Artemis was born to Zeus and Leto on Delos, arriving just before her twin brother Apollo. According to myth, she was
born first and immediately helped her mother deliver Apollo, foreshadowing her role as a protector. As a young goddess, she
asked Zeus to grant her eternal maidenhood and dominion over the wild forests and their creatures.
Artemis proved her skill early by hunting down the Calydonian Boar, a monstrous beast sent to ravage the land of Calydon
after its king failed to honor her with sacrifice. Leading a band of legendary heroes in the hunt, she was ultimately the one
to land the first fatal blow, proving her mastery of the hunt.
As protector of the wild and of young women, Artemis became known for her fierce and swift justice against those who
wronged nature or defied her domain, from Actaeon to Niobe. Her bow, said to be as accurate as Apollo's, made her one of the
most feared and respected of all the Olympians.