Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/greek-mythology-hecate-1526205. Subscribe to our popular newsletter Synced Global AI Weekly to get weekly AI updates. At doorways and crossroads, pillars of the goddess Hecate, who held a torch, stood. As such, she was greatly honored by Zeus, who allowed her to operate on Earth, as well as the sky and the Underworld. Like most of the Olympic pantheon, Hecate predates the written mythology of Greece. Hecate was also known as the queen or Goddess of the night. Hecate was considered an ancient Thracian divinity and she was also a titan; the titans ruled the heavens, the earth and the sea. They are sometimes represented with the familiar aspects of the maiden, mother, and crone. The offerings to the goddess were made each month during the night of a new moon. Hecate is closely associated with several other goddesses in the Greek pantheon, with symbolism and function seeming to overlap. Hecate has been depicted in Greek art, literature, and pottery dating from the fifth century BCE. This could be because she sided with him during the 10-year battle between the Titans and the Olympians. The goddess, on the other hand, usually has human heads. She has also been mentioned in the works of Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream, King Lear, and Macbeth. 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. Controlling who moved through the border between the earth and the underworld gave her a unique power to summon spirits and raise the dead. A: In Greek mythology, Hecate was the Goddess of witchcraft and magic. The first example of the triple-Hecate form, called hekataia, was made by the sculptor Alcamenes in the 5th century BCE. Proponents of this theory believe that this may have been the case with Hecate. Much later, Shakespeare referenced her in Macbeth, where she is mentioned in the scene of the three witches boiling together their dire brew. Polecats hid in dirty holes and, it was believed by the Greeks, had a grotesque and unnatural way of mating. Many of the traditional offerings to Hecate- are: milk, honey, oil, cakes, cheese, bloody meat, eggs, onions, garlic. Hecate was sometimes seen as a Titan, like her parents, and in the battle between the Titans and the Greek gods led by Zeus, she helped Zeus and so was not banished to the underworld with the rest of them. Hecate is defined by her powerful magic, being at ease with the night and darkness and in wild surroundings. 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 was given gifts every month on the night of a new moon. The Egyptian fertility goddess Heqet was associated with magic, which the Egyptians called heqa. By the first century CE, Lucans Pharsalia made it clear that Hecate was the goddess of magic and witchcraft. They were often associated with the three stages of life youth, adulthood, and old age. You have subscribed to: Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter. Good is she also when men contend at the games, for there too the goddess is with them and profits them and to those whose business is in the grey discomfortable sea, and who pray to Hekate and the loud-crashing Earth-Shaker [Poseidon], easily the glorious goddess gives great catch, and easily she takes it away as soon as seen, if so she will. Her tasks went beyond the heavens, the earth, the seas, and the Underworld. 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. There might not be any figure in Greek mythology that is as misunderstood as Hecate. People used to believe that dogs would eat the dead if they werent buried. The triple goddesses are often referred to as the Maiden, Mother (or Matron), and Crone. While Hecates temples in the area are from a later period, she bears a resemblance to a more ancient goddess in Caria. https://www.thoughtco.com/greek-mythology-hecate-1526205 (accessed March 4, 2023). I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. 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. Athenian Greeks used the evening meal, known as Deipnon, to honor Hecate. To the Greeks this meant not only the moment at which the soul crossed between those to states, but also to a literal place. It is believed that Hecate represented witchcraft, magic and ghosts. When her city fell, the queen was taken captive and lept off a cliff to her death. Hecate: Triple-Bodied Greek Goddess of Witchcraft and Keeper of Keys The boundaries she oversaw were not limited to the physical world, though. She acted as a sort of guardian because she watched over the places that allowed passage into homes, cities, or even states. 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. What Were the Hamadryads in Greek Mythology? Posted by 7thphoenix | May 27, 2020 | Magick Articles | 0 |. Historian Robert Graves notes that the heads could be distinctive of a dog, lion and horse, representing the constellations which cover the calendar year. Her companions are known to punish wrong doing and criminals. She was also bound to other goddesses in a closely-linked trio. She is helping a dog attack a giant who looks like a snake. Female monsters also often came in threes, as was the case with the Gorgons and Graea. In Greece, there is some evidence that Hecate was originally seen as a much more benevolent, cosmic goddess. Well send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out. Sorceresses ask the goddess for help with their magic and spells, and she is shown on curse tablets that have survived. Even though there arent many myths about the goddess Hecate, the ones that do exist tell us a lot about where she has power. As the Romans developed and constructed superior road systems, we started to see the emergence of choices and nowadays in modern. "Worker-from-afar." Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). She is also said to be the Goddess of childbirth and the protector of children. Sometimes, as was the case with Hecate, it was a single goddess who was shown with three aspects. She is sometimes shown holding a key. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. 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. Thus, pillars called Hecataea stood at crossroads and doorways, perhaps to keep away evil spirits. The Greek three-headed hound of Hades, Cerberus, may have been an earlier version of Hecate. By joining Kidadl you agree to Kidadls Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receiving marketing communications from Kidadl. Euripides, on the other hand, mentions her mother isLeto. Her priests are normally accompanied by hell hounds sent by their goddess to guard her temples. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. It was believed that she could see in all directions. Hecate, however, took pity on Galinthias. She is sometimes depicted as being accompanied by dogs or hounds and ghosts. 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. A: In Greek Mythology, Hecate was the Goddess of magic and witchcraft. She is the witness to every crime. There are few legends about Her, and no fixed genealogy. She's ill at ease in cities and civilization. In aiding Demeter during her search for the missing Persephone and transfiguring Hecuba to spare her captivity or death she showed a level of compassion that might not be expected from an occult figure. While Hera was considered a singular being, she was given three names to represent her different stages in life maiden, wife, and mother. Hecate is portrayed in single form on sculptures of Myron and Naucydes. We offer advice and practical, interactive ideas to help parents challenge, teach and develop their childrens skills at home. She may be petitioned for a swift, painless death. These three goddesses are also linked in the Mystery cults. She is invoked for justice, especially for sexual crimes against women and girls. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong. In a few cases, Hecate was said to have shared these powers with her most devoted followers. The evening meal in ancient Greece, especially in Athens known as Deipnon, was in honor of Hecate. A few pagans and Wiccans have also been known to worship Hecate as a dark goddess. Is Hecate a jealous goddess? The Charites (Graces) and Horai (Seasons) were also trios of minor goddesses in Greek mythology. 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. She's also the Queen of Witches. Hecate, however, is routinely described as the goddess of witchcraft and associated with characters like Medea and Circe, the witch of Homers Odyssey. The darkness, the moon, and magic have been personified as Hecate in many popular and well-known works of literature and in art. She was often placed at the entrance of homes to help protect against the evil forces of the world. In the Pharsalia, the witch Erichtho calls on Persephone as the lowest part of Hecate. HEKATE (Hecate) was the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy. Nearby Recently Sold Homes. The most popular theory is that the Carians in Asia Minor brought Hecate to Greece, where she became a part of their religion. Some speculate that it represents the full moon, half moon, and new moon. According to a legend, Odysseus got the Trojan queen Hecuba as a captive after the defeat of Troy. 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. The name "Hecate" (Greek , translit. By the 2nd century AD, a story had developed around Galinthias, a daughter of Proteus and friend of Alcmene. Facts About Hestia, the Greek Goddess of Home and Hearth - ThoughtCo Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. Hecate was a goddess in Greek Mythology. It is unclear why this change took place. She has also been associated with the dark side of human beings, which is death. Home History Great Facts about Goddess Hecate. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. 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. A: Hecate is the Greek Goddess of magic and witchcraft. During the time of the Romans, Hecate was often combined with the gods Artemis and Selene, especially in Roman poetry. When Alcmene was in labor with Heracles, Hera attempted to stop the childs birth. All these were also given Hekate in her Deipnon (food offering). My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) Major temple shrines to Hecate were in the regions of Phrygia and Caria. One of these was the supper of Hecate, where food was left at crossroads, road junctions, and any other kind of boundary or threshold. This was a group started by May Otis Blackburn in Los Angeles, California. If lost at a crossroads, literal or metaphoric, invoke her name and then pay attention to signs from 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. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, A Recommended Book on Hekate Liminal Rites, Planetary MAGICK -7 Facts you should know, Magickal Protection-The BEST 10 SOLUTIONS. She was accepted at an early date into Greek religion, but she probably was originally a goddess of the Carians in southwestern Asia Minor. Over time, some of the Olympians changed form and function. Some nymphs in Greek mythology were famous, but others were only known in a certain time Echidna: Greek Mythologys Mother of Monsters, Lamia: The Child-Eating Monster of Greek Legend. Archaeological items found in Lagina in Caria and Phrygia also point to the importance of this Goddess during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Hecate is usually depicted with a burning torch in her hand and with a dog laying at her feet, its head raised. As these stories were passed on, though, they often changed. While some scholars attribute these displays as holding a dark side to Hecate, most myths associate her with a protective nature toward humans. Hecate - goddess of ghosts, witchcraft & magic - Religious Talks She was a goddess of magic and the underworld, but she was also a protector of the home and a guardian of borders. 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. What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. The goddess was frequently associated with Demeter and even assimilated to her in some cults. Great Facts about Goddess Hecate - Learning Mole Lastly, the goddess is mentioned in the tragedies of Euripides and Sophocles, among others. Her attributes, besides the torch, are the snake, whip, dagger, and sword. The Hades and Persephone Story. Long before Hesiod and Homer began writing their poetry, the stories of the gods were passed on through oral tradition. "Hecate: Greece's Dark Goddess of the Crossroads." She was also called the Goddess of the threshold or the Goddess of the house. 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 . As a fertility deity she was invoked by women to aid conception and delivery. Some poets say her mother is Crataeis. During the Romans, many of her traits belonged to the world of the dead. Classical scholars have differing views about where the worship of Hecate in Ancient Greece came from. Some scholars of ancient Greek religion have noted that Apollo was occasionally given the name Hecatos, which they interpret to mean one who reaches far. These academics believe that Hecate, therefore, may have once been another name for Apollos twin sister, Artemis. The people of Sparta claimed that Ares had been nursed by a nymph called Thero. It was said that she learned herbalism and spells from Hecate herself. 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. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! She's ill at ease in cities and civilization. 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. Hecate hugged the girl when Persephone was reunited with her mother, Demeter. Hecate rules over the night, magic, and places where three roads meet. Hecate was a complex, ancient goddess known to the Greeks but originally worshiped by people of Asia Minor*. Some scholars believe that Hecate was one such goddess. She was most famously the goddess of magic, witchcraft, ghosts, necromancy, the Moon, and the night. Although Hecate found Persephone, instead of rescuing her, she helped her settle into her new life as the bride of Hades. Victorian Era, Ibn Khaldun or Celts. Even in descriptions of Medeas witchcraft, it is difficult to distinguish magical rituals from more standard worship and rites. The chief Greek god, Zeus, was very fond of this Goddess and gave her a share of the earth and sea. They thought she would protect them and keep away evil spirits. Please like and share this article if you found it useful. She is often displayed holding two torches or a key. Hecate, Greek Goddess of Magic and Witchcraft - Hecate Myths and Facts Hekate assisted Demeter in her search for Persephone, guiding her through the night with flaming torches. Hecate is the Goddess of witchcraft, magic, crossroads, ghosts and necromancy. 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. Her name is akin to the Latin words dium ("sky") and dius ("daylight"). 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. Many Anatolian gods had their roots in the Greek pantheon. The goddess had a lot of powers, some of which were later taken over by other gods. 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). Like Hermes, who was also a deity of liminal spaces, statues of Hecate were often placed at crossroads and borders. Some of the statues she made as offerings to the goddess had the Graces dancing around her. She appears in Ovid's Metamorphoses. Hecate doesnt often appear in Greek art and writing until the 5th century BCE. 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. Hecate was believed to be a goddess of both the living world and the underworld. Learning Mole focuses on educating children of all ages in key skills of Maths, English and learning through crafts. But Hekate was in this time also connected to liminality. Click to reveal 170 BCE). As punishment, she was transformed into a dog to be the companion of Hecate. 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. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. 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. Hecate Greek Goddess of Witchcraft : The Complete Guide. 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.