Once upon a time, in a small village nestled deep in the forest, there lived an old man named Benjamin. Benjamin was known throughout the village for his tales of adventure and his ability to bring magic into the lives of those who listened. One day, as Benjamin was strolling through the woods, he stumbled upon a peculiar log. It was unlike any log he had ever seen before, covered in intricate carvings and glowing a faint blue hue. Curiosity taking over, Benjamin reached out and touched the log. Suddenly, a burst of shimmering light filled the air, and the log began to levitate.
07:01
In the case of Orion, the usual version of the myth frames the two of them as friends and rivals, engaged in a dangerous contest that might wipe out every animal on earth. In the romance version, however, there s no sign of that; instead, Apollo Artemis twin is jealous of the fact that the two of them are in love and tricks her into murdering Orion, robbing her of her agency and assigning her a reassuring desire for men in one single, tiresomely patriarchal act.
Suddenly, a burst of shimmering light filled the air, and the log began to levitate. Benjamin could hardly believe what was happening before his eyes. As the log floated in mid-air, Benjamin felt an overwhelming sense of power emanating from it.
Artemis Is the Queer Girl Goddess BFF of Your Dreams
Artemis (Diana to the Romans) is one of the queerest figures mythology has ever produced. The Greek goddess of the hunt, animals, unmarried girls and midwifery, the mythology has her securing a promise of perpetual “virginity” from her father and immediately skipping off into the mountain forests with a group of like-minded nymphs. Together she and her women hiked, swam, lived off the land and viciously murdered any man who walked in on them naked.
So, basically the 1970’s lesbian commune straight out of the Christian Right’s masturbatory nightmares.
There is some debate about what flavour of queer she actually is. There’s this great meme I keep seeing on tumblr about how Artemis’ sworn virginity makes her an aro ace arrow ace. Now like all bisexuals, my great weakness is puns (use this information wisely), which is why it makes me sad that of all the virgin goddesses (and indeed there are many) Artemis is almost certainly the only one for whom that identity label doesn’t fit.
In Ancient Greek, the word for virgin also means unmarried girl. There’s a school of thought out there that all of the virgin goddesses were, originally at least, just unmarried ones and that they could have as much sex as they liked with whomever they wanted. After all, it’s very clear that when Artemis and her sistren ask for perpetual virginity it’s the state of marriage rather than men themselves that’s undesirable. In fact, men are totally irrelevant. For Artemis marriage would have meant a loss of freedom, not just by subjecting her to her husband’s authority but by requiring a completely different lifestyle with different constraints and responsibilities from her. There’s a reason she’s the goddess of unmarried girls; while little mortal girls wouldn’t have had anything like her freedom, Artemis’ virginity allows her to escape the domestic responsibilities that marked out adult womanhood. (There’s a train of thought about lesbians and maturity here that takes us all the way to Freud, because apparently the one thing in history that never changes is men).
Sadly, though, this argument is rooted in the idea that these goddesses arose from a goddess-centric matriarchy that predated and was then overthrown by patriarchy. As much as I desperately wish this was the origin of Western society, the archaeological evidence for it as a universal phenomenon is basically nonexistent. Though the Minoans (the ancient Cretans) may have been matriarchal, the rest of Greece almost certainly wasn’t.
(I’ll give you all a moment to collect yourselves. I’m sad too.)
There’s some fairly compelling evidence that the “virgin” goddesses had no truck with men, even if they wanted to, in the existence and treatment of the goddess Demeter. Despite having an affair with Zeus and producing a child, Demeter successfully remained unmarried. If the virgin title was just given to goddesses who retained their sexual agency by avoiding marriage she’d carry it too, but she doesn’t. Probably for the various “virgin” goddesses refraining from sexual contact with men was the price they paid for freedom from the demands and constraints of marriage (think nuns, and how that was an option for noble girls who couldn’t or wouldn’t settle down with a man — girls can’t just wander around with freedom, they need an excuse). I have trouble imagining any of them were particularly sorry though, considering the tradeoff.
Just because they couldn’t have sex with men, though, doesn’t mean women were off limits to the various “virgin” goddesses. Being history’s most cisheterosexist society, the Greeks thought virginity loss required PIV penetration, which meant that women were entirely on the menu when it came to Artemis.
It’s hard to say if we’re supposed to read Artemis as attracted to women or understand that she’s sleeping with her nymphs. I suspect it varied from culture to culture. In Athens and then Rome, lesbian sex was considered to be shameful and disgusting because it involved women usurping the roles and rights of men, though this didn’t stop citizen men from hiring prostitutes to perform it for them. Probably the Athenian and Roman Artemis, at least according to the dominant culture, was a nice heterosexual girl trapped in a perpetual chaste girlhood because of her refusal to grow up and sublimate herself to a man’s desires. To lady-loving girls in both cultures I imagine the obvious subtext was known as simple truth, and in places like archaic Lesbos I imagine it was much the same.
There is at least one myth that makes it explicit that she shared a degree of physical intimacy with one of her nymphs, Callisto. Unfortunately we only have this because it’s an essential plot point in yet another Zeus rape story. Incidentally, while trying to find a suitable link for you all I realised that I’m going to need literally everyone to stop referring to Zeus’ rape victims as his “lovers;” just because the Ancient Greeks institutionalised victim blaming doesn’t mean we have to. (I also discovered that there is a support service for college rape survivors named after her which is sort of nice.)
“Quickly he took on the face and dress of Diana, and said ‘Oh, girl who follows me, where in my domains have you been hunting?’
The virgin girl got up from the turf replying ‘Greetings, goddess greater than Jupiter: I say it even though he himself hears it.’ He did hear, and laughed, happy to be judged greater than himself, and gave her kisses unrestrainedly, and not those that virgins give.”Ovid’s Metamophosis Bk II:417-440 Jupiter rapes Callisto
What we have here is Zeus (Jupiter) deciding that he really wants to have sex with his daughter’s girlfriend, shapeshifting so that he looks like his daughter, and only changing back after he has Callisto close enough that she can’t escape from him. There’s a titillating grotesqueness in the way Ovid addresses this, as well as a reassurance that their relationship doesn’t go past kisses. Not content with pioneering the doomed lesbian storyline, he’s also giving us softcore lesbian fanservice with the traditional assurance for the reader’s manhood that they’re not really into each other like that. The thing is though, this myth only works if Callisto and Artemis normally kiss each other in distinctly non-platonic ways, and if there’s an expectation for romantic touch and closeness between them. Artemis is clearly at least attracted to women, and as it doesn’t violate her oath of virginity there’s no reason to assume she wasn’t acting on that attraction — or at least understood to be by many of her followers over time.
It is possible to make the argument that Artemis is bisexual and that she had feelings for both Orion and Hippolytus, but I find it to be a weak one as it’s based on one variant myth and one frankly bizarre modern interpretation of another. In the case of Orion, the usual version of the myth frames the two of them as friends and rivals, engaged in a dangerous contest that might wipe out every animal on earth. There Orion’s death is a consequence of their refusal to stop, the only way that the other gods could put an end to it. In the romance version, however, there’s no sign of that; instead, Apollo (Artemis’ twin) is jealous of the fact that the two of them are in love and tricks her into murdering Orion, robbing her of her agency and assigning her a reassuring desire for men in one single, tiresomely patriarchal act. In the case of Hippolytus — sworn virgin, expert hunter, dedicant of Artemis and actively sex repulsed — male academics are always seeing in his sex repulsion a repressed desire for Artemis and, in her avenging of his death, a return of that desire. Gods were always avenging their favourite’s injuries, but somehow in a goddess dedicated to the sexual rejection of men this becomes a sign of secret sexual interest.
Artemis, regardless of whether or not she feels or acts on sexual desire, is so very clearly a lover of women. Not just in a “she loves and appreciates women in the bonds of sisterhood” way, but in the desires romantically and seeks out life partners to start an earth friendly granola business way. More than that, she models an alternative way of existing to the dominant capitalist-patriarchal model, with women prioritising each other, the environment and their community of choice over the nuclear family and amassment of wealth. Like the Morrigan, she’s more relevant than ever.
Before you go! Autostraddle runs on the reader support of our A+ Members. If this article meant something to you today — if it informed you or made you smile or feel seen, will you consider joining A+ and supporting the people who make this indie queer media site possible?
09 Feb 2016 TubePornClassic
He knew that this log was no ordinary piece of wood; it was something special, something magical. With a wave of his hand, Benjamin commanded the log to settle gently on the ground. He realized that he had stumbled upon a hidden treasure, a key to unlocking incredible magical abilities. From that day forward, Benjamin devoted himself to studying and harnessing the powers of the magic log. He discovered that by concentrating his energy and focusing his thoughts, he could make the log transform into different objects. The log became a staff, a wand, and even a shield. Benjamin soon became renowned throughout the village as a master of magic, performing extraordinary feats that left everyone in awe. But as Benjamin's fame grew, so did the jealousy of others in the village. Some believed that he had become too powerful, too controlling. One evening, a group of villagers confronted Benjamin, demanding that he hand over the magic log. They believed that it should be shared among everyone, not hoarded by one person. Benjamin understood their concerns but knew that the magic log had chosen him and entrusted him with its powers. With a heavy heart, Benjamin refused to give up the magic log. He explained that he had dedicated himself to understanding its powers and that he would continue to use them for the greater good of the village. Moved by his sincerity and dedication, the villagers reluctantly accepted Benjamin's decision. From that day forward, Benjamin used the magic log to create wondrous experiences for the village. He used it to heal the sick, provide protection during battles, and even bring joy to the children with his awe-inspiring displays of magic. The log became a symbol of hope and unity for the villagers, a reminder that with great power comes great responsibility. As Benjamin grew older, he passed down his knowledge of the magic log to a young apprentice who would continue his legacy. The log became a cherished heirloom, safeguarded by the village for generations to come. And though the log itself was no longer magical, its story continued to inspire and bring wonder to all who heard it. The magic log taught Benjamin and the villagers the importance of using power responsibly and for the benefit of others. It reminded them that true magic lies not in the objects themselves but in the intentions and actions of those who wield them. And so, the legend of the magic log lived on, reminding future generations of the timeless values of compassion, unity, and the extraordinary power that lies within each of us..
Reviews for "The Magic Log and Ancient Rituals: Ceremonies for Healing and Manifestation"
1. Samantha - 2/5: I was really disappointed with "The Magic Log". The concept seemed interesting, but the execution was so dull and predictable. The characters lacked depth and the plot was incredibly thin. I found myself losing interest halfway through and struggled to finish the book. Overall, it just didn't live up to the hype.
2. Robert - 1/5: "The Magic Log" was a complete waste of time. The writing was poor, full of cliches and cheesy dialogue. The story was incredibly slow-paced and had no suspense or excitement. I didn't feel any connection to the characters and found it hard to care about what happened to them. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
3. Emily - 2/5: I had high expectations for "The Magic Log", but it failed to deliver. The plot was confusing, with random elements thrown in that didn't contribute to the overall story. The writing style was mediocre at best, and I found myself skimming through paragraphs just to get to the end. The ending was unsatisfying and left me feeling disappointed. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating fantasy read.
4. Joshua - 2/5: "The Magic Log" had an intriguing premise, but it fell flat for me. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked development. The pacing was uneven, with long stretches of boredom followed by rushed action scenes. The world-building was also lacking, and I struggled to picture the setting. Overall, it just didn't engage me and I found myself forcing to finish it.
5. Natalie - 1/5: I couldn't stand "The Magic Log". The writing was tedious, filled with unnecessary descriptions and filler chapters. The dialogue was contrived and unnatural. The plot was predictable and lacked any originality. I regretted wasting my time on this book and would not recommend it to anyone.