The three-part goddess was able to keep watch in all directions, and became standard in both written and visual representations. 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! Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. In ancient times the crossroads didnt have our modern symbolism as a place of choices. Look for her animals: snakes, dragons, cats, and especially dogs. This was a group started by May Otis Blackburn in Los Angeles, California. She was most famously the goddess of magic, witchcraft, ghosts, necromancy, the Moon, and the night. Before that, she was just a minor character in the stories of Demeter (Persephones maid) and Artemis. The conflicting origins of Hecate were only the beginning of what made this goddess so mysterious. The one in Lagina stood out the most. 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. Numerous smaller sculptures of Hecate remain in which the goddess appears as three separate women, wearing chitons, with the backs pressed against a pillar. 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. Home History Great Facts about Goddess Hecate. She appears in Ovid's Metamorphoses. Lycophron, 77; Scholiast on Aristophanes'. The keys that she is sometimes shown holding are supposed to be the keys of the Underworld. The triple goddesses are often referred to as the Maiden, Mother (or Matron), and Crone. Because she was associated with borders, gates, and doorways, Hecate took on a protective role. (2021, December 6). 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. This article incorporates text from Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) by William Smith, which is in the public domain. One sculpture depicts Hecate with a friendly dog and another with heads of a cow, dog, boar, serpent or horse. 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. As goddesses that straddled the boundary between this world and the afterlife, they were believed to be the keys to uncovering the secrets of what lay beyond that boundary. Hecate first appears in Hesiods Theogony, written in the 7th century BCE. She was the only child of the Titanes Perses and Asteria from whom she received her power over heaven, earth, and sea. She is depicted on the altar of Pergamon with one body and three heads (ca. Authors from the past, like Ovid and Pausanias, say that dogs, especially black dogs, were given to the goddess as sacrifices. But by the end of the ancient world, this image had changed into a single goddess with three heads. This made her one of the few deities to have the power to move freely between the world of the living and the underworld. In fact, the earliest depictions of Hecate can only be differentiated from those of Artemis by inscriptions. Hecate was the daughter of Perses and "gold-wreathed" Astraea (the starry night), and her sway extended over earth, heaven, and hell, for which reason she is represented in works of art as a triple divinity, having three female bodies, all young and beautiful, and united together. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. Subscribe to our popular newsletter Synced Global AI Weekly to get weekly AI updates. Some scholars believe that Hecate was one such goddess. SOLD JUN 15, 2022. Zorya The Slavic goddess of beauty and light took three forms corresponding to morning, evening, and midnight. Sorceresses ask the goddess for help with their magic and spells, and she is shown on curse tablets that have survived. Carole Raddato/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 2.0. She was known by her Roman name, Trivia, as well as by her triple form. From the three supposedly came her image in Greek . Her group included the Lampades, the nymphs of the Underworld, and ghosts. According to the Greek writer Hesiod*, Hecate was the daughter of the Titan* Perses and the nymph Asteria. Hecate has the power to grant or deny any mortals wish. One of these was the supper of Hecate, where food was left at crossroads, road junctions, and any other kind of boundary or threshold. Some poets say her mother is Crataeis. This article contains incorrect information, This article doesnt have the information Im looking for. Many Anatolian gods had their roots in the Greek pantheon. In mythology Nyx represented night. From the Greek word for to turn away, apotropaic magic is that which defends by turning away evil or harm. The first example of the triple-Hecate form, called hekataia, was made by the sculptor Alcamenes in the 5th century BCE. Hecate is known to rule over the sky, the earth, and the sea. Share This Post. Intrinsically ambivalent and polymorphous, she straddles conventional boundaries and eludes definition. The people of Sparta claimed that Ares had been nursed by a nymph called Thero. We know you don't want to miss any news or research breakthroughs. It is unclear why this change took place. Her origins and powers were unexplained and changeable. Persephone was married to Hades and was the queen of the Underworld. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so its important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. Her association with dark magic is also tied to her identification as an underworld goddess. The first sculpture of Hecate in triple form was the (lost) statue by Alcamenes (fifth century BCE) at the Acropolis. She may be petitioned for a swift, painless death. Greeks likewise borrowed many deities and legends. Euripides, on the other hand, mentions her mother isLeto. Hecate acted as a veil between the world of the mortals and the supernatural. The aspects of the goddess that had darker connotations were separated from her to create another goddess altogether in the character of Hecate. 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. She rules wisdom, choices, expiation, victory, vengeance, and travel. The offerings to the goddess were made each month during the night of a new moon. Her liminality came from the fact that she was the daughter of a Titan and a goddess. A: Hecate is the Greek Goddess of magic and witchcraft. 139.162.195.99 She's ill at ease in cities and civilization. As a protector of the Oikos (home), like Zeus, Hestia, Hermes, and Apollo, the goddess is usually shown holding a set of keys or torches, which she is said to have used to help or stop people from entering cities and homes. Sources say there was a sacred garden dedicated to Hecate at her temple in Colchis (modern day Georgia). While some scholars attribute these displays as holding a dark side to Hecate, most myths associate her with a protective nature toward humans. All Rights Reserved, Ancient Egyptians The First Woman Pharaoh, A Crunchy Pistachios Tale: 13 Interesting Facts About These Salty Munchies. It is the story of how the polecat became one of her companions. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a28cb13cce875e3 . She was a goddess of magic and the underworld, but she was also a protector of the home and a guardian of borders. Most of the ceremonies and festivals dedicated to this Goddess were often celebrated at night. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. During the Hellenistic and Roman times, people still worshipped Hecate. Hecate helps or protects warriors, athletes, hunters, horsemen, herders, shepherds, fishermen, and children. 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. One of these was the boundary between life and death. As these stories were passed on, though, they often changed. 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. According to a legend, Odysseus got the Trojan queen Hecuba as a captive after the defeat of Troy. Advanced Magick for the 21st Century The Adeptus Course, THE MOST COMPLETE COURSE IN PRACTICAL MAGICK EVER RELEASED. Esoteric writing from this time says that Hecate has the heads of a horse, a dog, and a snake. A case in point is the Greek goddess Hecate. She was connected to occult practices such as witchcraft and magic, the Moon, gateways, and nocturnal beasts such as hellhounds and ghosts. If lost at a crossroads, literal or metaphoric, invoke her name and then pay attention to signs from her. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Sometimes, as was the case with Hecate, it was a single goddess who was shown with three aspects. A shrine to this Goddess was built at the entrance of homes and cities as she was believed to keep evil spirits away. 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. Midwives, witches, healers, herbalists, dog lovers and rescuers; she is the matron of women in general and protects those who ride horses, male warriors or cavalry as well. 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 . Later periods show statues of Hecate in three-fold having 3 separate bodies and faces. She is often displayed holding two torches or a key. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/greek-mythology-hecate-1526205. The boundaries she oversaw were not limited to the physical world, though. 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. This does not influence our choices. She acted as a sort of guardian because she watched over the places that allowed passage into homes, cities, or even states. Hecate was the principal goddess who had jurisdiction over enchantments and spells. The Tridevi The triad of goddesses in Hinduism often represents the three states of creation, preservation, and destruction. She is also Queen of the Night, and is highly connected to All Hallow's Eve. Moon Goddess of Hidden Wisdom, Change and Darkness. 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. 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. Classical scholars have differing views about where the worship of Hecate in Ancient Greece came from. Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. 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. She was associated with witchcraft, necromancy, and poisons. As punishment, she was transformed into a dog to be the companion of Hecate. Hecate is defined by her powerful magic, being at ease with the night and darkness and in wild surroundings. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. To the Greeks this meant not only the moment at which the soul crossed between those to states, but also to a literal place. 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). Hecate carrying a torch is a common way to show this myth in art. The duration ofa dark moonvaries between 1.5 and 3.5 days) to the crossroads. Athenian Greeks used the evening meal, known as Deipnon, to honor Hecate. Another story of Hecates protective nature also involves another of her sacred animals. These crystals possess unique energies and properties that enhance spiritual practices and aid connections with Hecate. 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. As the worship of Artemis evolved over time, the Greeks began to focus more on her purity and positive aspects. "Hecate: Greece's Dark Goddess of the Crossroads." Each of the Greek gods has a few specialized functions. Another option was a dish of red mullet, which was usually not allowed to be given to other gods. Seneca often talks about Hecate and her moon-based counterparts and even links Medea to the goddess. the Jinn or Genie-good, bad or simply Goetic spirits of another name? Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, creative tips and more. But Hecate herself existed in the in between spaces, as well. Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. Like most of the Olympic pantheon, Hecate predates the written mythology of Greece. In the Greco-Roman world, the crossroads were places of spirits, doorways to the other world(s), places of magic, spells and necromancy and also places of purification. Some early writers claimed that Hecate was actually the princess Iphigenia, saved from death by Artemis and transformed into a goddess. MAGE ENERGETICS The most complete course in magick ever released! While Hera was considered a singular being, she was given three names to represent her different stages in life maiden, wife, and mother. 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. 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). Hecate is petitioned for fertility, especially for female children. She was also closely associated to the spiritual world, ghosts, and the dead. As an Amazon Associate, Kidadl earns from qualifying purchases. Hecate was also known as the queen or Goddess of the night. Her name has been connected to dark magic and disturbing rituals in the works of Shakespeare and well into modern times. 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. Hecate is usually thought to have originated in Thrace, a wild northern region of Greece that is also known for its tales of Amazons. Apollo is often called Hekatos, the masculine form of his name. 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 the ruler of crossroads, entrances, nighttime, light, magic (witchcraft and sorcery), herbs and plants. Her companions are known to punish wrong doing and criminals. She was made to look like a goddess who could easily move from the Underworld to the real world. This could be because she sided with him during the 10-year battle between the Titans and the Olympians. Hecate was also linked to a lot of other goddesses from other pantheons. 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. Roman poets encouraged the idea that Hecate was three different things by calling her Hecate-Selene and other similar names. Those who failed to win the goddesss favor could expect her to invite evil and misfortune into their lives. Victorian Era, Ibn Khaldun or Celts. In Ancient Greece, this Goddess was honored in most homes as she was considered to bring prosperity. Her name is akin to the Latin words dium ("sky") and dius ("daylight"). Hecate has been depicted in Greek art, literature, and pottery dating from the fifth century BCE. There are many other interesting facts about Hecate as pointed out by philosophers and researchers. Wormwood and cypress are traditional herbs in spirit work and lavender brings a kind of protection to your workings without banishing all the spirits around you at the crossroads. IT WAS A COMMON PRACTICE TO PLACE IMAGES OF HECATE ATCITYGATES & THE DOORWAYS OF PRIVATE HOMES AS SHE COULD WARD OFF EVIL SPIRITS. You may request to banish harm from you and to protect you and your loved ones. Symbols of Hecate are her place, the crossroads, two torches, and black dogs.