Hecate (also spelt Hekate) is a goddess capable of both good and evil. 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 acted as a veil between the world of the mortals and the supernatural. Everything You Need To Know About Hecate (Maiden, Mother, Crone) Some early writers claimed that Hecate was actually the princess Iphigenia, saved from death by Artemis and transformed into a goddess. A shrine to this Goddess was built at the entrance of homes and cities as she was believed to keep evil spirits away. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. Hecate was the chief goddess presiding over magic and spells. She was the only one among the Titans who retained this power under the rule of Zeus, and she was honored by all the immortal gods. In this manner, pillars known as Hecate stood at key intersections and entryways, possibly to ward off malevolent spirits. Such triple goddesses were common in ancient religions. Most of all, Hecate was a goddess of mystery. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a28cb13cce875e3 Hectate is derived from the Greek word 'hekatos,' which 'means worker from afar.' They are associated with certain ideas, occupations, or stages of life. Hecate - goddess of ghosts, witchcraft & magic - Religious Talks The most commonly repeated story of her birth was that Hecate was the daughter of Perses and Asteria, two second-generation Titans. 8 Best Crystals for Hecate (Important Facts) Hecate is remembered best not as a goddess of boundaries, but as a goddess of magic. The goddess Hecate is one of the lesser-known goddesses of the Greek pantheon. 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). Greeks likewise borrowed many deities and legends. times its difficult to find a quite crossroads to perform workings except in remote areas. Meanwhile, others believe she is the progeny of Hecate and Phorcys. Even in descriptions of Medeas witchcraft, it is difficult to distinguish magical rituals from more standard worship and rites. Hecate is usually depicted with a burning torch in her hand and with a dog laying at her feet, its head raised. 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! Scylla Greek Gods & Goddesses She was also closely associated to the spiritual world, ghosts, and the dead. 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. The name "Hecate" (Greek , translit. Was the Griffin a Bird from Greek Mythology? Regula, deTraci. The Greeks likewise borrowed many deities and legends from their eastern neighbors. Her name has been connected to dark magic and disturbing rituals in the works of Shakespeare and well into modern times. The Goddess Hecate is supposed to be the daughter of Perses, a Titan, and Asteria, a nymph. They spun the threads of fate at the base of. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. All these were also given Hekate in her Deipnon (food offering). There are cult sites for the goddess Hecate in Caria, which shows that people there worshipped her. Q: Why was Hecate excluded from witch meetings? Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Demeter descended to the underworld every spring to bring her daughter back to the surface, making the three goddesses share an association with the underworld. Because she was associated with borders, gates, and doorways, Hecate took on a protective role. Trade, colonization, and migration resulted in a great deal of cultural exchange between the two regions. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. At doorways and crossroads, pillars of the goddess Hecate, who held a torch, stood. Her attributes, besides the torch, are the snake, whip, dagger, and sword. This grouping of the goddesses happens again in Aristophanes Frogs (1358f) when Aeschylus character calls on the goddesses. 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. From lino cutting to surfing to childrens mental health, their hobbies and interests range far and wide. Apollonius of Rhodes says that the sound of dogs barking from the Underworld can be heard when Hecate is nearby. The goddess was given gifts every month on the night of a new moon. They include, science, maths, English and more. Hecate Greek Goddess of Witchcraft : The Complete Guide. 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. Another option was a dish of red mullet, which was usually not allowed to be given to other gods. 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. The goddess Hecate is one of the Greek goddesses that not many people know about. Hecate, however, is routinely described as the goddess of witchcraft and associated with characters like Medea and Circe, the witch of Homers Odyssey. 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. Hecate was an only child and was worshiped in households of Athens where families hoped to receive protection, prosperity and daily blessings. She was most famously the goddess of magic, witchcraft, ghosts, necromancy, the Moon, and the night. 139.162.195.99 Share This Post. Posted by 7thphoenix | May 27, 2020 | Magick Articles | 0 |. Most likely, the cults of Thessalian Pherai (Pherae) and Eleusis saw Hekate as Chthonian (Underworld) Hermes's wife. In addition to magic and witchcraft, Hecate was also considered to be the Goddess of crossroads, gates, and ghosts. The well-known Pergamon Altar (from around the 2nd century BCE) shows Hecate as three different things. outlandish in her infernal aspects, she is more at home on the fringes than in the centre ofGreekpolytheism. 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. Regula, deTraci. Hecate the goddess of Greek mythology has been primarily remembered for her associations with magic and witchcraft. 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. These statues took on a distinctive appearance. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Hecate - Greek Mythology Her companions are known to punish wrong doing and criminals. Several times, authors make a connection between Medeas use of magic, both harmful and protective, and her worship of Hecate. She was connected to occult practices such as witchcraft and magic, the Moon, gateways, and nocturnal beasts such as hellhounds and ghosts. These primordial gods each represented a different aspect of existence, together they formed the building blocks of the early universe. It is even more enjoyable Coconuts are delicious. Hecate is a goddess of life, death, regeneration, and magic. The chief Greek god, Zeus, was very fond of this Goddess and gave her a share of the earth and sea. The crossroads are special places, places of great power, but at the same time haunting places. 1.5 Baths. Your privacy is important to us. By the first century CE, Lucans Pharsalia made it clear that Hecate was the goddess of magic and witchcraft. 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. 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. She is the witness to every crime. In other Indo-European cultures, the three-part goddesses included: The archetype of the triple goddess is so common that its considered one of the fundamental aspects of Indo-European religion. A competing theory says that Hecate did not develop in Greece at all. By the 2nd century AD, a story had developed around Galinthias, a daughter of Proteus and friend of Alcmene. She has also been mentioned in the works of Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream, King Lear, and Macbeth. Due to her dark attributes, this deity has often been associated with the Underworld. Hectate has neither spouse nor children. She held several different roles, including earth goddess, queen of the underworld, and goddess of magic and witchcraft.. Hecate helps or protects warriors, athletes, hunters, horsemen, herders, shepherds, fishermen, and children. Hecate can banishghosts(or produce a ghost infestation). In fact, the earliest depictions of Hecate can only be differentiated from those of Artemis by inscriptions. Hecate also presided over more mystical boundaries. The blessings she gave them were eventually seen as magic, while prayers were seen as incantations. Some of the statues she made as offerings to the goddess had the Graces dancing around her. 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. Story of Hecate People believed that by honoring and praying to this Goddess, their homes would be preserved from the vengeance of the dead. Hecate was represented as single-formed, clad in a long robe, holding burning torches; in later representations she was triple-formed, with three bodies standing back-to-back, probably so that she could look in all directions at once from the crossroads. Some authors say that she was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. However, she was transformed by Circe into the monster form. 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. Etymology. By joining Kidadl you agree to Kidadls Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receiving marketing communications from Kidadl. When Alcmene was in labor with Heracles, Hera attempted to stop the childs birth. Q: How do the three witches make Hecate angry? Since the fifth century BCE, Hecate has been associated with magic, witchcraft, the moon, and other dark influences. Because of this, some people would make sacrifices of dogs, especially puppies, to her. The conflicting origins of Hecate were only the beginning of what made this goddess so mysterious. The offerings to the goddess were made each month during the night of a new moon. Most likely, the cults of Thessalian Pherai (Pherae) and Eleusis saw Hekate as Chthonian (Underworld) Hermess wife. She is good in the byre with Hermes to increase the stock. The goddess told Demeter everything she had heard, but Demeter didnt know who had taken her daughter. If lost at a crossroads, literal or metaphoric, invoke her name and then pay attention to signs from her. Carole Raddato/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 2.0. Regula, deTraci. Hecate was said to be a beautiful lady with dark hair. But the version of Hecate that appears in Greek texts is not so straightforward. Moving between the barrier between life and death explains Hecates connection to both ghosts and necromancy. DeTraci Regula is a freelance writer who has specialized in Greek travel and tours for 18 years. HECATE (Hekate) - Greek Goddess of Witchcraft, Magic & Ghosts - Theoi Hecate: 15 Ways to Work With the Goddess of Witchcraft 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 sculptures from the Classical and Hellenistic Periods, Hecate has been shown as a woman with three bodies or a single body with three heads. Your IP: You have subscribed to: Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter. She is depicted on the altar of Pergamon with one body and three heads (ca. During ancient times the place where roads met or at crossroads, a pole with three masks was erected. This food offering was known as the Supper of Hecate. As such, she was greatly honored by Zeus, who allowed her to operate on Earth, as well as the sky and the Underworld. Her origins and powers were unexplained and changeable. 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. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong. She may be petitioned for a swift, painless death. Symbols of Hecate are her place, the crossroads, two torches, and black dogs. 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. This is how she came to command the earth, bliss . Hecate: Goddess Symbols, Correspondences, Myth & Offerings Hades was pleased with this, and Hecate was allowed to come and go as she pleased from the Underworld. She was born into the world ruled by the Titans, but continued to be influential and powerful in the Olympian pantheon. Her name was derived from the Greek word hekatos which means worker from afar. 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. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. Tackling Hallucinations: Microsoft's LLM-Augmenter - medium.com A: Hecate is the Greek Goddess of magic and witchcraft. the Jinn or Genie-good, bad or simply Goetic spirits of another name? Authors from the past, like Ovid and Pausanias, say that dogs, especially black dogs, were given to the goddess as sacrifices. She convinced her daughter Eiliethyia, the goddess of childbirth, and the Moirai, the Fates, to prevent the birth. Still, she was in charge of things that put her in the spotlight. Was the Griffin a Bird from Greek Mythology? Modern neopagan and Wiccan religions often include worship of a triple goddess, and of Hecate herself. It is unclear why this change took place. They believed that by praising the goddess, the restless dead would be soothed and not deliver vengeance on the family. As early as the 5th century BC, the image of the hekataion was the standard way of showing the goddess in sculpture. In literature, there is a clear link between her, Demeter, and Persephone. In the sources about Hekate that are from the ancient world, the crossroads are not mentioned as a symbol of Hecate. 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. Her group included the Lampades, the nymphs of the Underworld, and ghosts. 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. 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. 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). She guides Sibyl through the Underworld in Virgils Aeneid. Persephone was married to Hades and was the queen of the Underworld. Hecate is one of the many goddesses in Greek mythology. She is also known as Soteria (Savior), the Mother of Angels, and the Cosmic World. Female monsters also often came in threes, as was the case with the Gorgons and Graea. The Hades and Persephone Story. The most popular theory is that the Carians in Asia Minor brought Hecate to Greece, where she became a part of their religion. ThoughtCo, Dec. 6, 2021, thoughtco.com/greek-mythology-hecate-1526205. creative tips and more. Greek pantheon was once much smaller than we know. Hekate assisted Demeter in her search for Persephone, guiding her through the night with flaming torches. Origin and Family Persis and Asteria, two Titans from the generation of deities prior to the Olympians, are the legendary parents of Hecate. It is the story of how the polecat became one of her companions. Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. Who is Hecate? She was also bound to other goddesses in a closely-linked trio. Hecate: [noun] a Greek goddess associated especially with the underworld, night, and witchcraft. 1,178 Sq. It is believed that Hecate represented witchcraft, magic and ghosts. Greece itself worshipped many trios of goddesses or goddesses with three forms that fit this archetype. Hecate rules over the night, magic, and places where three roads meet. She was the only Titan who kept her power while Zeus was in charge. She witnessed the abduction of Demeters daughter Persephone to the underworld and, torch in hand, assisted in the search for her. Although much of her power appeared generally dark or menacing, Hecate could also be a merciful goddess. She has long been associated with witchcraft and the occult, even necromancy. We will examine her origins and describe the crossroads ritual. Many depictions, such as those of the Moirae, show the three goddesses corresponding to the three stages of a womans life. Hecate | Facts, Information, and Mythology Seeing her friend in pain, Galinthias tricked the Moirai into thinking the child had been born despite their interference.