The Bees of Artemis

Zoi was as full of life as her name, which means ‘life.’ She had a face as bright as the moon and eyes that radiated light. No more than a few days had passed since Zoi, the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in Ephesus, had left her beautiful home. She was now one of the revered priestesses of Artemis, protector of nature, of cities, of all living generations, and of civilization, and virgin goddess of the moon. That morning, in the presence of the goddess Artemis, she had sworn to remain forever faithful to her and to keep her virginity for life, and had received the title of ‘bee.’ Yes, she was now a ‘bee.’ Just like the real bees that make honey from the essence of flowers, she was a precious child of Artemis, the goddess of Ephesus.

After the oath ceremony, the beautiful Zoi was seized by a strange feeling. It was as though the world she knew was fading and the shadows of another realm were drifting around her. Filled with these feelings, she went out into the temple garden and began to walk. The trees looked greener and more alive to her than before. The grasses and flowers swaying in the wind seemed to be talking. As Zoi gazed spellbound at this living picture of nature, she saw two bees buzzing through the air and, without thinking, followed them. The bees flew slowly, as if waiting for Zoi to catch up.

When the two bees stopped in front of a mighty plane tree, Zoi saw a woman’s face in its trunk. It was hard to believe, but the face resembled that of the statue of Artemis in the temple. Accompanied by the buzzing of the bees, Zoi found herself drawn, beyond her control, toward the face of Artemis in the tree. Just as she reached the foot of the tree, the face split down the middle and turned into a great door. Without a moment’s thought, Zoi stepped through the door and walked into the unknown. In this new realm, too, she found herself in a garden. But this garden was different. With their slender branches and fresh leaves flowing like waves of hair, the trees looked like graceful women. Yellow clouds drifted above them. Looking closely, Zoi realized that these yellow clouds were made of bees. Before she even had time to be afraid, she found herself face to face with the goddess Artemis, who had suddenly appeared. Artemis was breathtakingly beautiful, and with the light that radiated from her gaze, she was like the moon lighting up the darkest hours of the night. When Artemis began to speak, Zoi felt as though she were listening to the most beautiful song she had ever heard.

“I love you dearly, Zoi. You are a true bee. Within you are nature’s creative power and boundless love. From now on, I want you to live here, on this side of the tree, with me and my most beloved bees. Would you like that too?”

As Artemis spoke, the trees of the garden gathered around Zoi. Only then did Zoi understand that they were not trees but Artemis’s most beloved priestesses. Artemis, meanwhile, was looking into Zoi’s face as if awaiting an answer to her question.

“Of course I will stay, my goddess,” said Zoi. “I would be proud to.”

With this answer, the door that had brought Zoi into this other realm closed, and the face in the tree vanished. And Zoi remained forever in the sacred garden of the goddess Artemis.

Hours later, the priests and priestesses of the Temple of Artemis found Zoi’s lifeless body in front of the tree. Her face, stung by the bees, was still very beautiful. Unaware that she was in another realm, at the side of Artemis, the priests and priestesses wept bitterly for Zoi.

Written for the Ephesus Foundation by author and archaeologist Özlem Ertan.