Scholars think that the goddess arrived in Greece during the Archaic period. ThoughtCo. One can view the doors between the worlds as being very thin during this time therefore it is a golden opportunity to show her your respect. There are cult sites for the goddess Hecate in Caria, which shows that people there worshipped her. Ft. 1302 Covington Ct, Virginia Beach, VA 23453. This was a group started by May Otis Blackburn in Los Angeles, California. According to Theogony. The goddess Hecate had unusual rituals performed in her honour, which include the offerings of food given at crossroads, road junctions, and any other sort of boundary or threshold known as the supper of Hecate. When her city fell, the queen was taken captive and lept off a cliff to her death. She is often depicted carrying one or several torches to remind of her connection with the night and insculpturewith three faces, representing her role as the guardian of crossroads. Hecate has been depicted in Greek art, literature, and pottery dating from the fifth century BCE. Hecate was believed to be a goddess of both the living world and the underworld. Many of the rituals described in ancient texts, for example the elaborate sacrifice of a ewe in Argonautica, are in keeping with what is known about the worship of other deities of the underworld. She also assisted the gods in their war with the Gigantes, and slew Clytius.5, This extensive power possessed by Hecate was probably the reason that subsequently she was confounded and identified with several other divinities, and at length became a mystic goddess, to whom mysteries were celebrated in Samothrace6 and in Aegina.7 For being as it were the queen of all nature, we find her identified with Demeter, Rhea (Cybele or Brimo); being a huntress and the protector of youth, she is the same as Artemis (Curotrophos); and as a goddess of the moon, she is regarded as the mystic Persephone.8 She was further connected with the worship of other mystic divinities, such as the Cabeiri and Curetes,9 and also with Apollo and the Muses.10, The ground-work of the above-mentioned confusions and identifications, especially with Demeter and Persephone, is contained in the Homeric hymn to Demeter; for, according to this hymn, she was, besides Helios, the only divinity who, from her cave, observed the abduction of Persephone. Euripides, on the other hand, mentions her mother isLeto. In mythology Nyx represented night. The triple goddesses are often referred to as the Maiden, Mother (or Matron), and Crone. She thus becomes a deity of the lower world; but this notion does not occur till the time of the Greek tragedians, though it is generally current among the later writers. Archaeologists have found essential offerings to the goddess at Lagina in Caria and Phrygia. Hecate is usually thought to have originated in Thrace, a wild northern region of Greece that is also known for its tales of Amazons. Advanced Magick for the 21st Century The Adeptus Course, THE MOST COMPLETE COURSE IN PRACTICAL MAGICK EVER RELEASED. The Greek name of Hecate may derive from an earlier Egyptian frog-headed goddess called Heqet, who ruled over magic and fertility and was a favorite of women. The Greek three-headed hound of Hades, Cerberus, may have been an earlier version of Hecate. According to a legend, Odysseus got the Trojan queen Hecuba as a captive after the defeat of Troy. times its difficult to find a quite crossroads to perform workings except in remote areas. As a protective goddess, it was common for statuettes of Hecate to be placed in the doorways of homes in Greece in the hopes that she would intervene to prevent bad fortune from passing in. The daughter of Perses and Asteria (twin sister of Leto ), Hecate was a member of the third generation of Titans, but sided with Zeus and his siblings during the Titanomachy. She was also the goddess of the Oikos and the guardian of its entrances. Regula, deTraci. But because these Anatolian cult sites were built later, other classicists say that the goddess could not have come from Anatolia. She has long been associated with witchcraft and the occult, even necromancy. The moon goddess and the huntress were often linked, and it is believed by some that as Greeks focused worship on the more protective aspects of Artemis they shifted her darker characteristics to Hecate. In Greece, there is some evidence that Hecate was originally seen as a much more benevolent, cosmic goddess. One of these was the supper of Hecate, where food was left at crossroads, road junctions, and any other kind of boundary or threshold. In aiding Demeter during her search for the missing Persephone and transfiguring Hecuba to spare her captivity or death she showed a level of compassion that might not be expected from an occult figure. The most famous witch in Greek mythology received her knowledge of magic from Hecate. Hecate was a complex, ancient goddess known to the Greeks but originally worshiped by people of Asia Minor*. There might not be any figure in Greek mythology that is as misunderstood as Hecate. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Major temple shrines to Hecate were in the regions of Phrygia and Caria. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). There is a belief, therefore, that the three goddesses may be aspects of a singular, earlier deity. Quite often warriors worshipped the goddess Hecate just as readily. All these were also given Hekate in her Deipnon (food offering). Hecate. Hecate was variously associated with crossroads, entrance-ways, dogs, light, the moon, magic, witchcraft, knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, ghosts, necromancy, and sorcery. SOLD JUN 15, 2022. Not only could she move between the realms, but she had power to control the passage of others. Hecate was often shown as a single person wearing a long robe and holding burning torches. If you are interested in effective unique protection magickCLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE! Hesiod only talks about her family and how she killed Clytius in the Gigantomachy. In fact, the earliest depictions of Hecate can only be differentiated from those of Artemis by inscriptions. Related Topics: greek. Child of Perses and Asteria, she was the only Titan to retain her control under Zeus' reign. She was a goddess that could be both a protective guardian and a source of menace. Hecate Triformis, Hecate of the three faces or three forms, corresponding to the phases of the moon: dark, waxing, and waning. The goddess Hecate is generally depicted as either an old woman in a long dress or a young woman in a knee-length skirt with hunting boots. Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, ThoughtCo, Dec. 6, 2021, thoughtco.com/greek-mythology-hecate-1526205. Q: How do the three witches make Hecate angry? Hecate was also known as the queen or Goddess of the night. You have subscribed to: Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter. Q: Why was Hecate excluded from witch meetings? Some speculate that it represents the full moon, half moon, and new moon. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a28cb13cce875e3 Picture of the Greek Underworld, the residence of Hecate. Symbols of Hecate are her place, the crossroads, two torches, and black dogs. Although much of her power appeared generally dark or menacing, Hecate could also be a merciful goddess. As a fertility deity she was invoked by women to aid conception and delivery. The Greek form is hekatos, which means "who works from afar," a probable reference to her magic powers, but it may also distantly reference her possible origins in Egypt. She was a goddess in charge of magic, witchcraft, and much more. 1.5 Baths. She was associated with witchcraft, necromancy, and poisons. MAGE ENERGETICS The most complete course in magick ever released! She is often displayed holding two torches or a key. Her main jobs were to control boundaries, witchcraft, and the Underworld. She was the only child of the Titanes Perses and Asteria from whom she received her power over heaven, earth, and sea. By joining Kidadl you agree to Kidadls Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receiving marketing communications from Kidadl. Most likely, the cults of Thessalian Pherai (Pherae) and Eleusis saw Hekate as Chthonian (Underworld) Hermess wife. Hecate is the Goddess of witchcraft, magic, crossroads, ghosts and necromancy. The darkness, the moon, and magic have been personified as Hecate in many popular and well-known works of literature and in art. Hecate carrying a torch is a common way to show this myth in art. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. With a torch in her hand, she accompanied Demeter in the search after Persephone; and when the latter was found, Hecate remained with her as her attendant and companion. The various statues have also raised questions as to her duties. A case in point is the Greek goddess Hecate. Hecate was an only child and was worshiped in households of Athens where families hoped to receive protection, prosperity and daily blessings. Another option was a dish of red mullet, which was usually not allowed to be given to other gods. The Furies, winged creatures who punished wrongdoing, were also said to be the companions of Hecate. A statue called Hekate Epipyrgidia (On the Ramparts) stood at the Athens Acropolis entrance. As one of the deities capable of passing between realms, she had access to the secrets of the dead. Her symbols were two torches, the crossroads, and black dogs. Intrinsically ambivalent and polymorphous, she straddles conventional boundaries and eludes definition. Corrections? Hecate hugged the girl when Persephone was reunited with her mother, Demeter. Authors from the past, like Ovid and Pausanias, say that dogs, especially black dogs, were given to the goddess as sacrifices. Was the Griffin a Bird from Greek Mythology? Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. On an Attic vase from the 5th century BCE, a woman is shown giving a goddess a puppy and a basket of cakes. These took the form of small cakes of eggs, cheese, bread, and dog meat, which were lit with miniature torches or, alternatively, a dish of red mullet, which was usually prohibited from offerings to the other gods. Regula, deTraci. She is depicted on the altar of Pergamon with one body and three heads (ca. They call her Aristaion or Night. 1,178 Sq. Parents: Perses (and Asteria) or Zeus and Asteria (a second-generation Titan) or Nyx (Night) or Aristaios or Demeter (see Theoi Hecate) Hecate was weaved strongly into all these symbolisms of the crossroads and still does to her devotees. Esoteric writing from this time says that Hecate has the heads of a horse, a dog, and a snake. Empusa or Empousa (/ m p j u s /; Ancient Greek: ; plural: Empousai) is a shape-shifting female being in Greek mythology, said to possess a single leg of copper, commanded by Hecate, whose precise nature is obscure. Because of this, some people would make sacrifices of dogs, especially puppies, to her. Female monsters also often came in threes, as was the case with the Gorgons and Graea. While Hecate was described as a single goddess with three parts, the tripartite goddess in other instances was shown as three separate but intrinsically-linked beings. Hecate rules over the night, magic, and places where three roads meet. Hecate was also linked to a lot of other goddesses from other pantheons. According to the most genuine traditions, she appears to have been an ancient Thracian divinity, and a Titan, who, from the time of the Titans, ruled in heaven, on the earth, and in the sea, who bestowed on mortals wealth, victory, wisdom, good luck to sailors and hunters, and prosperity to youth and to the flocks of cattle; but all these blessings might at the same time be withheld by her, if mortals did not deserve them. As Apollo was sometimes known as Hecatos, it is still possible that this feminine form of the name referred to his sister and not a separate goddess. Hecate's powers transcended the boundaries of the sky, the earth, the seas, and the underworld. There is evidence that this may have been the case with Hecate. It was said that she learned herbalism and spells from Hecate herself. Hecate, however, took pity on Galinthias. Some poets say her mother is Crataeis. She could not be forced to love anyone. According to the Greek writer Hesiod*, Hecate was the daughter of the Titan* Perses and the nymph Asteria. HEKATE (Hecate) was the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy. The Goddess Hecate is supposed to be the daughter of Perses, a Titan, and Asteria, a nymph. If you enjoyed this content why not dive into some more historical eras check out these articles: Ancient Rome, Ancient Egyptians The First Woman Pharaoh, Greek Mythology Medusa, Native American History. The goddess was given gifts every month on the night of a new moon. She was both a product of the Titans and an honored member of Zeuss court at Olympus. A: In Greek mythology, Hecate was the Goddess of witchcraft and magic. This made her one of the few deities to have the power to move freely between the world of the living and the underworld. Medeas magic was often described as having to do with necromancy, sleep, and the night. There are many other interesting facts about Hecate as pointed out by philosophers and researchers. She is also Queen of the Night, and is highly connected to All Hallow's Eve. Hecate - A mysterious nature goddess associated with sorcery and witchcraft, who went with Demeter to the Underworld to fetch Persephone, but then stayed to assist Persephone. Hecate's appearance is dark-haired and beautiful, but with an eerie edge to that beauty befitting a goddess of the night (though the actual goddess of the night is Nyx). Apollonius of Rhodes says that the sound of dogs barking from the Underworld can be heard when Hecate is nearby. She is not a typical one-dimensional goddess but lives on many different levels. The Charites (Graces) and Horai (Seasons) were also trios of minor goddesses in Greek mythology. Her name was derived from the Greek word hekatos which means "worker from afar". She is invoked for justice, especially for sexual crimes against women and girls. Modern neopagan and Wiccan religions often include worship of a triple goddess, and of Hecate herself. It has been suggested that the idea of magic coming from Hecate was an evolution of the many gifts she was capable of bestowing upon her favorites. Hecate: [noun] a Greek goddess associated especially with the underworld, night, and witchcraft. Because she was associated with borders, gates, and doorways, Hecate took on a protective role. Hecate's name (Greek: Hekate, Latin: Hecate) means far-reaching one, and hints at this goddess's wide influence over a variety of earthly and supernatural affairs. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong. On the Pergamon Altar of Zeus, from the 2nd century BCE, a three-headed Hecate and a dog attack a snake-like giant. Names derived from hers were common, including Hecatomnus, the father of the ruler Mausolus who built the famous tomb. Offerings to this Goddess were also made during the night of the new moon. Before that, she was just a minor character in the stories of Demeter (Persephones maid) and Artemis. Due to her dark attributes, this deity has often been associated with the Underworld. As she is said to be the guardian of the crossroads, she is most often depicted with three faces and carrying torches or a key. Writings throughout the centuries have woven different tales about Hecate and her role as a goddess. Hecate may be invoked for healing, especially if medical solutions have failed or are not an option. Hecate, however, is routinely described as the goddess of witchcraft and associated with characters like Medea and Circe, the witch of Homers Odyssey. Check your inbox for your latest news from us. Nearby homes similar to 755 Hecate Dr have recently sold between $204K to $212K at an average of $190 per square foot. Sometimes, as was the case with Hecate, it was a single goddess who was shown with three aspects. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. During the Romans, many of her traits belonged to the world of the dead. Hekat) is the feminine form of hekatos, an epithet of the god Apollo meaning "the one who works from afar."But the true etymology of the name is uncertain. Hesiod claimed that Hecate was a favorite of Zeus . Performance & security by Cloudflare. People used to believe that dogs would eat the dead if they werent buried. And during these times Hecate was also very much connected to other portals- such as doors, entrances, thresholds and eventually the crossroads. Hesiod describes the goddess in the following glowing terms: Zeus, Cronus son, honoured [Hecate] above all others: he gave her splendid gifts to have a share of the earth and of the barren sea, and from the starry sky as well she has a share in honour, and is honoured most of all by the immortal gods. She was most famously the goddess of magic, witchcraft, ghosts, necromancy, the Moon, and the night. Greek pantheon was once much smaller than we know. Women also prayed to her for fertility and the birth of female children. These crystals possess unique energies and properties that enhance spiritual practices and aid connections with Hecate. Share This Post. She was accepted at an early date into Greek religion, but she probably was originally a goddess of the Carians in southwestern Asia Minor. The Greeks likewise borrowed many deities and legends from their eastern neighbors.