Artemis was bathing in the woods when the hunter Actaeon stumbled across her, thus seeing her naked. He stopped and stared, amazed at her ravishing beauty. Once seen, Artemis punished Actaeon: she forbade him speech and if he tried to speak, he would be changed into a stag. Upon hearing the call of his hunting party, he cried out to them and was immediately changed into a stag. His own hounds then turned upon him and tore him to pieces as they did not recognise him.

The music begins with Actaeon taunting his hounds. A slower section represents the young hunter (solo horn) leading to an up-tempo section as he rides through the forest. The central scherzo portrays a hunt. A gentle section (euphonium solo) potrays Artemis bathing under a waterfall. The music then depicts Actaeon being transformed into a stag with the final terrifying sounds of his body being torn apart!