl climbs out of her crib or playground and goes out into the “big world.”

Artemis is confident in her motivations and life principles. She protects the weak and is the first to say: “This is unfair!” Artemis girls, raised in families where preference is given to sons, cannot come to terms with this. They do not take such injustice as a “given”. Often, in a younger sister who demands equality with her brothers, one can discern a future fighter for women's rights.

Parents

The parents of a woman who confidently follows her own path, is satisfied with herself as a person and rejoices in the fact that she is a woman, are sometimes like Leto and Zeus. They, just like these gods, help bring to life the potential of Artemis that lies within their daughter. For an Artemis woman, in order to successfully compete with men and achieve her goals without conflict, paternal approval is very important.

Many fathers, like Zeus, provide support to their daughters. Sometimes their “magical gifts” are intangible - they can be common interests, mutual understanding, empathy. Sometimes such “gifts” are quite real.

If the daughter Artemis was born into a family that is far from patriarchal values ​​and therefore has no correspondence in Greek mythology, her childhood is not very similar to life on top of Olympus. If both parents share childcare and household responsibilities equally, while each is busy with their own careers, they become a role model for their Artemis daughter. However, such qualities do not combine well with motherhood and close relationships.

Problems arise when parents criticize the Artemis in their child because she does not live up to their idea of ​​what a daughter should be. A mother who would like to have an obedient, cuddling girl, but who is forced to raise an active, limitless child, may feel disappointed and feel that she is not accepted. She expects her daughter to follow her on her heels and obey her unquestioningly, since “mother knows best,” but these hopes are not justified. Even at the age of three, little “Miss Independence” does not want to stay at home with her mother, but prefers to play with older children, abandoning her dolls. And she doesn’t want to wear frilly dresses and please her mother’s friends with her exemplary behavior.

Later, Artemis may encounter opposition when she wants to do something without parental permission. If she is not allowed to do what boys are allowed to do just because “you’re a girl,” she may burst into tears in protest. And if this doesn’t help, she leaves indignantly. Such conflicts destroy her self-confidence, especially if she is subjected to derogatory criticism from her father, who “would like to see her as a young lady” and at the same time does not value her abilities and ambitions.

Usually the daughter obeys, but she feels pain in her soul. This creates a pattern of behavior based on deep insecurity. In the future, following this model, the woman will act contrary to her own interests. Her worst enemy is self-doubt. Even those who in their youth may have seemed to successfully resist attempts to limit their ambitions nevertheless found themselves traumatized by their parents' misunderstanding. If a woman lives with the feeling that she does not live up to her father's ideal, she hesitates and cannot make the right decisions when new opportunities appear in her life. Her achievements are less than what she is capable of. Even when she succeeds, she still feels inferior. Such personality defects arise where preference is given to sons, and purely feminine stereotypes of behavior are expected from daughters.

One Artemis woman put it this way: “My mother wanted Persephone (mama’s pliable little daughter), my father wanted a son, but they got me.” Some mothers criticize their Artemis daughters because they pursue goals that are alien to them. However, a negative attitude on the part of the mother causes much less harm than the father's criticism, because in the eyes of Artemis the father has much more authority.

Here is another typical difficulty in the relationship between a mother and her daughter, Artemis. Artemis believes that her mother is passive and weak. If the mother experienced periods of depression, abused alcohol, divorced her husband, gave birth at a young age, her daughter Artemis, describing her relationship with her, usually says: “I was the parent.” During further conversation, it turns out that memories of the mother’s weakness and the thought that she herself did not have enough strength to somehow change the situation cause her daughter Artemis severe mental pain.

If the goddess Artemis always rescued her own mother, the attempts of the Artemis daughters to save their mothers usually did not succeed.

The archetype of the virgin goddess in the daughter Artemis is strengthened due to the lack of respect for the weak mother. Trying not to be like her mother, she tries with all her might to get rid of her daughterly affection, hides her own vulnerability and, above all, strives for independence.

When the Artemis daughter lacks respect for her mother, who limits her life to traditional female roles, she finds herself trapped. Rejecting identification with her mother, she also rejects what is commonly considered the feminine principle - softness, receptivity, the desire for marriage and motherhood - paying for this with an annoying feeling of her inadequacy as a woman.

Adolescence and youth

In adolescence, the daughter Artemis demonstrates an innate desire to compete, showing her inherent perseverance, courage, and will to win. To achieve any goal, already at this age she is quite capable of self-restraint. She can go on long walks, climb rocks, sleep in the open air, ride a horse, chop wood for a fire with an ax, or becomes as skilled a marksman as Artemis herself.

Teenage Artemis is a girl who strives for independence and has a penchant for exploration. She bravely goes deep into the forests, climbs the mountains and wants to know what is on the next street. Its slogans are “Don’t limit me” and “Don’t put pressure on me.” Unlike many of her peers, she does not like to adapt and is reluctant to compromise, since she usually knows what she wants and does not think about whether someone likes it or not. Sometimes this self-confidence turns against her: other people may consider her stubborn and impudent.

The Artemis girl, leaving her parents' home to study at college, experiences joyful revival. She feels independent and is ready to accept the challenges that life throws at her. She usually finds some kindred spirit to "run away with."

Job

The Artemis woman puts a lot of effort into her work. Competition and rivalry only encourage her. She often chooses to become a lawyer or gets another job where she can help other people.

As a rule, she starts her business by producing products that she considers undoubtedly useful; in her creativity, she most often expresses her emphatically personal vision of the world, and in politics, she devotes herself to the fight against environmental pollution or defends women’s rights. Fame, power and money can come to her if the field of activity in which she achieves success is prestigious and has its own rewards.

At the same time, the interests of many Artemis women are often far from any kind of commerce, are not compatible with career growth and do not provide either fame or a solid bank account. They follow unbeaten paths, pursuing goals that are incomprehensible to most, and at the same time they do not have time to either establish close relationships with people or achieve success in life.

The defender of the losing side, the misunderstood reformer, the “voice crying in the desert,” to which no one pays attention, the representative of “pure,” non-commercial art - all this is Artemis (however, in the latter case, Artemis is joined by Aphrodite, with her influence on creativity and emphasis based on subjective experiences).

Relationships with women: sisterly

The Artemis woman experiences a strong sense of female solidarity. Like the goddess herself, surrounded by nymph companions, friendships with other women are very important to her. This pattern of behavior dates back to elementary school. Her “best friends” are those with whom she shared everything that is important in her life. Such friendships can last for decades.

Working Artemis women easily unite in support groups, various women's organizations, societies for the guardianship of young women in one or another field of activity - all this makes it possible to express the sister archetype.

By nature, most Artemis women are prone to social activities. The Artemis woman feels equal to men; she competes with them, realizing that the stereotypical “female” role assigned to her by society is unnatural for her. Hiding her abilities - "don't let a man know how strong you are" or "let a man win (in an argument or tennis)" - is contrary to her nature.

Sexuality

The Artemis woman, like the goddess herself, can maintain virginity. Then her sexuality remains undeveloped and unexpressed. However, nowadays this is quite rare. Most likely, the Artemis woman will gain sexual experience due to her penchant for exploration and new adventures.

The sexuality of the Artemis woman may be similar to the sexuality of an ordinary man who prioritizes his work. For both of them, close relationships are secondary. Business, career, and creativity always come first. Sex in such cases is more of a recreational and physiological need than a physical expression of emotional intimacy and familial obligations (Hera's motivation) or a manifestation of the true sensuality inherent in Aphrodite.

Marriage

In her youth, the thoughts of the Artemis woman, completely immersed in her work, are far from marriage. Moreover, she does not at all seek to settle down. If an Artemis woman is attractive, she appears in society surrounded by many men. She prefers open relationships to marriage and may remain unmarried.

When she does get married, her husband is usually a fellow student, work colleague, or competitor. In marriage, she remains a champion of equality and, as often happens these days, keeps her maiden name.