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Artemis was the subject of several legends which have survived. In [[Ovid]]’s [[Metamorphoses]], the story is told of how the hunter Actaeon, having accidentally spied the goddess naked at her bath, is transformed into a stag, and hunted down and torn to death by his own hounds and the other members of his hunting party <ref> Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book III, lines 138-252</ref>. Elsewhere in Ovid, we learn of Artemis’s slaughter, with the help of Artemis’s brother [[Apollo]], of Niobe’s children in revenge for Niobe’s brag that she had fourteen children, while Latona ([[Leto]]) had but two<ref> Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book VI, lines 146-312</ref>.

Artemis was the subject of several legends which have survived. In [[Ovid]]’s [[Metamorphoses]], the story is told of how the hunter Actaeon, having accidentally spied the goddess naked at her bath, is transformed into a stag, and hunted down and torn to death by his own hounds and the other members of his hunting party <ref> Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book III, lines 138-252</ref>. Elsewhere in Ovid, we learn of Artemis’s slaughter, with the help of Artemis’s brother [[Apollo]], of Niobe’s children in revenge for Niobe’s brag that she had fourteen children, while Latona ([[Leto]]) had but two<ref> Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book VI, lines 146-312</ref>.

The cult of Artemis was extremely popular in the ancient world, in particular at her temple in the city of Ephesus, in what is modern day [[Turkey]]. At that temple the goddess was represented in statuary as a woman with many breasts. In the [[Acts (of the Apostles)|Acts of the Apostles]] in the [[New Testament]] the story is told of a riot fomented by the silversmith Demetrius and other merchants in Ephesus to protest the success of [[St. Paul]] and other early Christians in discrediting Artemis as a man-made god. The merchants are concerned that if the public ceases to believe in Artemis, they will lose their lucrative trade providing goods and services to the temple of Artemis and its many visitors. <ref> Acts 19:23-41</ref>.

The cult of Artemis was extremely popular in the ancient world, in particular at her temple in the city of Ephesus, in what is modern day [[Turkey]]. At that temple the goddess was represented in statuary as a woman with many breasts. In the [[Acts (of the Apostles)|Acts of the Apostles]] in the [[New Testament]] the story is told of a riot fomented by the silversmith Demetrius and other merchants in Ephesus to protest the success of [[St. Paul]] and other early Christians in discrediting Artemis as a man-made god. The merchants are concerned that if the public ceases to believe in Artemis, they will lose their lucrative trade providing goods and services to the temple of Artemis and its many visitors. <ref> [[Book of Acts|Acts]] 19:23-41</ref>.

Artemis / Diana was a virgin goddess, and was often referred to in that context in [[Renaissance]] literature and thereafter. For example, in [[Shakespeare]]’s play “Much Ado About Nothing”, the confused Claudio accuses his fiancée of infidelity this way:

Artemis / Diana was a virgin goddess, and was often referred to in that context in [[Renaissance]] literature and thereafter. For example, in [[Shakespeare]]’s play “Much Ado About Nothing”, the confused Claudio accuses his fiancée of infidelity this way:

{{Nb mythology greece}}

{{Nb mythology greece}}