The mythology of archaic times attracts with its mystery and many interesting personalities of gods and goddesses, each of whom is in charge of a certain area of ​​spheres of life or phenomenon. Goddess Diana is a wonderful hunter and favorite of ancient people, how did she gain respect and love?

Who is the goddess Diana?

Studying the roots of the origin of the name Diana, historians have come to the conclusion that the word is of Indo-European origin and comes from “devs” or “divas” - which means god. The Romans and Greeks worshiped the goddess under different names. Diana, the goddess of the moon and the hunt, was often depicted by ancient artists and sculptors wearing a silvery flowing tunic with her long hair neatly pulled back into a knot. Other symbols and attributes of the huntress goddess that indicate who she is:

• quiver with arrows;
• golden bow;
• a pack of dogs;
• torch;
• The crescent moon emblem on the head is like a symbol of the moon goddess.

There is disagreement among cult researchers about: which flower is associated with the goddess Diana? Two beautiful plants belong to the goddess:

1. Carnation- a flower grown by Zeus from the blood of a young shepherd in response to the request of the repentant Diana, who, in a fit of anger, killed the young man because he had scared away all the game with his playing on the horn and interfered with the hunt.
2. Lily of the valley– according to legend, the goddess Diana, pursued while hunting by fauns, fled to escape, dropping drops of sweat onto the ground and they transformed into beautiful white fragrant flowers.

Goddess Diana in Greek mythology

Initially, the cult of the goddess originated in Ancient Greece. The Greek goddess Diana is Artemis, the daughter of the supreme ruler of Olympus - Zeus and the goddess Leto, her brother is the radiant Apollo himself. Also known as Selene, Trivia and Hecate. Here we can see more of the lunar cult of the goddess, since the Greeks devoted significant space to the cycles of the moon and the mysteries, therefore, indirectly, Artemis is also responsible for all processes related to fertility. Other functions of Artemis-Selene:

• birth assistant;
• patroness of hunters;
• comforter of the mourning, and facilitating the care of the dying;
• responsible for birth and death;
• goddess of darkness.

Goddess Diana in Roman mythology

Diana, the goddess of the hunt, carried the same functions as Artemis among the ancient Greeks. The cult quickly took root and the Romans treated the divine essence with the same reverence as the Hellenic people. The moon goddess Diana was known as a chaste maiden and patronized virgins. The shield with which Diana is often depicted is designed to fend off Cupid's arrows. The old Wiccan tradition and the Italian Stregeria (occult mystery) revere Diana as the leader of the witches. Who else did Diana patronize:

• the dispossessed and slaves were under her protection;
• animal world;
• ruler of three worlds: heaven, earth, and the underworld.

Myth "Diana and Callisto"

Diana in mythology appears as a moral and pure maiden, devoid of dreams of men. She demands the same innocence from her nymphs. The myth of Diana and Callisto tells that Jupiter (Zeus) was attracted by the beauty of the young Callisto and, realizing that she was very devoted to Diana, decided to use cunning to seduce the nymph. Jupiter took the form of Diana and began to kiss Callisto, who was pleased with the sudden attention of the goddess.

After some time, bathing in the source of Diana's chastity, the other nymphs exposed Callisto's rounded belly to the astonished Diana. The nymph was expelled from the goddess’s circle in disgrace. Callisto's suffering did not end there. Juno, the wife of Jupiter, turned the unfortunate woman into a bear, who was forced to wander through the forest. Jupiter took pity on Callisto and turned her and her son into the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.

Myth "Diana and Actaeon"

Diana in Greek mythology - Artemis, swift as a doe, is depicted mainly busy with her favorite activity - hunting. In her free time, she loves to frolic with the nymphs and swim in the water sources dedicated to her. One day, the young hunter Actaeon had the misfortune of approaching a stream in which the naked Diana (Artemis) was bathing. The nymphs tried to cover the goddess. With anger, Diana rained down splashes of water on Actaeon's head, turning him into a deer. Seeing his reflection in the water, the hunter hastened to hide in the forest, but was surrounded and torn to pieces by his own dogs.

Thirteenth of August – birthday Goddess Diana

On this day the Romans celebrated the birth of one of their most ancient goddesses -

Lunar Goddess, patroness of life and death, forests, animals and fertility, obstetrician and patroness of women.

Goddesses of the hunt and Fate, supreme power

and unification of peoples -

Great Goddess Diana

Diana was identified immediately with two goddesses of the Greek pantheon - with Artemis and Hecate, and received the epithet

"Trivia" - "Goddess of Three Roads"

and her the image was placed at intersections
This epithet is more often associated with the Greek Hecate, however, the fact that the Romans called it Diana - speaks of the importance that Diana played in the life of the population of Rome and the variety of functions performed by the Goddess.
The Romans, calling Diana - "Trivia" thereby emphasized the triple power of the Goddess - in heaven, on earth and underground.
Hence variety of functions of the Goddess, and dealing with both life and death matters. Moreover, the Romans revered her as “ Mighty Goddess of Nature" - understanding by Nature the entire surrounding world, including society, with its laws, rules, hierarchy of power.

But, unlike Artemis,Diana was revered by the Romans, first of all, as a Mother Goddess. This is explained by the fact that the Romans saw and respected motherhood in a woman, first of all.
For them a woman is the Mother of the family, protecting the home and children, keeping peace and order. Therefore, one of the oldest and most revered goddesses primarily carried the function of Mother.
When Diana's divine partner began to be perceived Janus is the god of the Sun, “The Gatekeeper of Heaven and Heavenly Light, who opens the Heavenly Gates in the morning and locks them in the evening,” then behind Diana, like the moon goddessnight time is fixed - she became an accomplice in all matters that took place at night or in the darkness of the forests. So a function came to her Goddess of the Hunt.

How Goddess of the Forests, Diana was united in sacred marriage with the Forest King - the spirit of vegetation and trees, who dies and is reborn again from year to year (the hypostasis of God as the Green Man in modern witchcraft).
The development of this cult led to the fact that Diana - Goddess of forests -correlated with the Greek cult of the Goddess of barley and fertility, what spread Goddess power from the wild and for agriculture and the golden sickle, used to cut ears of corn, became one of the ritual tools of the cult of the Goddess.
Diana was revered as much as Goddess of the Sacred Groves - which often housed sanctuaries of Diana, and as the goddess of rivers and springs - bathing in the sacred waters of the river is one of the obligatory ritual actions in its cult.
In later eras Goddess began identify with Nemesis, therefore she became a goddess - an avenger. And first of all, she takes revenge for the insult and insult of women.

The modern cult of Diana
Today, Goddess Diana is revered as the "Witch Queen", Moon Goddess, independent huntress, patron of wild nature and absolute freedom. She protects women and patronizes various crafts

August 13 – Diana’s birthday – considered the main celebration of the Goddess in the annual circle
Some directions modern witchcraft Diana's lips are credited with the text"Order of the Goddess" - her message to her followers. This text is one of the finest in modern Wicca. Some Wiccans attribute its authorship to Gardner and Doreen Variente. HOWEVER, it has been rewritten and adapted by such influential witches as Starhawk Starhawk, Janet and Stuart Farrar. At the same time, an early echo of this text can be found in the excellent work Charles Leland "Aradia: Gospel of the Witches" in the text of Diana's address to her daughter Aradia. It begins with these words (according to the publication: M: Ganga, 2012)

Truly, you are a spirit,

But you came into the world to become mortal again:

Descend to the ground

And to instruct husbands and wives who are ready

There he learns witchcraft in joy.

Below is the text« Order of the Goddess » compiled Doreen Valiente (translated Annelle).

Order of the Goddess

Listen to the words of the Great Mother,

which was once called

Astarte, Artemis and Athena,

Diana, Melusina, Aphrodite,

Isis, Bride, Arianrhod,

Cerridwen and other names.

When you need something,

Once a month, preferably on the full moon,

You will gather in a secret place

And honor my sacred spirit,

Me, the Queen of all witches.

For those who want to comprehend witchcraft,

But they did not reveal all its secrets,

I’ll tell you about what we didn’t know.

And you will be free from slavery,

And as a sign of that true freedom

You will be naked during the ritual.

And you will sing and dance,

And celebrate and create Love.

All in my honor.

After all, the spirit is a triumph

And joy on earth,

It's all me.

And my law - love - is for everyone.

May your ideals remain pure,

Always strive for them

And don't let anything stop you

And he won't go astray.

Because I can open the door for you,

Leading to the Land of Eternal Youth

And the cup with the wine of life is in my hands.

In front of me is the Cerridwen cauldron,

A sacred vessel of immortality.

I am a merciful Goddess

Bringing joy to a person's heart.

And on earth I give knowledge

That the spirit is immortal.

And then I give peace, freedom

And meeting those who have gone before you.

And I don't demand sacrifices from you

After all, you see, I am the Mother of all life on earth!

And I give my love to all my children.

I am the beauty of the green earth,

The pantheon of Roman pagan gods includes 12 main female and male representatives. In this article we will find out who the goddess Diana is. And we will get acquainted with goddesses similar to her, found in the mythology of other countries.

Roman myths say that Diana is the daughter of Latona (Titanide, goddess of the night and everything hidden) and thunderstorms, sky, daylight). She has a twin brother, Apollo.

In paintings and illustrations, Diana is depicted in a flowing tunic. Her body is slender, her long hair falls over her shoulders or is gathered at the back of her head. In her hands she holds a bow or a spear. In images, the maiden is almost always accompanied by a dog or deer.

First of all, in Roman mythology, Diana is the goddess of hunting and fertility. The personification of femininity and beauty. Her direct responsibility is to protect nature, patronize it, and maintain balance. Over time, the maiden began to be perceived as the goddess of the Moon.

Diana is famous for her chastity. Myths say that once her nymph Callisto was seduced by Jupiter. The girl became pregnant. When Diana found out about this, she turned the unfortunate woman into a bear and set a pack of dogs on her. Fortunately, Callisto was saved by the sky god, who turned her into the constellation Ursa Major.

Worship of Diana

The goddess Diana was revered in Rome in a very unique way. To begin with, it is worth noting that the worship of the goddess of the hunt did not gain popularity among the ruling classes. But, thanks to the fact that her first temple was built in a place inhabited by the poor, she became the patroness of slaves and people with little income.

It is known that the worship of Diana sometimes required human sacrifice. For example, any runaway slave or criminal could receive shelter in the sanctuary of the goddess of the hunt, located near Lake Nemi. However, this required becoming a priest, which was tantamount to killing one's predecessor.

Myths about Diana

One of the myths is associated with the worship of Diana. It was believed that the marvelous white cow of the shepherd Antron had miraculous properties. The one who sacrifices her in the temple on the Aventine will receive unlimited power over the whole world.

Having learned about this legend, King Tullius, with the help of the priest of the temple of Diana, took possession of the cow by deception. And he sacrificed her with his own hands. The horns of the animal adorned the walls of the temple for many centuries.

Another myth tells about the unfortunate young man Actaeon, who was unlucky enough to see the goddess Diana bathing.

One day Actaeon and his friends were hunting in the forest. It was terribly hot. The friends stopped in the thicket of the forest to rest. Actaeon, along with hunting dogs, went in search of water.

The young man did not know that the forests of Cithaeron were the domain of the goddess Diana. After a short journey, he came across a stream and decided to follow it to its source. The flow of water began in a small grotto.

Actaeon entered the grotto and saw the nymphs who were preparing Diana for a swim. The maidens quickly covered the goddess, but it was too late - the young man managed to see the beauty of the naked patroness of the hunters.

As punishment, the goddess Diana turned him into a deer. The frightened young man did not immediately realize what had happened to him. He rushed back to the stream and only there, seeing his reflection, did he realize what trouble he was in. Smelling the scent of game, Actaeon's dogs attacked him and killed him.

Goddess Diana in Greek mythology

As you know, the Roman and Greek pantheon of gods are similar. Many gods perform the same functions, but are called differently.

The Greek goddess Diana is known as Artemis (the patroness of hunting and all life on earth). She is also identified with moonlight, the underworld, everything secret) and Selene (goddess of the moon).

Diana also went by the name "Trivia", which means "goddess of the three roads". Images of the huntress were placed at crossroads.

Diana in art

The image of Diana (Artemis) was widely used in literature, painting, and sculpture.

The Greek version of the goddess is mentioned in the works of Homer and Euripides. The heroine of Geoffrey Chaucer from The Canterbury Tales offers prayers to her. In the Heroics, written by Virgil, there is a plot about the seduction of Diana by Pan.

The great William Shakespeare often used her image in his plays. We meet Diana in Pericles, Prince of Tyre, Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing.

Diana is also popular among artists and sculptors. In their works they mainly illustrated mythological subjects.

The list of paintings with a huntress in the title role, painted by the most famous artists, includes the following works: “Diana Bathing with Her Nymphs” by Rembrandt, “Diana and Callisto” by Titian, “Diana and Her Nymph Retreating from the Hunt” by Rubens.

Famous sculptural images of the patroness of nature belong to Christophe-Gabriel Allegrain and Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

Sculptures by unknown ancient Greek authors have also survived to this day. On them the goddess of the hunt is depicted as a slender, warlike girl. Her hair is tied back and her body is covered with a tunic. He holds a bow in his hands and a quiver behind his back. The goddess is accompanied by a deer.

The image of Diana is actively used in modern films, games, and television series.

Diana (Cynthia, Phoebe, Selene, Artemis), the beautiful sister of Apollo, was not only the goddess of the moon, but also of the hunt.

In works of art, she is usually depicted as a beautiful maiden, dressed in a short hunter's robe, with a bow in her hand and a quiver full of arrows at her side and with a crescent moon on her proudly set head.

O Latonya, supreme
Daughter of Jupiter above,
O mother born
Under the Delhi olive tree -
So that you become the mistress
Mountains, leafy forests,
And mysterious tracts,
And thundering streams.

(Catullus)

Proud of her two children Apollo and Diana, Latona boasted left and right that no one had them like them, for they surpassed everyone else in beauty, intelligence and power.

The Myth of Niobe

Tantalus's daughter Niobe heard this boast and laughed contemptuously, for she herself was the mother of fourteen children - seven courageous sons and seven beautiful daughters. She spoke loudly to Latona and laughed at the fact that she only had two children.

Soon after this, Niobe, filled with pride, went so far as to forbid her people from worshiping Apollo and Diana and ordered their statues throughout her kingdom to be thrown off their pedestals and broken. Latona, in a rage, called her children to her and ordered them to destroy all the offspring of her rival.

Well armed, Apollo and Diana set off. Apollo, seeing Niobe's seven sons hunting in the forest, killed them with his arrows, which never missed their target.

With incredible speed, the news of this reached Niobe's ears, and she grew cold when she learned that all seven of her sons, her pride and joy, had fallen by the hand of Apollo and were now lying, lifeless and cold, in the forest, where they had gone with such joy only a few hours back to hunt deer.

Having mourned the premature death of her sons, Niobe decided that she had drunk the bitter cup to the bottom, but as soon as her grief subsided a little, Diana began to kill her daughters.

In vain did the poor girls seek salvation from the arrows. Niobe tried in vain to save them, calling on the gods of Olympus for help. Her daughters fell one after another, never to rise again. The latter convulsively pressed herself to Niobe's chest, but even here, in the loving embrace of her mother, death found her and took her away. Then the gods, touched by Niobe’s immeasurable grief, turned her into stone in the very form in which she was - with her face raised to the sky, with eyes full of tears and trembling lips.

The statue of Niobe was placed on Mount Sitilus, not far from the river, and it was said that tears flowed continuously down her marble cheeks, for, even when turned to stone, Niobe felt her grief and mourned her children.

This story is an allegory where Niobe represents winter, cold, harsh and proud. Apollo's deadly arrows, the sun's rays, kill her children, the winter months. Her tears are the drops that appear in the spring when the pride of winter melts.

As soon as the young moon goddess was presented to the Olympians, all the gods expressed a desire to marry her, but she refused to listen to them and asked her father for permission to remain single for the rest of her life and was so convincing in her pleas that Jupiter was forced to yield.

Every evening, as soon as the sun completes its journey, Diana sits in a lunar chariot and is carried across the sky by milky white stallions. Countless stars, loving their goddess, follow her movements and illuminate her path. Flying across the sky, Diana often leans down to look at the sleeping Earth, dark and mysterious, and inhales the intoxicating aroma of flowers. And it always seems to her that Nature, so beautiful in the light of day, acquires a special charm in these magical night hours.

The Myth of Endymion

One day, flying silently over the ground, she unexpectedly stopped her horses - on a hill she saw a handsome young shepherd who was fast asleep, lying on his back, and his face was illuminated by the soft moonlight. Diana looked at his beauty with surprise, and her heart was filled with love. Carefully slipping out of the chariot, she flew up to him, slowly leaned down and planted a tender kiss on his slightly parted lips.

Young Endymion, not fully awakened, raised his eyelids, and a beautiful vision appeared to his eyes, clouded by sleep. Diana started to run, but her gaze awakened an unquenchable passion in him. He jumped to his feet, rubbed his eyes, but when he saw that the moon, which, as it seemed to him, was standing very close to him, was floating into the distance across the dark sky, he decided that it was all just a dream, a sweet dream. And he lay down again on the grass, hoping that he would have the same dream.

That night his wish was not fulfilled, but the next night, when he was lying in the same place, the sweet dream was repeated again. And now every night, when the pale light of the moon fell on Endymion’s face, he saw the same dream.

Diana, like him, who had lost her mind with love, could not pass by without giving Endymion her affection, and when her chariot touched the top of the mountain, she got out of it, ran up to the sleeping young man and quickly kissed him.

Endymion waited for her arrival in his dreams and enjoyed her presence, but the charm of secret kisses did not allow him to show signs of life.

As time went. Diana, for whom the thought that his beauty would perish from want, suffering and hard work was completely unbearable, plunged him into eternal sleep and carried him to Mount Latmus, where she hid him in her sacred cave away from human eyes. And every night Diana came here to admire his sweet face and plant a tender kiss on his emotionless lips. This is the myth of Diana and her humble lover, which has inspired poets of all times.

The Myth of Orion

Endymion was not the only mortal whom Diana loved. They also say that she bestowed her favor on a young hunter named Orion. All day this young man wandered through the forest in search of game, along with his dog Sirius.

One day, in a dense thicket, he met seven nymphs of Diana, sisters of the Pleiades, daughters of Atlas. It was enough to see these beauties to immediately fall in love with them without memory, and Orion’s heart burned with passion when he tried to approach them. But the nymphs were very shy and, when he came closer and spoke to them, they immediately ran away.

Frightened that he would never see them again, Orion gave chase, but the nymphs fled from him until they felt that their strength was leaving them. Then they began to call their mistress for help. She immediately responded to their prayers, and Orion, who ran up, saw only seven snow-white doves flying into the azure sky.

After this, the Pleiades turned into a constellation consisting of seven bright stars. And they shone in the sky for many centuries, but when Troy fell into the hands of enemies, they dimmed with grief, and one of them, the most timid and impressionable, disappeared altogether to hide her grief from curious human gaze.

Orion, who was not distinguished by constancy, soon consoled himself and fell in love with Merope, the daughter of Oinopion, king of Chios, who said that he would agree to their marriage only if the future son-in-law performed some feat in honor of his bride. But Orion was very impatient, he did not like that the wedding was being postponed, and he decided to steal the bride, but Oinopion kept a vigilant eye on his daughter and disrupted all the plans of Orion, who was punished not only by losing his bride, but also by being blind.

Blind, helpless and alone, he wandered from city to city, hoping to find someone who would help him regain his sight. Finally he reached the cave of the Cyclopes, and one of them took pity on him and took him to the sun, from the radiance of which his eyes regained the ability to see.

Having begun to see again, he returned to his previous occupation and hunted from morning to evening. Diana met him in the forest and, sharing his tastes, soon fell in love with him. But her brother, Apollo, did not approve of this choice - not a single event of the day could hide from his all-seeing eye - and decided to put an end to his sister’s romance. He called her to him, and, in order to lull suspicions, started talking about bows and, under the pretext of checking her accuracy of shooting, asked her to shoot at a dark object that rose and fell in the sea waves.

Diana grabbed the bow, pulled the string and sent the arrow so accurately and powerfully that the object immediately disappeared into the abyss. Little did she know that the object was the head of Orion, who had decided to take a swim in the sea! When she discovered her mistake, she shed many tears, vowed never to forget Orion, and placed him and his faithful dog Sirius in the sky, turning him into a constellation.

The Myth of Actaeon

When Diana finished her night journey in the lunar chariot, she took her bow and arrows and, accompanied by nymphs, went into the forest to hunt wild animals.

One summer day, after an unusually long chase, Diana and her retinue approached one of the calm mountain lakes where they often swam. The cool waters of the lake swayed so attractively that the hunters quickly threw off their short hunting tunics and plunged their hot bodies into the water.

But unfortunately, the goddess and the nymphs were not alone hunting there. Actaeon, the hunter, got up at dawn to shoot a deer, and now, tired and thirsty, he also approached the mountain spring.

Approaching the place where he was accustomed to rest, Actaeon heard bursts of silvery laughter, so he quietly crept up to the lake and, carefully parting the thick branches of the bushes, saw the bathing goddesses.

At that very moment, Diana turned her head, hearing the rustling of leaves with her trained ear, and saw the admiring look of the amazed young man. Outraged that a mortal saw her like this, she splashed water in his face and told him to leave and tell everyone, if he dared, that he had seen her naked.

Before the drops of water had time to fall on the young man’s face, he turned to carry out the goddess’s order, but found that he had turned into a deer with flexible slender legs, shaggy skin and wide branching antlers. Nothing remained of the former hunter except the bitter awareness of his transformation. He stood there, motionless and confused, and then the barking of his own hounds reached his ear.

Then he was seized by wild fear, and he rushed to run into the forest. But - alas! - it was too late - a pack of dogs noticed him and, barking, rushed in pursuit.

Actaeon strained his strength in vain. His legs refused to serve him, and he fell to the ground exhausted, and the hounds grabbed his throat and tore Actaeon into pieces.

Diana was worshiped everywhere, and countless temples were dedicated to her; Among them, the most famous was the sanctuary at Ephesus. The ancients had many holidays in honor of the beautiful Moon Goddess, who was always ready to take worthy mortals under her protection.

The graceful beauty moves faster than the wind across the sky, earth and even runs into the underworld. Honest, open and principled, Diana manages to do everything: monitor the harvest, illuminate the night sky and provide patronage to the women of Rome. However, such a number of tasks has consequences. The goddess, unlike other inhabitants of Olympus, does not allow herself to fully relax and enjoy the bliss.

Origin story

In mythology, the image of Diana embodies three goddesses who came to Rome from Greece. The girl absorbed the qualities and responsibilities of Selena and. Of the three deities listed, Selene had the greatest influence on the formation of the cult. First of all, the Roman goddess is usually revered as the patroness of the night and the moon. The girl is identified with healers and witches.

Gradually, the magical image of the goddess merged with the more famous cult of Artemis. Now the resident of Olympus, responsible for the moonlight, has become a protector of forests and animals. Hunters and women in position could make sacrifices to the influential beauty.

Soon, the Romans added the powers and capabilities of Hecate to Diana’s diverse functionality. The deity was charged with protecting the dying and sick. Such a versatile image received an appropriate nickname. Diana was often called the goddess of three roads or the goddess of triple power, but more often simply Trivia. With this name, the Romans emphasized the meaning of Diana - the girl had influence on heaven, earth and the afterlife.

Despite the many faces of the deity, Diana earned special honor among the offended and oppressed. The girl was worshiped by slaves and prisoners. High society reacted coolly to the resulting cult. The most revered sanctuary of the goddess is the temple erected on the Aventine Hill. By the way, the day of the founding of the temple became a national holiday for the oppressed population of Rome.

Myths and legends

Swift-footed Diana is the younger sister. The girl was born from the union and Latona (Leto). But unlike her charming brother, the beauty does not strive to win a place on Olympus or gain influence over people and gods. The Goddess prefers to spend time on Earth.

Diana's main duty and favorite pastime was traveling in a silver chariot across the night sky. The month that adorns the girl’s brow ridge illuminates the path of the goddess. After an exhausting trip, the beauty changes into a short tunic, takes her favorite bow and arrows and goes for a walk through the forests. The goddess of animals, surrounded by nymphs and girlfriends, often takes part in the hunt.

Diana is the personification of the moon, which is known for chastity. Therefore, for centuries the girl has resisted. The goddess of love, who patronizes libertines, evokes contempt and indignation in Diana. Often gets it from a principled girl and... To escape the tricks of the little deity, Diana carries a shield with her that reflects love spells.

True, such protection does not always work. During one of her evening walks, the goddess of the hunt came across a sleeping young man named Endymion. The young man, whose beauty captivated the young huntress, woke up from a light kiss. Jumping up, Endymion found no living person nearby, only the silver moon shining brightly overhead.

Such meetings and secret kisses became a familiar ritual for Diana. Maddened by the desire to possess the beautiful young man, the goddess plunged Endymion into eternal sleep and transferred him to her own secret grotto. Now the beauty could admire a man at any time.

However, the girl soon found a new object of desire. During a walk, the goddess of flora and fauna met the hunter Orion. Common interests brought the young people closer together, which did not escape Apollo. The older brother, who treated his sister with trepidation and tenderness, did not approve of Diana's choice. Orion was known in Rome as a ladies' man and a rascal.

Persuasion and exhortation had no effect on the goddess. Then the brother invited Diana to his place to compete in archery. The brother and sister chose a dark object rocking on the waves in the ocean as their target. Diana's arrow hit the target. And later the girl discovered that she had shot her own lover. In order to atone for his guilt, the goddess placed Orion and his faithful dog Sirius in heaven.

Despite her amorousness, the goddess did not betray her own principles. The girl did not allow intimacy with mortals and gods. Even looking at Diana naked was considered a crime. Another hunter, Actaeon, paid for a similar mistake.

A man returning from a walk came across a lake in which Diana and her friends were frolicking. Seeing a mortal admiring her body, the girl turned the hunter into a deer. The poor young man was torn to pieces by his own dogs, who mistook the owner for game.

Not only the goddess herself was distinguished by integrity, but also Diana’s admirers. The nymph Callisto, who attracted Jupiter, did not give in to the entreaties of the Lord of Olympus. Wanting to take possession of the girl, God took on the image of his own daughter. After close communication between Callisto and the imaginary goddess of the hunt, the nymph became pregnant. Having learned about what had happened, the angry Diana forever expelled the nymph from her own environment.

The biography of the immaculate girl is overshadowed by unrestrained love for her brother and mother. If Diana did not experience filial feelings for Jupiter, then the girl adored Latona. Among the inhabitants of Rome there is a legend about how cruelly the brother and sister took revenge on Tantalus’ daughter Niobe. She was proud of her own offspring and allowed herself sarcastic remarks towards Latona.

For disrespect for his mother, Apollo shot the woman's sons. The queen, who bitterly mourned the loss, was consoled that at least her daughters remained alive. But at that moment Diana took over and killed seven beauties. Niobe's last daughter met her own death on the queen's chest.

• The symbol of the fearless goddess is a crescent. Diana is also depicted holding a bow, surrounded by dogs and holding a flaming torch.
• The most famous image of the goddess is the sculpture “Diana of Versailles”. The work of art is installed in the Louvre.

• The image of the goddess is popular in fine art. The paintings “Diana Bathing with Her Nymphs” and “Diana and Callisto” adorn the halls of famous museums.
• The interpretations of the name Diana are opposite. Researchers believe that "Diana" comes from the word "dies" - daylight. There is a theory that the goddess's name means "moon shine." A very popular option is one that translates “Diana” as “heaven.”