Artemis was the goddess associated with the Ceryneian Hind.
The hind was a sacred deer with golden antlers and bronze hooves. It lived in the region of Ceryneia and was sacred to Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt. Eurystheus ordered Hercules to capture it alive, making the third labor a test of patience rather than a straightforward killing.
Hercules pursued the animal for a full year before capturing it. In one version, he wounded it with an arrow as it reached the river Ladon, then carried it away. He had to be careful because killing the sacred animal would offend Artemis.
The Ceryneian Hind is often confused with ordinary deer because modern retellings simplify its supernatural features. Its golden antlers and sacred status distinguish it from the other animals in the cycle.