#artemis epithets

[potnia-theron]

➶ Nature epithets of Artemis !

➸・daphnaie - of the laurel tree

➸・heleia - of the marshes

➸・kedreatis - of the cedar tree

➸・karyai - of the walnut tree

➸・limnaie - of the lake

➸・lygodesme - willow-bound

➸・eurynome - of broad pastures

[laurusamystic]

Happy Elaphebolia ! Hail Artemis Elaphebolos 🏹🦌

[artemis-potnia-theron]

I am thinking about using a 'UPG' epithet for Artemis in an upcoming ritual.

[laurusamystic]

Lovely brief overview of Artemis. She has well over 150+ epithets, so this is a nice start!

A guide to worship of Artemis- cheat sheets

Hellenic cheat sheets

If you like my content consider supporting me on: https://ko-fi.com/screeching0wlet

[literallyjusttoa]

This is an old idea I had sketched out a year or two ago that I felt like revisiting. I mean, think about it. When Apollo fell into Tartarus during his fight with Python, it must have caught the attention of quite a few souls, and maybe one of those souls was his dear old grandpa! Wouldn't that be fun?

idk if i'm really happy with the staging of this comic, bit I wanted to stay faithful to my old sketches lol.

[star-of-zeus]

This is my very polite and formal invitation for Apollo and Artemis followers to remember who Helios and Selene are. If you're syncretizing that's all fine and dandy but recognize that you're syncretizing! Question your view of the mythology of your religion! Greek mythology varied by region and time, there is no one "definitive" story or version... so of course the interpretation of the "sun god" or "god associated with the sun/light" or "moon goddess" or "goddess associated with the moon" can become blurry and conflated, but like... you think you just feel out of a coconut tree? you exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you. /ref /hj

Helios and Selene are Titans. As far as I'm concerned, they deserve respect. If you're making choices to view Apollo and Artemis as sun and moon gods, I just want to make sure you know that choice is deliberate and there are other (in my opinion cooler - points to Helios and Selene) options. But that's just my rant and personal opinion. Religion is personal and individual, but I will say that it does frustrate me to no end sometimes to see new worshippers babble about Apollo Sun and Artemis Moon and when you ask if they know who Helios and Selene are they stare at you blankly. Now let me say one last time before some rabid Apollo and Artemis devotees start barking - the interpretation of the Twins as solar/lunar deities is not incorrect, it was just not a part of the "original" versions of the gods. If you're reading this as a follower of either Apollo or Artemis and you don't know the Titans I'm talking about... my dear friend it's time to do some research once more. Blessings to you all on this nice summer afternoon. I'm gonna go squint at Helios in my yard now.

[teawiththegods]

Apollo & Artemis Epithets

Remember you can find out a lot about a god and the way the ancients saw them and worshiped them by looking at the epithets.

[fistfightinganxietyandlosing]

I desperately crave Apollo depictions that give him mouse or wolflike features. Why?

Well, Apollo was actually sometimes referred to as Apollo Smintheus which means mouse-god(although in the words of Edith Hamilton's Gods and Heroes - whether this was because he protected mice or killed them no one really knows).

As for the wolf bit, one of Apollo's other names is Lycegenes meaning wolf-born or born-from-Lycia and in the Illiad, Apollo is given the epithet "the Lycian" which means the wolf-god or related-to-Lycia. Additionally, Lycia itself is often called wolf-land; it's said(in some versions of his birth) that Apollo's mother, Leto, was led there by wolves - and it's far from her only association with them. In other variations of the twins' delivery, Leto turns into a she-wolf and goes into labor in this form. However, it's important to note that not all of Apollo's connections with wolves are pleasant ones. He is also known as Lycoctonus(slayer/killer of wolves) due to his nature as a protector of flocks!

All this to say, I think that Apollo's association with mice and wolves are just really cool aspects of his character that are hardly ever talked about :D

[artemisiansanctuary]

Epithets for Artemis

Agrotera - Of the Hunt Agreia - Of the Wild Elaphaea - Of the Deer Daphnaea - of the Laurel Tree Cedreatis - Of the Cedar Tree Caryae/Caryatis - Of the Walnut Tree Limnaea/Limnatus - Of the Lake Heleia - Of the Marshes Eurynome - Of Broad Pastures Lycaea - Of the Wolves Leucophryne - Of the White Bird Paedotrophus - The Nurse of Children Philoeirax - The Friend of Young Girls Orsilochia - The Helper of Childbirth Selasphorus/Phosphorus - The Light Bringer Soleira - The Saviour Hemerasia - She who Soothes Hymnia - Of the Hymns Hegemore - The Leader of Dances Ariste - The Best/The Excellent Eucleia - Of Good Repute Calliste - The very Beautiful Basileis - The Princess Ehiereia - The Priestess Heurippa - The Horse Finder Peitho - The Persuasive Pyronia - Of the Fire Potnia Theron - Mistress of Animals Io-khéira - Pourer of Arrows/Delighting in Arrows Hecate - Far-Shooting Chryselacatus - Of the Golden Distaff/With Shafts of Gold. Chrysenius - Of the Golden Reins Chrysothronus - Of the Golden Throne Celadeinus - Strong - Voiced Celadeine - Lady of Clamours Potnia Thea - Goddess Queen

[loverofdoves]

some epithets i found on theoi.com surrounding the theme of justice, civil safety, and the ability to be accepted by the gods because some people think our gods are not welcoming to those who are othered by society and don’t care about our individual politics, so i just have to prove them wrong

Aphrodite:

Aphrodite Pandemos - common to all people

Aphrodite Xenia - of the foreigner 

Aphrodite Nikephoros - bringer of victory 

Apollon

Apollon Akteios - of the foreigner 

Ares

Ares Laossoos  - he who rallies men

Artemis

Artemis Philomeirax -  friend of young girls

Artemis Soteria - savior

Athena

Athena Eryma - defender

Athena Soteria - savior 

Athena Poliatis - of the city 

Athena Xenia - of hospitality, of the foreigner 

Demeter

Demeter Thesmophoros - bringer of laws

Demeter Panakhaia - of all the greeks

Demeter Praxidikê - exactor of justice

Dionysus 

Dionysus Eleuthereus - of liberation, freedom

Dionysus Saôtês - savior 

Dionysus Politês - citizen

Dionysus Agyieus - protector of the streets, the ways

Hermes

Hermes Agoraios - of the marketplace

Hermes Hermêneutês - interpreter, translator

Hermes Pompaios - the guide 

Poseidon

Poseidon Asphalios - secures safe voyage 

Poseidon Laoitês - of the people

Zeus 

Zeus Koryphaios - chief, leader

Zeus Amboulios - counsellor 

Zeus Xenios - of hospitality, strangers

Zeus Phyxios - of refuge 

Zeus Laoitês - of the people

Zeus Sôsipolis - city-savior

Zeus Eleutherios - of freedom

(all epithets found on theoi.com) 

TERFs/Radfems/Racists/Homophobes/Ableists/etc. don’t clown on this post, just take a moment to learn and move on instead of harassing like you always do. 

[lordofthesilverbow]

Artemis: *walking through the woods, searching for one of her dogs* Lycaea! Lycaea, where have you gotten to, you stubborn girl?

Ares: *in the distance* Who’s the bloodthirstiest little puppy on Olympus? You are!

Artemis: *confused, creeping closer* What the-

Ares: *not noticing her, on the ground scratching the dog’s belly while it wriggles happily* Haha, you are so adorable! Look at you, you’re such a cute widdle baby! Oh, yes, you are, yes, you-

Artemis: Ahem.

Ares: *jumps out of his skin and bolts upright, keeping his gaze averted as his face flushes* I… I wasn’t doing anything.

Artemis: *raises an eyebrow* Sure you weren’t.

*They stare at each other awkwardly for a few moments, with the dog panting as she returns to Artemis’ side.*

Ares: …Not a word about this to anyone.

Artemis: I wouldn’t even know where to begin telling this story.

[potnia-theron]

➶ Animal epithets of Artemis !

➸・elaphiaia - of the deer

➸・lykeie - of the wolves

➸・pheraia - of the beasts

➸・heurippa - horse finder

➸・potnia theron - queen of beasts

➸・elaphebolos - deer shooting

➸・theroskopos - hunter of wild beasts

➸・skylakitis - protectress/guardian of dogs

➸・tauropolos - bull goddess

[laurusamystic]

Happy Elaphobolion!🏺

Elaphebolion was the ninth month of the ancient Attic calendar, roughly aligning with March and early April in today’s Gregorian calendar. The month was significant for the celebration of the Elaphebolia festival, dedicated to Artemis Elaphebolos, meaning Artemis the Deer-Slayer.

The Elaphebolia festival was marked by offerings and rituals to honour Artemis for her role as a huntress and guardian. A key part of the celebration was the preparation of special cakes called “elaphoi,” shaped like deer, symbolizing Artemis’ dominion over wildlife and her hunting skills. These cakes were made from flour, honey, and sesame seeds, serving as both a symbolic offering and a way for the community to come together in worship.

In addition to offerings, the Elaphebolia festival likely featured processions, prayers, and other activities aimed at gaining Artemis’ favour for successful hunts and protection from wild animals. As part of the broader religious and agricultural calendar, Elaphobolion also marked the seasonal transition and preparations for spring.

This year, 2025, the festival of Elaphebolia falls on March 6th.

March 6th is also the day that pre-orders for my indie deck, Wisdom of Artemis Oracle, will officially open to the public. As a lifelong devotee of Artemis and a dedicated Hellenic Polytheist, I chose this date to align the deck’s release with one of her most significant festivals—one that is also a personal favourite of mine. The deck features 47 of Artemis’s sacred epithets, including Artemis Elaphobolos. 🏹🦌

Hail Artemis!

[beatingdrumspouringwine]

Prayers Talk pt 2 :)

A little over a week ago (or maybe very over a week ago, I haven't quite been keeping up with time anymore), I put out a poll asking for what you all wanted to see from me going forward, prayer-wise, and prayers for the Olympian Gods won by a pretty good amount! So I have a few more things that I want to get settled before I get started, which means... another poll! I love polls!

I would love to do another epithet series like I did with Dionysos, so with that in mind, who do we want to see first?

[taraxippos]

There's a LOT of things people do wrong when constructing fantasy beliefs in pantheons of gods, but one of the more specific is having only one god related to fertility and it kind of being just a horny sex thing.

Like you'll have one in the entire bunch whose sphere is listed as fertility and it's basically like Yeah this is the sex one. She's always depicted naked (but not TOO naked because censorship and/or the writer's own skittishness). She's going to have the exact body type epitomized in contemporary western beauty standards and there's usually no chance in hell that she's gonna be fat (unless MAYBE they're referencing 'venus' figurines). Her thing is fertility, which means having sex and making babies. Might be a goddess of beauty or love or marriage too, because these are kinda sex things, but that's probably it. And yeah that sort of thing is virtually nonexistent in real life.

Like the concept of fertility is so fundamentally important to the function of most societies in human history in ways that it is just Not in industrialized imperial core countries. Most people are getting food from stores, and not having to worry about harvesting crops or breeding livestock or foraging for food or having enough animals to hunt, so fertility only really comes up as a concern if you're trying to have kids (and there is certainly societal pressure to have children, but your wellbeing and survival is rarely going to Depend on it). And I think writing only from that perspective and not even trying to learn about WHY fertility is so conceptually important is why you see this trend.

There's no absolute universal statement about how people believe in gods but it's broadly accurate that systems with many deities will Usually have more than one deity associated with fertility, and these associations will certainly include human reproduction but also the fertility of livestock/hunted animals, plants, the land itself.

Some fertility deities may also be heavily associated with seasonal changes or environmental factors that agriculture or foraging is dependent on (spring/summer/fall, seasonal rains, seasonal flooding, rain itself, sunlight, good soil, rivers, wetlands, etc). Some certainly might be related to love, marriage, sex, and beauty, but that's VERY RARELY going to be the sole way the concept of fertility is embodied. And they'll often will have other associations not directly about fertility, or related to fertility in culturally specific ways.

[delightingintragedy]

I know people who pray to the gods, mainly Ares, Athena, and Aphrodite I've seen, for protection from impending war, or to protect those near the war zone, I'd also like to add that you can pray to or work with Artemis under this epithet:

"Artemis Elaphêbolos is the stag-killer, the shooter of deer, the huntress, who relishes the chase. She's the slayer of prey, both animal and human, and in ancient Hellas, she guarded Hyampolis and the surrounding cities from the horrors of war."

Source: Baring the Aegis: The Modest Festival of Elaphebolia