Artemis

High school was nothing out of the ordinary. I was an active volunteer at the young Gods and Goddesses Club of Mt. Olympus, and was co- captain of the archery team with my twin brother Apollo. Whether I was going to school or being involved in my extracurriculars, it seemed like I was on this set path in life without any alternative routes. I didn't know any better. This was the of life that every woman was supposed to live I thought. My mother, despite all she gave me, always gave the preferential treatment to my brother, the handsome and athletic one. As such, I lived day to day, expecting to go to college, receive a meaningless degree, and take care of children. Yet, this all changed when I met Orion.

To say I was not the type of girl to date would be an understatement. While some of my cousins like Aphrodite were chasing relationship after relationship, I was focused on my school work and the true friends I had around me. Then one day, I noticed a new student, tall and athletic, sitting in my health class taught by Dr. Asclepius. He sat in his chair unassumingly and introduced himself as Orion to the class, but I did not make any real note of it until later that day when he showed up to archery practice. My brother Apollo was conversing loudly with him, and upon watching his skill with the bow and arrow, I was not surprised to see why Apollo had taken to him so greatly. Orion's skill with the bow and arrow was masterful, to the point where Apollo and I were feeling challenged in our competitions. Nevertheless, it was not until Apollo partnered Orion and me together in practice that we began to learn about each other.

It is tough for any student to move to a new high school, especially one so big as Mt. Olympus High, and it was not any easier for Orion. He struggled to meet people, and often he would confide to me how sometimes our partnership in archery class was his only interaction throughout the day. Yet, he found a refuge in me. He expressed to me all of the struggles of moving and get acquainted, and I listened to him every day intently. While he found me to be his friend, I saw much in him. He spoke greatly of his desire to be accepted in school and was willing to challenge the expectations of life. He encouraged me to strive for only the best and not to settle for the typical roles set for women. As I expressed to him my dreams of one day leading my own hunts into the forests, he would continuously push me to chase for more. He treated me as an equal and solidified my belief that I can do something in this crazy world of gods and goddesses. Little did I know that Orion's confidence in me would lead to his downfall.

As Orion and I were rapidly becoming closer and closer, Orion soon became to be more confident in school. He soon began to converse with his classmates and teachers while excelling in the archery competitions. Yet, this confidence brought with it consequences as he would broadly proclaim that he was the best hunter in all of the land; there was no animal that he could not hunt. Little did he know that Gaea, the watcher of Earth, had gotten word of his mighty proclamation and had become angered by his comments. Hoping to make a lesson out of Orion, she sent him a scorpion equal to his mighty size to visit his home late at night following an archery match. It was said that Orion put up a great fight, using his vaunted archery skill that he so often showed off in our arrchery competitions. However, the six-foot tall scorpion and its poisonous stinger was too much a task to overcome as it eventually subdued Orion's mighty effort. Thus, just like that, my closest friend had been taken away from me.

The time after Orion's demise was a difficult period for me. I had lost someone that had made me a better person, but more importantly showed me that I am capable of breaking the mold goddesses are ascribed to matching. Life is not easy for a 17-year-old girl. From dealing with school to handling relationships, sometimes it can seem like the world is just a confusing and crazy place. More so, girls and goddesses just have it harder in life here on Mount Olympus. Yet, this is no excuse for a woman to ramble around and just accept things as they are. No, college is the time push boundaries and change Olympus for the betterment of all man, woman, centaur, nymph and more. Orion stood for more, and I will always have a place for him in my heart as I travel through life carrying his lessons.

Author's Note: This college essay details the relationship between Orion and Artemis. They are a lot of conflicting stories detailing this relationship, but I wanted to focus on how Artemis and Orion grew to be close companions. Some variations have Artemis and Orion being enemies, but I feel like a theme in high school is often having a person who challenged you to grow as person and to strive for more. However, I chose to keep Artemis and Orion as friends rather than lovers because I wanted to focus on Artemis' growth as woman, particularly a woman who is unwilling to be bound by the normal expectations of a woman on Mt. Olympus. The story is normally a tragedy, and there are also different ways of how the relationship between Artemis and Orion end. Some ending have Artemis being tricked and accidentally killing Orion herself, but I chose to include the version where Gaea, the Earth goddess, sends a scorpion to kill Orion after he boasts how he can kill all of the beasts of the world. I felt this would be more appropriate rather than having Artemis kill Orion. Overall, I wanted to to create the image of Artemis as being a strong and independent woman who grew from a relationship in high school and will take those lessons into her future.

Bibliography: Hesiod, Astronomy Fragment 4 (from Pseudo-Eratosthenes Catasterismi Frag 32) (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or C7th B.C.)

Artemis and her bow Image