NIOBE Who had such pride in her daughter Leto's children, that she compared them to Apollo and Artemis, who, enraged, slew all of the children. Apollo killed all the sons, while Artemis slew the daughters. When it came to the turn of the last, and youngest, daughter, Niobe begged the deities to spare the child, but they were relentless. As the final arrow entered her heart, Niobe refused to utter a sound, and was transformed into a rock, down which tears trickled silently.