Who Is Artemis (aka Diana)? Her Myth, Story, and Astrology Meaning
She’s soft and wild at the same time. Fiercely independent. And one of the most skillful archers among the Greek gods and goddesses. She was often found deep within forests, mountains, and marshes. Both a protector and a hunter of wild animals. But hunting was never just a sport to her. It was sacred. A sacrament.
She is also one of the virgin goddesses. In Greek mythology, this title was given to those who did not belong to anyone and answered to no-one. In fact, one of her most famous stories involves her punishing the hunter Actaeon after he accidentally stumbled upon Artemis and her nymph friends bathing naked in the woods. She was so incredibly offended that she turned him into a stag. Actaeon travelled with his hunting hounds, and once transformed, they attacked and killed him.
While Artemis is fiercely independent, she was actually born a twin. She is the twin sister of the sun god Apollo. They were both born on the island of Delos. And get this… at the time of their birth, the island was floating! It doesn’t float anymore, but apparently back then it did.
Artemis was born first, and it’s said that moments after her own birth, she helped midwife her brother Apollo into the world. After witnessing the labour pains of her mother, she made a vow of chastity and never mated with anyone.
Even though the myths claim she was never romantically involved, I like to imagine she had a few crushes along the way. Maybe even some secret affairs. One connection that is often speculated about is between her and the great hunter Orion — yes, the one we know through the constellation!
Artemis is also known as a lunar goddess, which makes perfect sense considering her twin brother is associated with the sun. Together, they represent the connection between the sun and moon.
What I find fascinating about Artemis in relation to astrology is her connection to both Cancer and Sagittarius. I would immediately think of Artemis in charts with a strong Cancer and Sagittarius combination. This could show up as strong Cancer and Sagittarius placements through your Sun, Moon, Rising, or chart ruler. Or maybe you have a stellium in one of these signs with other significant placements in the other. However this combination appears, if Cancer and Sagittarius are strong in your chart, you’ll probably resonate with Artemis.
(P.S. A personal note: this is one of the mythological characters I relate to most strongly! I have Sagittarius Rising and my Sun in Cancer. This type of combination is exactly the kind of thing I would look for when exploring a connection to Artemis.)
From the Cancer side, we obviously get the lunar connection. But we also see the strong protector role she plays with innocent animals. This is a really interesting way to view Cancer energy as a more active sign. I also think she represents the Cancerian love for things that are organic. And I don’t mean organic as in fruits and veggies. I mean organic in the sense that things unfold naturally, rather than feeling overly contrived. I can also see the Cancerian energy through her fierce need for privacy and concealment.
From the Sagittarius side, we see the symbolism of the archer. Sagittarius is also represented by the archer, and we can clearly see the parallels with Artemis’ independence, freedom, and desire for personal space. When Artemis was angered, she struck back impulsively and with vengeance (remember the incident with Actaeon??). This reflects the wild fire nature Sagittarius can sometimes be moved by. This side of Artemis may also be a lesson in learning how to contain passionate fire and channel it toward creativity and purpose, rather than letting it become fuelled by anger.
Do you feel like Artemis might be strong in your own birth chart? If you’re curious about how this energy shows up for you, and want to develop skills for working with it intentionally, you can book a personalized birth chart reading with me. My signature service is the Astrology Journey, which is like an extended astrology reading experience. It is by far the best way to immerse yourself in your own birth chart.
However, I also offer 1-hour birth chart readings by special request. Send me a message through my contact page for more info.
