Diana

Diana is the Roman Goddess of hunt, moon, nature and childbirth, revered as a patroness of wildlife, hunters and the countryside. Equated with the Greek goddess Artemis, she is the daughter of Jupiter and Latona and twin sister to Apollo.  Diana is depicted as a swift huntress often with a bow, quiver and deer. She protected forests and wild life often portrayed as a fierce independent figure.  She was associated with night and merged with moon goddesses Luna and Hecate, sometimes described as triple deity.

She was invoked to aid with child birth and was considered a guardian of women, young maidens and slaves.

Diana was a virgin goddess, symbolizing female empowerment and self reliance.  She was originally an indigenous Italian goddess with her own distinct woodland cults, but later absorbed much of the Greek myths of Artemis.

Bathsheba Everdene instinctively adore Diana because the goddess perfectly embodies Bathsheba's fierce desire for independence, self sufficiency and freedom from patriarchal control.  That she had never, by look or word or sign encouraged a man to approach her. She earnestly desired, she should have remained at Norcombe hill and enjoy her independent life.