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W. Wertelecki, M.D.
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Artemis (Enlarged)


 Fontaine de Diane (Enlarged) 

Someone asked about CHASTE CHASE and CHASTITY.

Tough question!
Intuitively, we know that CHASING CHASTITY is a big undertaking that often distorts a character. Is this a reason why CHASTE people are so often mean spirited? What did the ancients have in mind when they personified DIANA as CHASTITY and a Goddess of the CHASE?

Both ARTEMIS (Diana) and her twin brother Apollo had a streak of cruelty. When Niobe boasted to be a better mother than Leto, Artemis asked Apollo to help her revenge their mother. Both proceeded to kill, one by one, the numerous children of Niobe. The grief of Niobe was so intense that she became petrified. Ovid reminds us that water trickling from a rock represents the tears of Niobe. Another cruel act by Artemis was against Actaeon who accidentally saw her bathing. Artemis transformed Actaeon into a horse and made his dogs devour him. Note that most depictions of Diana show a bow, arrows and a dead beast of some sort.

 Diana (Enlarged) Diana (Enlarged)

Diana (Enlarged)

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Update 28/Mar/2001


February 10, 2001