[希臘神話]阿爾特彌斯

Artemis

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Apollo drove his golden carriage across the heavens during the day，admired as the sun-god．Artemis also raced across the sky in solemn style at night，respected as the moon-goddess．Sitting in an airy carriage drawn by milk white horses，“the queen of wide air”
gave off silver light all over the sleeping world below．Though she remained single all her life，the maiden heart of the goddess was at least for once excited as she saw the beautiful youth Endymion sleeping．

She was pure and fair and calm．She was the example of maiden modesty and grace．Just as Apollo represents manly beauty，so Artemis stands for feminine purity and virginity ．As their patron goddess she took it as her duty to protect marrying girls and young women in trouble．It was her altar that those maidens turned for love and happiness．

The twin sister of Apollo was also the goddess of hunting and wild life ．Dressed in a short hunting-suit coming up to the knee and followed by a team of noisy lovely fairy maidens，Artemis had always her bow of pearl
and shining arrow with her and travelled in the woods in search of wild animals．When she felt hot and tired she would retire to a spring to take a bath．It was here that young Actaeon accidentally came and suffered cruel treatment at the hands of the goddess．Indeed，the goddesscould be thoroughly heartless and stopped to be lovely as soon as the bad side of her nature got the upper hand in her．The sadthing of Niobe was just a case in point．

白天阿波羅駕駛着金色戰車穿越天空，被仰慕爲太陽神。晚上，阿爾特彌斯以莊重的姿態飛越夜空，被敬仰爲月亮女神。坐在乳白色戰馬驅動的空中馬車中，這位“廣闊天空的王后”向沉睡的大地散發出銀色的光芒。她終身未嫁，但至少有一次當她看到英俊的恩底彌翁酣睡時，女神萌發了愛慕之情。

阿爾特彌斯心靈純潔，容貌娟秀安祥。她是少女端莊嫺雅的楷模。如果說阿波羅代表了男性美，那麼她則象徵着女性美——貞潔。作爲守護神，她把保護困境之中的待嫁女子當作自己義不容辭的責任。少女們都來到她的聖壇前祈求愛情與幸福。

作爲阿波羅的孿生妹妹，她也是狩獵女神。她身穿及膝的短獵裝，有喧鬧可愛的仙女尾隨身後。阿爾特彌斯總是手持珍珠色的弓和發亮的箭，在林中漫遊，尋找獵物。當她又累又熱時，就來到泉水旁沐浴。而當阿卡同無意間來到這裏時，卻遭到了女神的虐待。事實上，當兇殘的一面佔了上風時，女神就會變得殘酷無情。阿卡同的遭遇正說明了這一點。