Homeric Hymn 27 to Artemis

Anonymous. Hesiod, The Homeric Hymns and Homerica. Evelyn-White, Hugh G., editor. London: William Heinmann; New York: The Macmillan Co., 1914.

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This work is a short hexameter hymn dedicated to Artemis, the goddess of the hunt and wilderness. The poem begins by vividly depicting the majestic and formidable goddess as she roams the mountains with her golden bow, hunting wild beasts. After completing her hunt, Artemis unbends her bow and makes her way to the rich home of her brother Apollo in Delphi. There, she leads the dance of the Muses and the Graces (Charites), offering graceful songs and dances that praise her mother Leto and her divine siblings. Through these scenes, the hymn beautifully contrasts the goddess's fierce nature as a hunter with her graceful presence among the gods, concluding with a tribute to her and her noble family.