She is often displayed holding two torches or a key. She was connected to occult practices such as witchcraft and magic, the Moon, gateways, and nocturnal beasts such as hellhounds and ghosts. It is believed that Hecate represented witchcraft, magic and ghosts. 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. Sometimes, as was the case with Hecate, it was a single goddess who was shown with three aspects. Posted by 7thphoenix | May 27, 2020 | Magick Articles | 0 |. The parentage of Scylla is hotly debated. The Greeks, too, had many different theories about Hecates origins. According toHesiodin hisTheogony, Hecate is the daughter of Perses and Asteria, making her the granddaughter of the Titans Phoebe and Coeus. The droves of kine and wide herds of goats and flocks of fleecy sheep, if she will, she increases from a few, or makes many to be less. Hecate is the Goddess of witchcraft, magic, crossroads, ghosts and necromancy. Some authors say that she was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. The goddess Hecate is one of the lesser-known goddesses of the Greek pantheon. Hecate is the goddess of witchcraft and was specifically known for her herbal knowledge. Hecate is a goddess in Greek mythology often associated with darkness and witchcraft. A goddess of crossroads, magic, poison, and the undead, Hecate was also the daughter of the Titan Perses and the nymph Asteria, according to Hesiod. The myth says that Zeus gave the Lampades to Hera as a reward for her loyalty during the Titanomachy. 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. 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. This was a terrible fate. According to Hesiods Theogony, the Titans were the first Greek gods born of earth and the heavens. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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). In the post-Christian writings of the Chaldean Oracles ( 2nd-3rd century AD ), she was regarded with some rulership over earth, sea, and sky, as well as a more . Learning Mole focuses on educating children of all ages in key skills of Maths, English and learning through crafts. They are associated with certain ideas, occupations, or stages of life. Hecate is petitioned for fertility, especially for female children. Hecate: Greece's Dark Goddess of the Crossroads. In Greece, there is some evidence that Hecate was originally seen as a much more benevolent, cosmic goddess. The Goddess Hecate is supposed to be the daughter of Perses, a Titan, and Asteria, a nymph. The facts about Hecate provides a list detailing fascinating additional info to increase your knowledge about Hecate in Greek Mythology. In fact, Hecate might have been another goddess altogether! They were often associated with the three stages of life youth, adulthood, and old age. Her name is akin to the Latin words dium ("sky") and dius ("daylight"). She is also associated with the moon and is sometimes depicted as having three faces which symbolize the waxing, waning, and full moon phases. Hecate (also spelt Hekate) is a goddess capable of both good and evil. Of course, as with many stories of Hecate there was also a darker version. This article incorporates text from Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) by William Smith, which is in the public domain. The iconography had not yet come to include her usual attributes, such as her keys and torches or her three aspects. In his book Description of Greece, Pausanias says that the sculptor Alcamenes was the first to show Hecate in three forms in the 5th century BCE. Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. Symbols of Hecate are her place, the crossroads, two torches, and black dogs. They gave mortals wealth, victory, wisdom and luck. It is the story of how the polecat became one of her companions. The darkness, the moon, and magic have been personified as Hecate in many popular and well-known works of literature and in art. She is often displayed holding two torches or a key. Seneca often talks about Hecate and her moon-based counterparts and even links Medea to the goddess. This is how she came to command the earth, bliss, and sea. This could be because she sided with him during the 10-year battle between the Titans and the Olympians. She could not undo the curse, but she made the polecat her sacred servant. 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. Some speculate that it represents the full moon, half moon, and new moon. She may be petitioned for a swift, painless death. The beginnings of Hecates worship are shrouded in mystery. Hecate was said to be a beautiful lady with dark hair. They are passionate about turning your everyday moments into memories and bringing you inspiring ideas to have fun with your family. Some depictions show the Goddess with the head of a dog, horse, and lion, which could be the constellations during the year. They spun the threads of fate at the base of. We know you don't want to miss any news or research breakthroughs. They believed that by praising the goddess, the restless dead would be soothed and not deliver vengeance on the family. Hecate was considered an ancient Thracian divinity and she was also a titan; the titans ruled the heavens, the earth and the sea. The goddess was frequently associated with Demeter and even assimilated to her in some cults. Moon Goddess of Hidden Wisdom, Change and Darkness. And all these views if we go back in time can also be found in the Greco-Roman world. She is the witness to every crime. Performing a protection rite on yourself and use of amulet is always encouraged as well. The ancient Greeks thought of her as a Greek goddess, not someone from another country. She was a goddess that could be both a protective guardian and a source of menace. 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 many other interesting facts about Hecate as pointed out by philosophers and researchers. Euripides, on the other hand, mentions her mother isLeto. On the other hand, Euripides says that Leto is her mother. The name "Hecate" (Greek , translit. A shrine to Hecate was placed at the entrances of homes or even cities, hoping to protect them from the evil spirits that roamed the world. 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. She was often shown holding two torches, such as would be found beside gates, to allow her to illuminate both sides of a boundary. According toPausanias, the 2nd-century CE Greek traveller, the island ofAeginahad a mystery cult dedicated to the goddess where it was believed those suffering mental illness could be cured. 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. Contrary to popular current belief she wasnt originally a matron for women but for all who fit the above categories. It is unclear exactly when Hecate became so closely linked with magic and witchcraft. People believed that by honoring and praying to this Goddess, their homes would be preserved from the vengeance of the dead. And when men arm themselves for the battle that destroys men, then the goddess is at hand to give victory and grant glory readily to whom she will. Some say that Hecate is the daughter of Erebus and Nyx, ageless Goddess of the night, while others believe that She is one of the Furies or the last surviving Titan except for Zeus. $204,000 Last Sold Price. Local sun goddesses from before the Greek era have many of the same attributes as those later associated with Hecate. The chief Greek god, Zeus, was very fond of this Goddess and gave her a share of the earth and sea. Lycophron, 77; Scholiast on Aristophanes'. Hecate was also known as the queen or Goddess of the night. This Goddess is often shown as a woman carrying a key or torches. Writings throughout the centuries have woven different tales about Hecate and her role as a goddess. Hecate is closely associated with several other goddesses in the Greek pantheon, with symbolism and function seeming to overlap. People left the food there to honor Hecate. In ancient times the crossroads didnt have our modern symbolism as a place of choices. By joining Kidadl you agree to Kidadls Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receiving marketing communications from Kidadl. 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. At least one story, however, gives the goddess a much more human origin. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. A: Hecate is the Greek Goddess of magic and witchcraft. Advanced Magick for the 21st Century The Adeptus Course, THE MOST COMPLETE COURSE IN PRACTICAL MAGICK EVER RELEASED. Your privacy is important to us. Carole Raddato/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 2.0. Selenite, tiger's eye, obsidian, rhodochrosite, jet, jasper, agate, and amber are the most suited crystals for Hecate. The first example of the triple-Hecate form, called hekataia, was made by the sculptor Alcamenes in the 5th century BCE. Nearby Recently Sold Homes. Each of the Greek gods has a few specialized functions. Hecate is a goddess of life, death, regeneration, and magic. She was the ruler of crossroads, entrances, nighttime, light, magic (witchcraft and sorcery), herbs and plants. Proponents of this theory believe that this may have been the case with Hecate. She held several different roles, including earth goddess, queen of the underworld, and goddess of magic and witchcraft.. Archaeologists have found essential offerings to the goddess at Lagina in Caria and Phrygia. Hecate was a goddess in Greek Mythology. The goddess Hecate is one of the Greek goddesses that not many people know about. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/greek-mythology-hecate-1526205. Hecate was also offered dogs, especially puppies, as a sacrifice. The goddess was also worshipped in Kos, Erythrai, Samothrace, Thessaly, and Miletos. Hecate acted as a veil between the world of the mortals and the supernatural. Your IP: Dogs also howl at the Moon, so this could be a link. Due to her dark attributes, this deity has often been associated with the Underworld. Was the Griffin a Bird from Greek Mythology? She was most famously the goddess of magic, witchcraft, ghosts, necromancy, the Moon, and the night. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! Most of all, Hecate was a goddess of mystery. Like most of the Olympic pantheon, Hecate predates the written mythology of Greece. Hecate Greek Goddess of Witchcraft : The Complete Guide. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. In Rome, a similar goddess, Vesta, ruled over the group of priestesses called the Vestal Virgins whose duty it was to keep the sacred fire perpetually lit. Her priests are normally accompanied by hell hounds sent by their goddess to guard her temples. Hecate or Hekate [a] is a goddess in ancient Greek religion and mythology, most often shown holding a pair of torches, a key, snakes, or accompanied by dogs, [1] and in later periods depicted as three-formed or triple-bodied. Before that, she was just a minor character in the stories of Demeter (Persephones maid) and Artemis. In the writings of Hesiod, Hecate is the daughter of the Titan Perses and the nymph Asteria. The Moirai crossed their arms and Eileithyia refused to help the laboring woman. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. Hecate is invoked when justice is not forthcoming from other channels. Like her Greek counterpart, she was also a goddess of domestic animals. The most commonly repeated story of her birth was that Hecate was the daughter of Perses and Asteria, two second-generation Titans. The most famous witch in Greek mythology received her knowledge of magic from Hecate. Meanwhile, others believe she is the progeny of Hecate and Phorcys. Q: How do the three witches make Hecate angry? Her parentage was given differently by various writers. "Hecate: Greece's Dark Goddess of the Crossroads." Hecate hugged the girl when Persephone was reunited with her mother, Demeter. Historian Robert Graves notes that the heads could be distinctive of a dog, lion and horse, representing the constellations which cover the calendar year. You may request to banish harm from you and to protect you and your loved ones. On any trip to Greece, it's helpful to have some knowledge of the Greek gods and goddesses. It was believed that she could see in all directions. Hecate, however, took pity on Galinthias. Persephone was married to Hades and was the queen of the Underworld. This could be because she sided with him during the 10-year battle between the Titans and the Olympians. From lino cutting to surfing to childrens mental health, their hobbies and interests range far and wide. Hecate is usually depicted with a burning torch in her hand and with a dog laying at her feet, its head raised. While some scholars attribute these displays as holding a dark side to Hecate, most myths associate her with a protective nature toward humans. You have subscribed to: Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter. Hecate, however, was not just a goddess shown in three parts. She could not be forced to love anyone. Another story of Hecates protective nature also involves another of her sacred animals. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong. Asteria may be the original goddess associated with the Asterion mountain range on the island of Crete. This does not influence our choices. Major temple shrines to Hecate were in the regions of Phrygia and Caria. Hecate may be invoked for healing, especially if medical solutions have failed or are not an option. DeTraci Regula is a freelance writer who has specialized in Greek travel and tours for 18 years. We will examine her origins and describe the crossroads ritual. 170 BCE). My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) Scylla's most retold appearance is in Homer's Odyssey. outlandish in her infernal aspects, she is more at home on the fringes than in the centre ofGreekpolytheism. Controlling who moved through the border between the earth and the underworld gave her a unique power to summon spirits and raise the dead. Hecate (Hekate) is the goddess of boundaries and guardian of crossroads; she is often shown with three faces and carrying a torch to show her connection to the night. When her city fell, the queen was taken captive and lept off a cliff to her death. She may be invoked for protection for dogs and from dogs. She witnessed the abduction of Demeter's daughter Persephone to the underworld and, torch in hand, assisted in the search for her. Some early writers claimed that Hecate was actually the princess Iphigenia, saved from death by Artemis and transformed into a goddess. Zorya The Slavic goddess of beauty and light took three forms corresponding to morning, evening, and midnight. The hekataion depicted Hecate as three women encircling a central column. She guides Sibyl through the Underworld in Virgils Aeneid. Omissions? The conflicting origins of Hecate were only the beginning of what made this goddess so mysterious. Moving between the barrier between life and death explains Hecates connection to both ghosts and necromancy. Hecate appears in the pseudo-Homeric hymn to Demeter- there Hecate dwelled in a cave during Kores abduction and appeared to Demeter in the dawn while she was searching for her lost daughter. One sculpture depicts Hecate with a friendly dog and another with heads of a cow, dog, boar, serpent or horse. The keys that she is sometimes shown holding are supposed to be the keys of the Underworld. Her attributes, besides the torch, are the snake, whip, dagger, and sword. In Aeschylus Suppliants, for example, they were often mixed up to make a goddess with two faces. Another story said that Hecate herself had cursed a witch named Gale to be a polecat for disgusting her with incontinence and abnormal desires. Hesiod only talks about her family and how she killed Clytius in the Gigantomachy. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon. She was the daughter of the Titan Perses and the nymph Asteria. Witches do gather together or solitary on crossroads as do magicians , hoodoo and voudan practitioners to cast their enchantments and spells. 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. As these stories were passed on, though, they often changed. She rules wisdom, choices, expiation, victory, vengeance, and travel. Hecate Triformis, Hecate of the three faces or three forms, corresponding to the phases of the moon: dark, waxing, and waning. Hecate doesnt often appear in Greek art and writing until the 5th century BCE. And the dark moon is also a powerful time to cleanse you, from negative energy, negative influences or potentially harmful spirits. She was often placed at the entrance of homes to help protect against the evil forces of the world. 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. 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. First you can set down the offerings to Hekate on the crossroad, just be sure to choose a less travelled crossroads free of heavy traffic for your safety. To learn more about other Goddesses and exciting information, keep visiting on LearningMole. Regula, deTraci. Q: Why was Hecate excluded from witch meetings? As worshippers began to focus on one aspect of a god more than others, that gods secondary purposes were separated into another deity altogether. She acted as a sort of guardian because she watched over the places that allowed passage into homes, cities, or even states. She is described in this capacity as a mighty and formidable divinity, ruling over the souls of the departed; she is the goddess of purifications and expiations, and is accompanied by Stygian dogs.11 By Phorcys she became the mother of Scylla.12, There is another very important feature which arose out of the notion of her being an infernal divinity, namely, she was regarded as a spectral being, who at night sent from the lower world all kinds of demons and terrible phantoms, who taught sorcery and witchcraft, who dwelt at places where two roads crossed each other, on tombs, and near the blood of murdered persons. Picture of the Greek Underworld, the residence of Hecate. Authors from the past, like Ovid and Pausanias, say that dogs, especially black dogs, were given to the goddess as sacrifices. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. The boundaries she oversaw were not limited to the physical world, though. Hecate. Victorian Era, Ibn Khaldun or Celts. She was connected to occult practices such as witchcraft and magic, the Moon, gateways, and nocturnal beasts such as hellhounds and ghosts. She was the only child of the Titanes Perses and Asteria from whom she received her power over heaven, earth, and sea. In the 6th century BCE, a circular altar was built in Miletos to honour the goddess (the earliest archaeological evidence of her worship). Hecate is known to rule over the sky, the earth, and the sea. This could mean that the goddess didnt come to Greece from Caria until a relatively late date. But Hekate was in this time also connected to liminality. Tzetzes on Lycophron, 1175; Scholiast on Theocritus, ii, 36. As the Romans developed and constructed superior road systems, we started to see the emergence of choices and nowadays in modern. 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. As an Amazon Associate, Kidadl earns from qualifying purchases. There might not be any figure in Greek mythology that is as misunderstood as Hecate. Even Zeus, the King of the Olympian Gods, is said to have reverenced her, and there are hints that she was considered to be an all-powerful goddess. And there is a good book titled Hekate liminal rites By David Rankine and Sorite DEsteyou should check out. As you may already know Hecateis a goddess ofGreek mythologywho was capable of both good and evil. Many depictions, such as those of the Moirae, show the three goddesses corresponding to the three stages of a womans life. Much later, Shakespeare referenced her in Macbeth, where she is mentioned in the scene of the three witches boiling together their dire brew. These three goddesses are also linked in the Mystery cults. Esoteric writing from this time says that Hecate has the heads of a horse, a dog, and a snake. Not only could she move between the realms, but she had power to control the passage of others. 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.