©Selina Fenech
http://www.selinafenech.com

Image used with permission
www.goddess-gallery.com

Diana / Artemis
Roman / Greek

Diana is the most popular of the Wiccan goddesses, for several reasons. First of all is familiarity. Diana has remained popular throughout the centuries as a symbol of classical antiquity. In the Romantic period, when paganism saw its first revival, both Diana and Artemis quickly came to the forefront as goddesses of the wild and woodlands - perhaps the most important aspect of paganism to the Romantic poets.

Second, she is one of the few pagan gods to be mentioned by name by witch-hunters - which is not to say that anyone was actually worshipping her, but she was at least remembered and perhaps named upon magical amulets.

The third reason is Aradia: Gospel of the Witches by Charles Leland. Published in 1899, this book claims to contain the beliefs and mythology of a group of contemporary Italian witches. According to Leland, Aradia is the daughter of Diana and Lucifer (who closely resembles Apollo in this story, not the Biblical, demonic Lucifer), sent by Diana to earth to instruct the first witches in their craft so that they could rise up against their oppressive lords. Little evidence has ever come to light regarding the existence of these witches, much less the historicalness of their existence. Nevertheless, Aradia intrinsically linked witches and Diana.

Finally, Z. Budapest's Dianic movement, a heavily woman oriented tradition, has kept Diana in the forefront.

Diana is often viewed as a Triple Goddess - maiden, protector, hunter/destroyer. Alternatively, she is assigned as the Maiden aspect, often in tandem with Selene as Mother and Hecate as Crone. Ancient myths refer to Diana as being aspects of these other two goddesses, and of these goddesses being aspects of her. ¹

Goddess of the Moon - Selene was the original moon goddess, but later mythologies substitute Diana, just as her twin brother Apollo later took the place of Helios the sun. Association with the moon frequently grants Triple Goddess imagery.

Goddess of the Hunt and of Vengeance - Diana was an extraordinary huntress, and the bow is a frequent symbol of hers. She can also be a jealous goddess. She and her brother Apollo slew all 12 children of Niobe when Niobe directed her followers to worship her instead of their mother Leto on account of the fact that Niobe had more children than Leto. She also slew Orion when he fell in love with Aurora, to whom he was already dedicated.

Goddess of the Woodland and Wild - This is a more Romantic association², but it stems from her position as a huntress: hunter and hunted frequently go hand in hand. She is a protectress, particularly of beasts and a forest guardian, as well as a goddess of fertility and childbirth, which is a natural extension of nature goddesses. As a goddess of the wild and of the open sky, she stands for independence and freedom, especially from the confines of society and from patriarchy.

Goddess of Female Sovereignty - The moon is perhaps our most universal feminine symbol. Women and the moon go hand in hand. Diana is also the eternal virgin, with complete control over her own body and destiny. A hunter who happened across her bathing was transformed into a stag for merely seeing her naked.

Goddess of Magic - This stems particularly from Aradia, in which claims the witches as her own, and therefore makes her their patron goddess. Association with Hecate, the Greeks' ultimate goddess of witchcraft, solidifies this view. The moon is also frequently tied to magic.

Goddess of Childbirth - Diana caused her mother no pain when she was delivered. She then turned around and assisted her mother in the birth of her twin, Apollo. She is invoked to bring about a swift birth, or else a quick death if a mother is dying in childbirth.