Zoi was full of life, just like her name, which meant ‘life’. She had a bright face like the moon, and eyes that shed light. It had only been a few days since Zoi, the daughter of one of the richest families in Ephesus, had left her beautiful home. She was now one of the respected priestesses of Artemis, the protector of nature, cities, all living species, and civilization, and the virgin goddess of the moon. In the morning, in the presence of Goddess Artemis, she had sworn that she would always be faithful to her and that she would preserve her virginity for life, taking the title of ‘bee’. Yes, she was now a ‘bee’. Just like real bees that make honey from the essence of flowers in nature, she was a precious child of the Ephesian Goddess Artemis.
After the oath ceremony, beautiful Zoi felt a strange sensation. The world she knew and knew was fading away, and it was as if the shadows of a different world were moving around her. While she was filled with these feelings, she went out to the temple garden and started walking. The trees seemed greener and more vibrant than before. The grass and flowers swaying in the wind seemed to be talking. As Zoi looked at this lively picture of nature as if she was mesmerized, she saw two bees buzzing in the air and followed them involuntarily. The bees were also flying slowly as if they were waiting for Zoi to catch up with them.
When the two bees stopped in front of a great plane tree, Zoi saw a woman’s face on the trunk of the tree. It was unbelievable, but this face resembled the face of the Artemis statue in the temple. Zoi was drawn towards the Artemis face in the tree without her control, accompanied by the buzzing of the bees. Just as she had reached the base of the tree, the face split in half and turned into a large door. Without thinking, Zoi walked through the door into the unknown. Zoi was in a garden in this new world as well. However, this garden was different. The trees looked like elegant women with their thin branches and fresh leaves that grew in waves like hair. Yellow clouds were also hovering above them. When Zoi looked carefully, she realized that these yellow clouds were made up of bees. She hadn’t yet had the chance to be afraid when she suddenly came face to face with Goddess Artemis. Artemis was so beautiful that it was awe-inspiring and she was like the moon illuminating the darkest hours of the night with the light that emanated from her gaze. When Artemis started talking, Zoi felt like she was listening to the most beautiful song she had ever heard.
“I loved you so much Zoi. You are a bee. You have the creative power of nature and endless love inside you. Now I want you to live on this side of the tree with me and my favorite bees. Would you like that too?”
While Artemis was talking, the trees in the garden surrounded Zoi. Zoi realized then that they were not trees but Artemis’ favorite priestesses. In the meantime, Artemis was looking at Zoi’s face as if she was waiting for an answer to her question.
“Of course I will stay, my goddess,” Zoi said. “I would be proud.”
After this answer, the door that brought Zoi to this different world closed and the face in the tree disappeared. Zoi remained in the sacred garden of the Goddess Artemis forever.
The priests and priestesses of the Artemis temple found Zoi’s lifeless body in front of the tree hours later. Zoi’s face, stung by bees, was still very beautiful. The priests and priestesses, unaware that they were in another world and next to Artemis, sobbed after Zoi.
Written by Author Archaeologist Özlem Ertan for the Efes Foundation.