The goddess was especially appealed to by sorceresses for aid in their magic and spellsand appears on surviving examples of curse tablets. 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. It is believed that Hecate represented witchcraft, magic and ghosts. Regula, deTraci. (2021, December 6). The goddess was given gifts every month on the night of a new moon. Her symbols were two torches, the crossroads, and black dogs. As an Amazon Associate, Kidadl earns from qualifying purchases. 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 are passionate about turning your everyday moments into memories and bringing you inspiring ideas to have fun with your family. Hesiod only talks about her family and how she killed Clytius in the Gigantomachy. She is also known as Soteria (Savior), the Mother of Angels, and the Cosmic World. THE MOST COMPLETE COURSE IN PRACTICAL MAGICK EVER RELEA Advanced Magick for the 21st Century The Adeptu 3 Special gods of old Briton You should revisit! Therefore, this deity is also invoked when there is thought to be a miscarriage of justice. In the writings of Hesiod, Hecate is the daughter of the Titan Perses and the nymph Asteria. Some of the statues she made as offerings to the goddess had the Graces dancing around her. Her companions are theFuries(Erinyes), the winged creatures who punished wrong-doing, and her children are the Empusae, female demons partial to seducing travellers. 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. 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. Hecates name comes from the Greek word hekatos, which means worker from afar.. While Hecates temples in the area are from a later period, she bears a resemblance to a more ancient goddess in Caria. Authors from the past, like Ovid and Pausanias, say that dogs, especially black dogs, were given to the goddess as sacrifices. Her halos are usually made of moonbeams. As punishment, she was transformed into a dog to be the companion of Hecate. Writings throughout the centuries have woven different tales about Hecate and her role as a goddess. According to the Greek writer Hesiod*, Hecate was the daughter of the Titan* Perses and the nymph Asteria. 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. She is described as of terrible appearance, either with three bodies or three heads, the one of a horse, the second of a dog, and the third of a lion.14 In works of art she was some-times represented as a single being, but sometimes also as a three-headed monster.15, Besides Samothrace and Aegina, we find express mention of her worship at Argos16 and at Athens, where she had a sanctuary under the name of Epipyrgidia (), on the acropolis, not far from the temple of Nike.17 Small statues or symbolical representations of Hecate, called (hekataia), were very numerous, especially at Athens, where they stood before or in houses, and on spots where two roads crossed each other; and it would seem that people consulted such as oracles.18, At the close of every month dishes with food were set out for her and other averters of evil at the points where two roads crossed each other; and this food was consumed by poor people.19 The sacrifices offered to her consisted of dogs, honey, and black female lambs.20. Major temple shrines to Hecate were in the regions of Phrygia and Caria. Throughout history however, her sphere of influence also included the moon, night, crossroads, boundaries, ghosts and necromancy.Although Hecate was once considered to be a powerful Greek goddess of witchcraft, Hecate was not a major deity when compared, for instance, to the . Carole Raddato/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 2.0. Thus, pillars called Hecataea stood at crossroads and doorways, perhaps to keep away evil spirits. Her liminality came from the fact that she was the daughter of a Titan and a goddess. On her head she sometimes wears a kalathos, a tall wicker basket, or a moon sickle. Hecate has been depicted in Greek art, literature, and pottery dating from the fifth century BCE. She was both a product of the Titans and an honored member of Zeuss court at Olympus. The Tridevi The triad of goddesses in Hinduism often represents the three states of creation, preservation, and destruction. Hecate - Students | Britannica Kids | Homework Help Parents: Perses (and Asteria) or Zeus and Asteria (a second-generation Titan) or Nyx (Night) or Aristaios or Demeter (see Theoi Hecate) She is not a typical one-dimensional goddess but lives on many different levels. According to Hesiods Theogony, the Titans were the first Greek gods born of earth and the heavens. Hecate was a complex, ancient goddess known to the Greeks but originally worshiped by people of Asia Minor*. 1,178 Sq. 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). She is capable of both good and evil and is most often associated with magic and witchcraft. Nyx, the Primordial Goddess of the Night | Ancient Origins This grouping of the goddesses happens again in Aristophanes Frogs (1358f) when Aeschylus character calls on the goddesses. Hecate | Wiki | Pagans & Witches Amino This concept became a central figure in many later versions of polytheism. Article created on Monday, March 3, 1997. The dog connection may be the fact that dogs were known to eat the dead if left unburied; they also howl at the moon, of course. Updates? Proponents of this theory believe that this may have been the case with Hecate. The boundaries she oversaw were not limited to the physical world, though. Because of this, some people would make sacrifices of dogs, especially puppies, to her. Her considerable power over nature ensured her continued popularity, but she's never fitted in with the crowd. Hades was pleased with this, and Hecate was allowed to come and go as she pleased from the Underworld. Advanced Magick for the 21st Century The Adeptus Course, THE MOST COMPLETE COURSE IN PRACTICAL MAGICK EVER RELEASED. The name "Hecate" (Greek , translit. 6 Amazing facts about Hecate | High-Percentage-Magick Like Hermes, who was also a deity of liminal spaces, statues of Hecate were often placed at crossroads and borders. According to them, Hecate is known to support bravery and hence encourage soldiers, warriors, athletes, etc. Regula, deTraci. This made her one of the few deities to have the power to move freely between the world of the living and the underworld. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. Most likely, the cults of Thessalian Pherai (Pherae) and Eleusis saw Hekate as Chthonian (Underworld) Hermess wife. She is invoked for justice, especially for sexual crimes against women and girls. Kidadl is supported by you, the reader. Hecate is a goddess of life, death, regeneration, and magic. Picture of the Greek Underworld, the residence of Hecate. Her name was derived from the Greek word hekatos which means "worker from afar". As a result, the goddess of magic remained a major deity in regulating evil spirits in the Underworld. Hecate | Infoplease - Fact Monster She was often placed at the entrance of homes to help protect against the evil forces of the world. Home History Great Facts about Goddess Hecate. Hecate appears in many plays and poems as the personification of darkness, the moon, and magic. In later times, the most common way to show Hecate in art is as a three-headed goddess with each head facing a different direction at a crossroads. She was accepted at an early date into Greek religion, but she probably was originally a goddess of the Carians in southwestern Asia Minor. In her form as a triple goddess, Hecate was closely linked to intersections. She is depicted on the altar of Pergamon with one body and three heads (ca. 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. She has also been mentioned in the works of Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream, King Lear, and Macbeth. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. 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. They claim she originated in Caria, a region in southern Anatolia on the Mediterranean, and was adopted into the Greek pantheon. According to Theogony. Hecate - goddess of ghosts, witchcraft & magic - Religious Talks Nearby homes similar to 755 Hecate Dr have recently sold between $204K to $212K at an average of $190 per square foot. Her attributes, besides the torch, are the snake, whip, dagger, and sword. The one in Lagina stood out the most. She is the witness to every crime. A popular story among the Greeks was that the dog that accompanied Hecate was the Trojan queen Hecuba. 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. My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) The duration ofa dark moonvaries between 1.5 and 3.5 days) to the crossroads. 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. 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. The goddess Hecate is one of the lesser-known goddesses of the Greek pantheon. Symbols of Hecate are her place, the crossroads, two torches, and black dogs. As worshippers began to focus on one aspect of a god more than others, that gods secondary purposes were separated into another deity altogether. This was a group started by May Otis Blackburn in Los Angeles, California. Hecate is also sometimes interpreted in association with Artemis and Selene. There is evidence that this may have been the case with Hecate. Well send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out. The Matres While little is known of their exact function, over 1,000 images of the three goddesses have been found in Northwestern Europe. The Moirai, or Fates, were one such trio of goddesses. These primordial gods each represented a different aspect of existence, together they formed the building blocks of the early universe. Hecate is remembered best not as a goddess of boundaries, but as a goddess of magic. The conflicting origins of Hecate were only the beginning of what made this goddess so mysterious. Another story said that Hecate herself had cursed a witch named Gale to be a polecat for disgusting her with incontinence and abnormal desires. Hecate is invoked when justice is not forthcoming from other channels. Anatolia, which covered most of what is now Turkey, was a region that had close ties to the Greek world. And the dark moon is also a powerful time to cleanse you, from negative energy, negative influences or potentially harmful spirits. 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. Quite often each face is different, one of a dog, one of a horse and one of a goddess. Several times, authors make a connection between Medeas use of magic, both harmful and protective, and her worship of Hecate. Hecate was also linked to a lot of other goddesses from other pantheons. To learn more about other Goddesses and exciting information, keep visiting on LearningMole. Hecate, goddess accepted at an early date into Greek religion but probably derived from the Carians in southwest Asia Minor. She was connected to occult practices such as witchcraft and magic, the Moon, gateways, and nocturnal beasts such as hellhounds and ghosts. In the sources about Hekate that are from the ancient world, the crossroads are not mentioned as a symbol of Hecate. Archaeologists have found essential offerings to the goddess at Lagina in Caria and Phrygia. 139.162.195.99 In Late Antiquity, the empousai have been described as a category of phantoms or spectres, equated with the lamiai and mormolykeia . Hecate is defined by her powerful magic, being at ease with the night and darkness and in wild surroundings. On the Pergamon Altar of Zeus, from the 2nd century BCE, a three-headed Hecate and a dog attack a snake-like giant. As such, she was greatly honored by Zeus, who allowed her to operate on Earth, as well as the sky and the Underworld. Many historians believe that the Greek pantheon was once much smaller than we know it today. You have subscribed to: Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter. 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. The triple goddesses are often referred to as the Maiden, Mother (or Matron), and Crone. Eventually, this came to include the boundary between the natural and the supernatural, making her a goddess of magic. 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. Hecate was a cathonic goddess that preceded the Olympians, and it seems that she was highly worshipped in Thrace. $204,000 Last Sold Price. They gave mortals wealth, victory, wisdom and luck. From the three supposedly came her image in Greek . She is also mentioned in Aeneid, a play by Virgil where she guides one of the characters, Sibyl, in the Underworld. Origin and Family Persis and Asteria, two Titans from the generation of deities prior to the Olympians, are the legendary parents of Hecate. Hecate: Triple-Bodied Greek Goddess of Witchcraft and Keeper of Keys Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, Originally she seems to have been an extremely powerful and benevolent goddess, identified with three other goddessesSelene (in heaven), Artemis (on earth), and Persephone (in the underworld). Her priests are normally accompanied by hell hounds sent by their goddess to guard her temples. Hecate carrying a torch is a common way to show this myth in art. In the physical world this could mean anything from doorways to city walls and state borders. Hecate the goddess of Greek mythology has been primarily remembered for her associations with magic and witchcraft. Greeks focused worship on the more protective aspects of Artemis, goddess that existed on the edges of the Greek, The Norns These three goddesses were the Norse equivalent of the Moirai. Hekate: A beginner's guide to witchcraft, ghosts, spirituality, and 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. We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. As the goddess of the night, witchcraft and sorcery, Hecate was very important to ancient Greeks, particularly to the famed author and scholar Hesiod. 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. Those who failed to win the goddesss favor could expect her to invite evil and misfortune into their lives. People left the food there to honor Hecate. Share This Post. In a few cases, Hecate was said to have shared these powers with her most devoted followers. Hecate: 15 Ways to Work With the Goddess of Witchcraft She could switch between being a Titan and a goddess in Greek mythology. However. On an Attic vase from the 5th century BCE, a woman is shown giving a goddess a puppy and a basket of cakes. This is how she came to command the earth, bliss . Mother of Hermes: A Complete Guide to Maia Greek Goddess - MythologySource Eleusis was in Greece, which is where it is now. Hectate is derived from the Greek word 'hekatos,' which 'means worker from afar.' In ancient times the crossroads didnt have our modern symbolism as a place of choices. Asteria may be the original goddess associated with the Asterion mountain range on the island of Crete. She witnessed the abduction of Demeter's daughter Persephone to the underworld and, torch in hand, assisted in the search for her. One of her epithets, Apotropaia, references the protection she gave in these spaces. She is also said to be the Goddess of childbirth and the protector of children. Controlling who moved through the border between the earth and the underworld gave her a unique power to summon spirits and raise the dead. She witnessed the abduction of Demeters daughter Persephone to the underworld and, torch in hand, assisted in the search for her. 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). Although much of her power appeared generally dark or menacing, Hecate could also be a merciful goddess. 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. They call her Aristaion or Night. She is often displayed holding two torches or a key. Most likely, the cults of Thessalian Pherai (Pherae) and Eleusis saw Hekate as Chthonian (Underworld) Hermes's wife. The blessings she gave them were eventually seen as magic, while prayers were seen as incantations. Hecate is one of the many goddesses in Greek mythology. It has been suggested that this arose from the use of watchdogs, particularly at night, to scare away intruders and warn their owners of danger. Hecates actual origins may be in caria, Turkey we can find The Temple of Hecate in the Sanctuary of Hecate at Lagina in Caria (modern-day Turkey which has been dated to the last quarter of the 2nd century CE. The witches were telling Macbeth about his future and had not consulted the Goddess and had left her out of the meeting. Study medicinal and magical herbalism and become one of Hecate's priestesses. The Egyptian god Anubis, who led souls to the Underworld, may also have something to do with dogs. Zorya The Slavic goddess of beauty and light took three forms corresponding to morning, evening, and midnight. 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. Some poets say her mother is Crataeis. outlandish in her infernal aspects, she is more at home on the fringes than in the centre ofGreekpolytheism. The time of the dark moon is a special time of the month to give offerings to Hecate. In ancient times, Hecates three-part form was shown as three separate bodies surrounding a central column. It is unclear exactly when Hecate became so closely linked with magic and witchcraft. Her parentage was given differently by various writers. What are interesting facts about Hecate? - WisdomAnswer On the other hand, Euripides says that Leto is her mother. Her friends are the Erinyes, winged creatures that punish bad behaviour, and her children are the Empusae, female demons that like to seduce travellers. Even in her origin, Hecate moved between two places. Hecate is the goddess of witchcraft and was specifically known for her herbal knowledge. The Furies, winged creatures who punished wrongdoing, were also said to be the companions of Hecate. Read on to find out more about Greeces most mystical goddess! Facts About Hestia, the Greek Goddess of Home and Hearth - ThoughtCo Hekate assisted Demeter in her search for Persephone, guiding her through the night with flaming torches.