There might not be any figure in Greek mythology that is as misunderstood as Hecate. "Worker-from-afar." We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content. 139.162.195.99 The Moirai crossed their arms and Eileithyia refused to help the laboring woman. 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. Hecate Triodos is the specific aspect presiding over crossroads. Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. Another story said that Hecate herself had cursed a witch named Gale to be a polecat for disgusting her with incontinence and abnormal desires. My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) The goddess was given gifts every month on the night of a new moon. Hecate was also known as the queen or Goddess of the night. She is the witness to every crime. 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. It even appears in Christianity, with the gospels placing three Marys at both the Crucifixion and Christs tomb. During the Romans, many of her traits belonged to the world of the dead. In addition to magic and witchcraft, Hecate was also considered to be the Goddess of crossroads, gates, and ghosts. The Kidadl Team is made up of people from different walks of life, from different families and backgrounds, each with unique experiences and nuggets of wisdom to share with you. But she isnt in the Homeric epics, which is a big deal. The Egyptian fertility goddess Heqet was associated with magic, which the Egyptians called heqa. The Orphic Mysteries said that Hestia was the daughter of Demeter instead. The first example of the triple-Hecate form, called hekataia, was made by the sculptor Alcamenes in the 5th century BCE. 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. 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. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Hecate is invoked when justice is not forthcoming from other channels. On the other hand, Euripides says that Leto is her mother. Hecate can banishghosts(or produce a ghost infestation). . In Ancient Greek religion, Hecate had a wide range of godly tasks. Was the Griffin a Bird from Greek Mythology? The Tridevi The triad of goddesses in Hinduism often represents the three states of creation, preservation, and destruction. Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. Like Hermes, who was also a deity of liminal spaces, statues of Hecate were often placed at crossroads and borders. She could switch between being a Titan and a goddess in Greek mythology. Some depictions show the Goddess with the head of a dog, horse, and lion, which could be the constellations during the year. The Greek goddess Hecate, or Hekate, is Greece's dark goddess of the crossroads. She can be a shadowy, oblique goddess: her response may be subtle. Archaeological items found in Lagina in Caria and Phrygia also point to the importance of this Goddess during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. SOLD JUN 15, 2022. Story of Hecate When you buy through the links on our site we may earn a commission. And all these views if we go back in time can also be found in the Greco-Roman world. Hecate | Infoplease - Fact Monster A: This Greek Goddess is often considered to be capable of both good and evil. 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. As a result, the goddess of magic remained a major deity in regulating evil spirits in the Underworld. The chief Greek god, Zeus, was very fond of this Goddess and gave her a share of the earth and sea. Some experts believe that the three heads or faces of the Goddess Hecate denote the full, half, and new moon. This could mean that the goddess didnt come to Greece from Caria until a relatively late date. In this manner, pillars known as Hecate stood at key intersections and entryways, possibly to ward off malevolent spirits. The Furies, winged creatures who punished wrongdoing, were also said to be the companions of Hecate. In a few cases, Hecate was said to have shared these powers with her most devoted followers. In fact, Hecate might have been another goddess altogether! On an Attic vase from the 5th century BCE, a woman is shown giving a goddess a puppy and a basket of cakes. Hecate | Encyclopedia.com They were often associated with the three stages of life youth, adulthood, and old age. Due to her magical powers, Hecate was believed to protect children, sailors, and shepherds. In the sources about Hekate that are from the ancient world, the crossroads are not mentioned as a symbol of Hecate. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a28cb13cce875e3 Hecate is a Goddess shrouded in mystery, for there is continuing debate about Her name, origin and character. Hecate's powers transcended the boundaries of the sky, the earth, the seas, and the underworld. There are few legends about Her, and no fixed genealogy. Updates? This concept became a central figure in many later versions of polytheism. They are passionate about turning your everyday moments into memories and bringing you inspiring ideas to have fun with your family. By the first century CE, Lucans Pharsalia made it clear that Hecate was the goddess of magic and witchcraft. 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. She was connected to occult practices such as witchcraft and magic, the Moon, gateways, and nocturnal beasts such as hellhounds and ghosts. Hecate is a goddess of life, death, regeneration, and magic. But Hekate was in this time also connected to liminality. (2021, December 6). The goddess Hecate is one of the lesser-known goddesses of the Greek pantheon. Hecate is usually depicted with a burning torch in her hand and with a dog laying at her feet, its head raised. She was the daughter of the Titan Perses and the nymph Asteria. This was all about Hecate, a goddess in ancient Greek religion. Great Facts about Goddess Hecate - Learning Mole Modern neopagan and Wiccan religions often include worship of a triple goddess, and of Hecate herself. 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. A: Hecate is the Greek Goddess of magic and witchcraft. She was the daughter of Perses and Asteria. Like most of the Olympic pantheon, Hecate predates the written mythology of Greece. 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. The duration ofa dark moonvaries between 1.5 and 3.5 days) to the crossroads. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. In Hesiod she is the daughter of the Titan Perses and the nymph Asteria and has power over heaven, earth, and sea; hence, she bestows wealth and all the blessings of daily life. outlandish in her infernal aspects, she is more at home on the fringes than in the centre ofGreekpolytheism. She witnessed the abduction of Demeter's daughter Persephone to the underworld and, torch in hand, assisted in the search for her. 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. Many depictions, such as those of the Moirae, show the three goddesses corresponding to the three stages of a womans life. Another story of Hecates protective nature also involves another of her sacred animals. Why notsubscribe to our LearningMole Library for as little as 1.99 per month to access over1000fun educational videos. Selenite, tiger's eye, obsidian, rhodochrosite, jet, jasper, agate, and amber are the most suited crystals for 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. Hecates name comes from the Greek word hekatos, which means worker from afar.. 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. 8 Best Crystals for Hecate (Important Facts) Each of the Greek gods has a few specialized functions. Her halos are usually made of moonbeams. Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, Although Hecate found Persephone, instead of rescuing her, she helped her settle into her new life as the bride of Hades. As punishment, she was transformed into a dog to be the companion of Hecate. Hecate, however, was not just a goddess shown in three parts. Your privacy is important to us. Eating crunchy while enjoying a good movie or your favourite video game is a blessing. 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 not portrayed as being loving towards children but as someone who took revenge against anyone that harmed children. In fact she seems to have started out as Heket, the Egyptian Goddess of Childbirth. In the Greek religion, strange rituals were done to honour the goddess. 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. Zorya The Slavic goddess of beauty and light took three forms corresponding to morning, evening, and midnight. We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. Even in descriptions of Medeas witchcraft, it is difficult to distinguish magical rituals from more standard worship and rites. Hecate has the power to grant or deny any mortals wish. Study medicinal and magical herbalism and become one of Hecate's priestesses. She was accompanied by packs of barking dogs. As early as the 5th century BC, the image of the hekataion was the standard way of showing the goddess in sculpture. HECATE (Hekate) - Greek Goddess of Witchcraft, Magic & Ghosts - Theoi A: In the play Macbeth by Shakespeare, in Act three, scene five, Hecate was shown to be angry with the witches as they excluded her from their meetings with Macbeth. As an Amazon Associate, Kidadl earns from qualifying purchases. What Were the Hamadryads in Greek Mythology? Before that, she was just a minor character in the stories of Demeter (Persephones maid) and Artemis. Hecate. Sometimes, as was the case with Hecate, it was a single goddess who was shown with three aspects. However, she is believed to be protective of human beings. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/greek-mythology-hecate-1526205. These primordial gods each represented a different aspect of existence, together they formed the building blocks of the early universe. Who is Hecate? What Were the Hamadryads in Greek Mythology? As a cthonic goddess of the underworld, her rituals and rites were often associated with death and secrecy. 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. Greek pantheon was once much smaller than we know. Her priests are normally accompanied by hell hounds sent by their goddess to guard her temples. The well-known Pergamon Altar (from around the 2nd century BCE) shows Hecate as three different things. She could not undo the curse, but she made the polecat her sacred servant. Dogs also howl at the Moon, so this could be a link. These statues took on a distinctive appearance. Hecate may be invoked for healing, especially if medical solutions have failed or are not an option. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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. To learn more about other Goddesses and exciting information, keep visiting on LearningMole. She is often displayed holding two torches or a key. Her name was derived from the Greek word hekatos which means worker from afar. The three-part goddess was able to keep watch in all directions, and became standard in both written and visual representations. They gave mortals wealth, victory, wisdom and luck. Hecate was a goddess in Greek Mythology. Much later, Shakespeare referenced her in Macbeth, where she is mentioned in the scene of the three witches boiling together their dire brew. The first sculpture of Hecate in triple form was the (lost) statue by Alcamenes (fifth century BCE) at the Acropolis. The Greek three-headed hound of Hades, Cerberus, may have been an earlier version of Hecate. Click to reveal 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. Look for her animals: snakes, dragons, cats, and especially dogs. Hecate is also sometimes interpreted in association with Artemis and Selene. During the Hellenistic and Roman times, people still worshipped Hecate. Female monsters also often came in threes, as was the case with the Gorgons and Graea. This is how she came to command the earth, bliss, and sea. You have subscribed to: Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter. At least one story, however, gives the goddess a much more human origin.