ThoughtCo. Posted by 7thphoenix | May 27, 2020 | Magick Articles | 0 |. In ancient times the crossroads didnt have our modern symbolism as a place of choices. In a few cases, Hecate was said to have shared these powers with her most devoted followers. This article was most recently revised and updated by, From Athena to Zeus: Basics of Greek Mythology, Ancient Origins - Hecate: Triple-Bodied Greek Goddess of Witchcraft and Keeper of Keys, Hecate - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). A case in point is the Greek goddess Hecate. Female monsters also often came in threes, as was the case with the Gorgons and Graea. First 6 Months for 1.99 with Monthly Student and Teacher Plans Dismiss, 2022 Learning Mole. The first example of the triple-Hecate form, called hekataia, was made by the sculptor Alcamenes in the 5th century BCE. According to a legend, Odysseus got the Trojan queen Hecuba as a captive after the defeat of Troy. She was born into the world ruled by the Titans, but continued to be influential and powerful in the Olympian pantheon. Witches do gather together or solitary on crossroads as do magicians , hoodoo and voudan practitioners to cast their enchantments and spells. outlandish in her infernal aspects, she is more at home on the fringes than in the centre ofGreekpolytheism. Advanced Magick for the 21st Century The Adeptus Course, THE MOST COMPLETE COURSE IN PRACTICAL MAGICK EVER RELEASED. She was accompanied by packs of barking dogs. A: In Greek mythology, Hecate was the Goddess of witchcraft and magic. Study medicinal and magical herbalism and become one of Hecate's priestesses. creative tips and more. We will examine her origins and describe the crossroads ritual. A further canine connection may be with theEgyptiangodAnubiswho guided souls to the underworld, and the Greek three-headed hound ofHades, Cerberus, may be an earlier form of Hecate. Hecate was also linked to a lot of other goddesses from other pantheons. In sculptures from the Classical and Hellenistic Periods, Hecate has been shown as a woman with three bodies or a single body with three heads. "Hecate: Greece's Dark Goddess of the Crossroads." Moreover, the fact that Hecate had a Greek name does not necessarily mean that her cult originated in Greece (she more likely emerged from Caria in Asia Minor). The Moirai, or Fates, were one such trio of goddesses. She could switch between being a Titan and a goddess in Greek mythology. They are associated with certain ideas, occupations, or stages of life. There are many other interesting facts about Hecate as pointed out by philosophers and researchers. Hecate the goddess of Greek mythology has been primarily remembered for her associations with magic and witchcraft. Hades was pleased with this, and Hecate was allowed to come and go as she pleased from the Underworld. Hecate Triodos is the specific aspect presiding over crossroads. This was a group started by May Otis Blackburn in Los Angeles, California. Mike Greenberg, PhD. She was often placed at the entrance of homes to help protect against the evil forces of the world. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Some authors say that she was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. In 1929, an expert in religious cults noted that the Blackburn Cult or The Cult of the Great Eleven that was formed in the '20s was connected with Hecate worship and rituals. In Ancient Greece, this Goddess was honored in most homes as she was considered to bring prosperity. To find out more about LearningMole please visit our about us page or visit more of our topics available. She is often pictured holding keys because, as the goddess of boundaries, she held the power to open and close the doors to the realm of Hades. To the Greeks this meant not only the moment at which the soul crossed between those to states, but also to a literal place. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. The Greek three-headed hound of Hades, Cerberus, may have been an earlier version of Hecate. Corrections? According to Hesiods Theogony, the Titans were the first Greek gods born of earth and the heavens. She is capable of both good and evil and is most often associated with magic and witchcraft. Your privacy is important to us. Moving between the barrier between life and death explains Hecates connection to both ghosts and necromancy. But she isnt in the Homeric epics, which is a big deal. Some lexicographers, experts that study the origins of language, believe that the word hag and hex, which means witch, is derived from the word Hecate. As you may already know Hecateis a goddess ofGreek mythologywho was capable of both good and evil. Her symbols were two torches, the crossroads, and black dogs. The hekataion depicted Hecate as three women encircling a central column. She was there when Demeters daughter Persephone was taken to the Underworld, and she helped search for her with a torch in her hand after she saw it happen. Several times, authors make a connection between Medeas use of magic, both harmful and protective, and her worship of Hecate. Classical scholars have differing views about where the worship of Hecate in Ancient Greece came from. It is unclear why this change took place. She witnessed the abduction of Demeter's daughter Persephone to the underworld and, torch in hand, assisted in the search for her. She was also closely associated to the spiritual world, ghosts, and the dead. Hecate is petitioned for fertility, especially for female children. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/greek-mythology-hecate-1526205. The Greek goddess Hecate, or Hekate, is Greece's dark goddess of the crossroads. Her name was derived from the Greek word hekatos which means "worker from afar". As one of the deities capable of passing between realms, she had access to the secrets of the dead. In Greece, there is some evidence that Hecate was originally seen as a much more benevolent, cosmic goddess. Still another school of thought links her, at least linguistically, to Egypt. People left the food there to honor Hecate. When her city fell, the queen was taken captive and lept off a cliff to her death. Hecate (also spelt Hekate) is a goddess capable of both good and evil. Intrinsically ambivalent and polymorphous, she straddles conventional boundaries and eludes definition. 170 BCE). Quite often warriors worshipped the goddess Hecate just as readily. At least one story, however, gives the goddess a much more human origin. Because of this, some people would make sacrifices of dogs, especially puppies, to her. Q: How do the three witches make Hecate angry? She convinced her daughter Eiliethyia, the goddess of childbirth, and the Moirai, the Fates, to prevent the birth. This is shown by her names and cult titles, such as India (which means on the way), Trodia (which means frequenter of the crossroads), and Propylaia (of the gates). From the Greek word for to turn away, apotropaic magic is that which defends by turning away evil or harm. The heads could be of a dog, a lion, or a horse, representing the constellations that make up the year. Both of these gods were thought to be in charge of the dead and had something to do with Persephone coming back in the spring. She is depicted on the altar of Pergamon with one body and three heads (ca. The masculine form of this word is said to be used for Apollo, one of the Greek gods. The Charites (Graces) and Horai (Seasons) were also trios of minor goddesses in Greek mythology. The Hades and Persephone Story. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. People used to believe that dogs would eat the dead if they werent buried. Hecate hugged the girl when Persephone was reunited with her mother, Demeter. But Hecate herself existed in the in between spaces, as well. When you buy through the links on our site we may earn a commission. Kidadl is supported by you, the reader. Archaeological items found in Lagina in Caria and Phrygia also point to the importance of this Goddess during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. The crossroads were and are also places where several accidents occurred and or ambushes, holdups they can be places of vulnerability where fates seem to be on rare occasions sealed. This grouping of the goddesses happens again in Aristophanes Frogs (1358f) when Aeschylus character calls on the goddesses. Hecate is a goddess in Greek mythology often associated with darkness and witchcraft. This is a reminder of her role as a goddess of the night, a guardian of the gates to Hades, and a goddess of boundaries. The necromancers not only conjured the spirits of the dead on nightly cemeteries but also on the crossroads, the leftovers from spells are buried on the crossroads in many magical traditions and in many religions it is believed that the spirits are lingering on the crossroads. You then connect yourself to her through visualizing and forming a mental image of her presence, you then thank her and pray to her. "Worker-from-afar." They were often associated with the three stages of life youth, adulthood, and old age. She herself too wanders about with the souls of the dead, and her approach is announced by the whining and howling of dogs.13, A number of epithets given her by the poets contain allusions to these features of the popular belief, or to her form. Major temple shrines to Hecate were in the regions of Phrygia and Caria. Sorceresses ask the goddess for help with their magic and spells, and she is shown on curse tablets that have survived. She was also bound to other goddesses in a closely-linked trio. She is invoked for justice, especially for sexual crimes against women and girls. However, she was transformed by Circe into the monster form. Hecate: Greece's Dark Goddess of the Crossroads. Kos, Erythrai,Samothrace, Thessaly, and Miletos also worshipped the. Hesiod claimed that Hecate was a favorite of Zeus . Hectate has neither spouse nor children. Hecate was a complex, ancient goddess known to the Greeks but originally worshiped by people of Asia Minor*. A mysterious divinity, who, according to the most common tradition, was a daughter of Persaeus or Perses and Asteria, whence she is called Perseis.1 Others describe her as a daughter of Zeus and Demeter, and state that she was sent out by her father in search of Persephone;2 others again make her a daughter of Zeus either by Pheraea or by Hera;3 and others, lastly, say that she was a daughter of Leto or Tartarus.4 Homer does not mention her. Hesiod goes on to say that the goddess supports warriors, athletes, hunters, horsemen, herdsmen, shepherds, fishermen, and children. 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. She was the only Titan who kept her power while Zeus was in charge. 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. Hecate helps or protects warriors, athletes, hunters, horsemen, herders, shepherds, fishermen, and children. If lost at a crossroads, literal or metaphoric, invoke her name and then pay attention to signs from her. Like most of the Olympic pantheon, Hecate predates the written mythology of Greece. And the dark moon is also a powerful time to cleanse you, from negative energy, negative influences or potentially harmful spirits. Hecate's powers transcended the boundaries of the sky, the earth, the seas, and the underworld. This garden would've contained her sacred trees, herbs and poisons. Hecate Greek Goddess of Witchcraft : The Complete Guide. This Goddess is often shown as a woman carrying a key or torches. Hecate is also sometimes interpreted in association with Artemis and Selene. Hecates name comes from the Greek word hekatos, which means worker from afar.. In Hesiod she is the daughter of the Titan Perses and the nymph Asteria and has power over heaven, earth, and sea; hence, she bestows wealth and all the blessings of daily life. At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. She is good in the byre with Hermes to increase the stock. From the 5th century BCE, the goddess hecate is associated with the darker side of the human experience, that isdeath, witchcraft, magick, the Moon, dreams, hell hounds and creatures which roam the darkness of night. Tzetzes on Lycophron, 1175; Scholiast on Theocritus, ii, 36. The most commonly repeated story of her birth was that Hecate was the daughter of Perses and Asteria, two second-generation Titans. Her friends are the Erinyes, winged creatures that punish bad behaviour, and her children are the Empusae, female demons that like to seduce travellers. This was a terrible fate. Hecate was also known as the queen or Goddess of the night. She was the daughter of Perses and Asteria. The goddess Hecate is one of the Greek goddesses that not many people know about. She is commonly depicted as a three-headed Goddess, or the Greek version of The Triple Goddess, being the Maiden, Mother, and Crone depending on the season. Anatolia, which covered most of what is now Turkey, was a region that had close ties to the Greek world. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. 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. Hecate is defined by her powerful magic, being at ease with the night and darkness and in wild surroundings. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published. Was the Griffin a Bird from Greek Mythology? The beginnings of Hecates worship are shrouded in mystery. The Tridevi The triad of goddesses in Hinduism often represents the three states of creation, preservation, and destruction. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. She rules wisdom, choices, expiation, victory, vengeance, and travel. Hecate also has several temples where her shrine is worshipped. She is believed to visit the Underworld to help other gods and people who were outcasts due to fear. In her form as a triple goddess, Hecate was closely linked to intersections. Well send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out. The most famous witch in Greek mythology received her knowledge of magic from Hecate. This is especially ironic since, after this, she seems to have become more associated with the underworld, not less. You may like to light incense such as the smoke of wormwood, cypress and lavender in these offerings. As these stories were passed on, though, they often changed. Hecate hkt, hkt , in Greek religion and mythology, goddess of ghosts and witchcraft. Hecate was believed to be a goddess of both the living world and the underworld. Click to reveal This could mean that the goddess didnt come to Greece from Caria until a relatively late date. For many it is a time to connect with Her, to thank her for her blessings, her guidance and her protection during the last lunar cycle and also to ask her to bless and protect them in the new lunar cycle. She is also Queen of the Night, and is highly connected to All Hallow's Eve. Hecate was also offered dogs, especially puppies, as a sacrifice. She was often shown holding two torches, such as would be found beside gates, to allow her to illuminate both sides of a boundary. A competing theory says that Hecate did not develop in Greece at all. 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. The parentage of Scylla is hotly debated. The Furies, winged creatures who punished wrongdoing, were also said to be the companions of Hecate. Mythical Facts about Hecate Fact 1: Shrines to the goddess were placed at the doorways of homes and as protection from the dead and evil spirits. The first literary reference to Hecate was in the Theogony, a Greek poem by Hesiod that is believed to have been written in 700 BCE. Hecate is a Goddess shrouded in mystery, for there is continuing debate about Her name, origin and character. Hecate also presided over more mystical boundaries. She is not a typical one-dimensional goddess but lives on many different levels. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). If you use any of the content on this page in your own work, please use the code below to cite this page as the source of the content. They believed that by praising the goddess, the restless dead would be soothed and not deliver vengeance on the family. Link will appear as Hecate: https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net - Greek Gods & Goddesses, October 19, 2019, Greek Gods and Goddesses 2010 - 2023 | About | Contact | Sitemap | Privacy, Hecate: https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net, Magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy, None, however in some myths there are various potential offspring mentioned - (Aegialeus, Circe, Empusa, Medea, Scylla). Hecate is often depicted with three heads as she was called the Goddess of the Crossroads. Pausanias, a Greek traveller who lived in the second century CE, said that the goddess had a mystery cult on the island of Aegina, where people with mental illness thought they could be cured. However. Scylla's most retold appearance is in Homer's Odyssey. She guides Sibyl through the Underworld in Virgils Aeneid. There might not be any figure in Greek mythology that is as misunderstood as Hecate. The goddess was frequently associated with Demeter and even assimilated to her in some cults. A: The three witches in the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare made Hecate angry by meeting and predicting the future of the main character, Macbeth, without consulting her. There is evidence that this may have been the case with Hecate. 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. The three-part goddess was able to keep watch in all directions, and became standard in both written and visual representations. https://www.thoughtco.com/greek-mythology-hecate-1526205 (accessed March 4, 2023). However, she is believed to be protective of human beings. Performance & security by Cloudflare. The Lampades are people who carry torches and travel with the goddess at night. HEKATE (Hecate) was the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy. Another option was a dish of red mullet, which was usually not allowed to be given to other gods. The most popular theory is that the Carians in Asia Minor brought Hecate to Greece, where she became a part of their religion. Look for her animals: snakes, dragons, cats, and especially dogs. Regula, deTraci. The earliest archaeological evidence that has been found that proved that this deity was important and worshipped by the people was the circular altar that was used in the 6th century BCE for sacrifices to her. Local sun goddesses from before the Greek era have many of the same attributes as those later associated with Hecate. Archaeologists have found essential offerings to the goddess at Lagina in Caria and Phrygia. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! Symbols of Hecate are her place, the crossroads, two torches, and black dogs. Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. Further, the home would be blessed and any wrong-doing by family members would be forgiven and the household purified. By the first century CE, Lucans Pharsalia made it clear that Hecate was the goddess of magic and witchcraft. My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) Controlling who moved through the border between the earth and the underworld gave her a unique power to summon spirits and raise the dead. Her name was derived from the Greek word hekatos which means worker from afar. Women also prayed to her for fertility and the birth of female children. Several modern devotees already adapted the tradition of giving food offerings to Hekate- these are sacred meals, that are bought on the dark moon ( This is the last visible crescent of a waningMoon. Like Hermes, who was also a deity of liminal spaces, statues of Hecate were often placed at crossroads and borders. 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. People often put pictures of the triple goddess on city walls, especially at city gates, the entrances to sacred sites, and the doorways of private homes. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a28cb13cce875e3 She was accepted at an early date into Greek religion, but she probably was originally a goddess of the Carians in southwestern Asia Minor. Each of the Greek gods has a few specialized functions. Hecate is defined by her powerful magic, being at ease with the night and darkness and in wild surroundings. In a hymn to Hecate, Hesiod detailed the ways in which the goddess could both allow good fortune and deny it: Whom she will she greatly aids and advances: she sits by worshipful kings in judgment, and in the assembly whom she will is distinguished among the people. According to Theogony. On an Attic vase from the 5th century BCE, a woman is shown giving a goddess a puppy and a basket of cakes. This made her one of the few deities to have the power to move freely between the world of the living and the underworld. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. It was believed that she could see in all directions. These primordial gods each represented a different aspect of existence, together they formed the building blocks of the early universe. The offerings to the goddess were made each month during the night of a new moon. There are few legends about Her, and no fixed genealogy. According to them, Hecate is known to support bravery and hence encourage soldiers, warriors, athletes, etc. The goddess told Demeter everything she had heard, but Demeter didnt know who had taken her daughter. 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 a result, the goddess of magic remained a major deity in regulating evil spirits in the Underworld. She is often pictured holding keys because, as the goddess of boundaries, she held the power to open and close the doors to the realm of Hades. The name "Hecate" (Greek , translit. In fact, the earliest depictions of Hecate can only be differentiated from those of Artemis by inscriptions. Q: Why was Hecate excluded from witch meetings? Most likely, the cults of Thessalian Pherai (Pherae) and Eleusis saw Hekate as Chthonian (Underworld) Hermess wife. Her name has been connected to dark magic and disturbing rituals in the works of Shakespeare and well into modern times. Etymology. She has also been associated with the dark side of human beings, which is death. During the Romans, many of her traits belonged to the world of the dead. To learn more about other Goddesses and exciting information, keep visiting on LearningMole. The Kidadl Team is made up of people from different walks of life, from different families and backgrounds, each with unique experiences and nuggets of wisdom to share with you. When the marriage of Persephone was finalized and she became the queen of the underworld, the bond between the three goddesses was strengthened. The food offered to this deity included cheese, cakes of eggs, and a dish of red mullet. Moon Goddess of Hidden Wisdom, Change and Darkness. 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. In fact, she existed in such a nominal place that its difficult to say whether she existed as a singular goddess, a trio of beings, or as a minor aspect of a more major deity. Home History Great Facts about Goddess Hecate. Hecate is closely associated with several other goddesses in the Greek pantheon, with symbolism and function seeming to overlap. She was a goddess of magic and the underworld, but she was also a protector of the home and a guardian of borders. Hecate is usually depicted with a burning torch in her hand and with a dog laying at her feet, its head raised. Though perhaps originally an indigenous woodland goddess, Diana early became identified with Artemis. She is sometimes shown holding a key. Esoteric writing from this time says that Hecate has the heads of a horse, a dog, and a snake. Her priests are normally accompanied by hell hounds sent by their goddess to guard her temples. It measured 21m x 28m and was built in the Corinthian order with 8 columns on its shorter sides and 11 columns on its longer sides. Greeks likewise borrowed many deities and legends. Hecate. Zorya The Slavic goddess of beauty and light took three forms corresponding to morning, evening, and midnight. The things that make Hecate seem like an older woman are in the Pharsalia. The Twelve Olympian Gods and Goddesses of Greek Mythology, Fast Facts on Helios - Greek God of the Sun, 10 Fast Facts on Athena and Her Parthenon, The Story of Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory, The Greek God Hades, Lord of the Underworld, Fascinating Stories About the Greek God Cronos, Marzanna, Slavic Goddess of Death and Winter, The Greek Mythology of Clash of the Titans. Athenian Greeks used the evening meal, known as Deipnon, to honor Hecate. The name Hecate means:The Most Lovely One; Worker from Afar; Three -Headed Hound of the Moon; Influence from Afar; The One Before the Gate; Light Bringer. Hekate: A beginner's guide to witchcraft, ghosts, spirituality, and Hekate advance rituals and spells for Meditation and Divination Kindle Edition by Johander Kholms (Author) Format: Kindle Edition 9 ratings See all formats and editions Kindle $5.49 Read with Our Free App