Apollo and Artemis

I think it is interesting that in some areas of Greece Apollo and Artemis were husband and wife. The most curious thing is that even in "mainstreem" Greek polytheism they relation between the two is still rather erotic (for the lack of a better word). Take the myth of Orion, for instance, when Apollo tricked Artemis into killing her to-be-lover, or when Artemis chases those that hurt Apollo in some other myths.

In fact, the Gods are highly connected. They are brothers, twins, lovers, married, only because we don't have a word for complete symbiosis - they complete each other, one ends what the other starts - the wild and the civilized, women and men, opposites that are embodied in Artemis and Apollo, whom are so close to each other only to show us that opposites are illusions and boundaries artificial.

So, here is the picture that got me thinking, click on it to go to the original site. It was done by the wonderful artist blackeri.