People believed that by honoring and praying to this Goddess, their homes would be preserved from the vengeance of the dead. To the Greeks this meant not only the moment at which the soul crossed between those to states, but also to a literal place. The food offered to this deity included cheese, cakes of eggs, and a dish of red mullet. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Lagina was one of the most important Carian sanctuaries.Hecate also has a strong connection with Georgia as well as throughout Italy. Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, creative tips and more. Nyx, the Primordial Goddess of the Night | Ancient Origins As early as the 5th century BC, the image of the hekataion was the standard way of showing the goddess in sculpture. Kos, Erythrai,Samothrace, Thessaly, and Miletos also worshipped the. 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. Hecate doesnt often appear in Greek art and writing until the 5th century BCE. Authors from the past, like Ovid and Pausanias, say that dogs, especially black dogs, were given to the goddess as sacrifices. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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). But because these Anatolian cult sites were built later, other classicists say that the goddess could not have come from Anatolia. Many historians believe that the Greek pantheon was once much smaller than we know it today. 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. Latin Spelling. She rules wisdom, choices, expiation, victory, vengeance, and travel. Her origins and powers were unexplained and changeable. Names derived from hers were common, including Hecatomnus, the father of the ruler Mausolus who built the famous tomb. Some speculate that it represents the full moon, half moon, and new moon. Hecate was also known as the queen or Goddess of the night. 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 . Many Anatolian gods had their roots in the Greek pantheon. Even Zeus, the King of the Olympian Gods, is said to have reverenced her, and there are hints that she was considered to be an all-powerful goddess. She is also mentioned in Aeneid, a play by Virgil where she guides one of the characters, Sibyl, in the Underworld. As the worship of Artemis evolved over time, the Greeks began to focus more on her purity and positive aspects. 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. Hecate - Roman and Greek Gods and Goddesses The chief Greek god, Zeus, was very fond of this Goddess and gave her a share of the earth and sea. Hecate was a complex, ancient goddess known to the Greeks but originally worshiped by people of Asia Minor*. 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. As was already said, the dog was Hecates most holy animal. This does not influence our choices. Hecate was a goddess in Greek Mythology. 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. The first sculpture of Hecate in triple form was the (lost) statue by Alcamenes (fifth century BCE) at the Acropolis. Trade, colonization, and migration resulted in a great deal of cultural exchange between the two regions. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability. Medeas magic was often described as having to do with necromancy, sleep, and the night. One of these was the supper of Hecate, where food was left at crossroads, road junctions, and any other kind of boundary or threshold. The Moirai crossed their arms and Eileithyia refused to help the laboring woman. In the sources about Hekate that are from the ancient world, the crossroads are not mentioned as a symbol of Hecate. Hecate's powers transcended the boundaries of the sky, the earth, the seas, and the underworld. And the dark moon is also a powerful time to cleanse you, from negative energy, negative influences or potentially harmful spirits. Further, the home would be blessed and any wrong-doing by family members would be forgiven and the household purified. The Matres While little is known of their exact function, over 1,000 images of the three goddesses have been found in Northwestern Europe. Hecate is invoked when justice is not forthcoming from other channels. They are associated with certain ideas, occupations, or stages of life. Story of Hecate Her considerable power over nature ensured her continued popularity, but she's never fitted in with the crowd. The dog was so closely tied to her than in many ancient stories people could hear the howling and barking of her sacred animal when her magic was used nearby. This is shown in Act III, scene five of the play. One of these was the boundary between life and death. The Egyptian god Anubis, who led souls to the Underworld, may also have something to do with dogs. Earlier, though, there may have been fewer gods with more complex functions. Female monsters also often came in threes, as was the case with the Gorgons and Graea. Is Hecate a jealous goddess? She's ill at ease in cities and civilization. Even though there arent many myths about the goddess Hecate, the ones that do exist tell us a lot about where she has power. According toPausanias, the 2nd-century CE Greek traveller, the island ofAeginahad a mystery cult dedicated to the goddess where it was believed those suffering mental illness could be cured. Hecate. Facts About Hestia, the Greek Goddess of Home and Hearth - ThoughtCo 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 may be petitioned for a swift, painless death. 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. Selenite, tiger's eye, obsidian, rhodochrosite, jet, jasper, agate, and amber are the most suited crystals for Hecate. Read on to find out more about Greeces most mystical goddess! 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. The time of the dark moon is a special time of the month to give offerings to Hecate. Hades was pleased with this, and Hecate was allowed to come and go as she pleased from the Underworld. To learn more about other Goddesses and exciting information, keep visiting on LearningMole. 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. 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. You have subscribed to: Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter. At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. Hecate hugged the girl when Persephone was reunited with her mother, Demeter. 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. As the goddess of the night, witchcraft and sorcery, Hecate was very important to ancient Greeks, particularly to the famed author and scholar Hesiod. The Carians were devoted to Hecate, and she was the primary deity worshipped in the town of Lagina. In many cultures and religions in many lands. Hecate was the chief goddess presiding over magic and spells. The various statues have also raised questions as to her duties. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. The Furies, winged creatures who punished wrongdoing, were also said to be the companions of Hecate. Share This Post. It is believed that Hecate represented witchcraft, magic and ghosts. In Greece, there is some evidence that Hecate was originally seen as a much more benevolent, cosmic goddess. Her tasks went beyond the heavens, the earth, the seas, and the Underworld. But Hecate is not the evil hag that popular legend suggests. Q: How do the three witches make Hecate angry? Hecate was a cathonic goddess that preceded the Olympians, and it seems that she was highly worshipped in Thrace. Small cakes made of eggs, cheese, bread, and dog meat were lit with tiny torches. Hecate was weaved strongly into all these symbolisms of the crossroads and still does to her devotees. The goddess was frequently associated with Demeter and even assimilated to her in some cults. Hecate | Facts, Information, and Mythology Like most of the Olympic pantheon, Hecate predates the written mythology of Greece. She was the only child of the Titanes Perses and Asteria from whom she received her power over heaven, earth, and sea. 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 is a goddess of life, death, regeneration, and magic. Hecate: Greek Goddess of Witchcraft, Sorcery and Magic The duration ofa dark moonvaries between 1.5 and 3.5 days) to the crossroads. Proponents of this theory believe that this may have been the case with Hecate. According to a legend, Odysseus got the Trojan queen Hecuba as a captive after the defeat of Troy. Scholars think that the goddess arrived in Greece during the Archaic period. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Some of the statues she made as offerings to the goddess had the Graces dancing around her. She is invoked for justice, especially for sexual crimes against women and girls. In revenge for the trick, Eileithyia turned Galinthias into a polecat. Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. She was accepted at an early date into Greek religion, but she probably was originally a goddess of the Carians in southwestern Asia Minor. She was the only child of the Titanes Perses and Asteria from whom she received her power over heaven, earth, and sea. The offerings to the goddess were made each month during the night of a new moon. HECATE - the Greek Goddess of Crossroads (Greek mythology) - Godchecker You may like to light incense such as the smoke of wormwood, cypress and lavender in these offerings. She was known by her Roman name, Trivia, as well as by her triple form. They call her Aristaion or Night. We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. The witches were telling Macbeth about his future and had not consulted the Goddess and had left her out of the meeting. The well-known Pergamon Altar (from around the 2nd century BCE) shows Hecate as three different things. Hecate is closely associated with several other goddesses in the Greek pantheon, with symbolism and function seeming to overlap. Later periods show statues of Hecate in three-fold having 3 separate bodies and faces. Although Hecate found Persephone, instead of rescuing her, she helped her settle into her new life as the bride of Hades. Diana | Myth, Goddess, & Cult | Britannica Hecate is defined by her powerful magic, being at ease with the night and darkness and in wild surroundings. Greeks likewise borrowed many deities and legends. Most of the ceremonies and festivals dedicated to this Goddess were often celebrated at night. Numerous smaller sculptures of Hecate remain in which the goddess appears as three separate women, wearing chitons, with the backs pressed against a pillar. 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. Hecate is a goddess in Greek mythology often associated with darkness and witchcraft. 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. She was connected to occult practices such as witchcraft and magic, the Moon, gateways, and nocturnal beasts such as hellhounds and ghosts. Although much of her power appeared generally dark or menacing, Hecate could also be a merciful goddess. The best of the LearningMole geography tutorials. 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. "Worker-from-afar." For even now, whenever any human on the earth seeks to regain the favor or goodwill by performing fine sacrifices according to custom, he invokes Hecate; and much honor very easily stays with that man whose prayers the goddess accepts with gladness, and she bestows happiness upon him. In Ancient Greek religion, Hecate had a wide range of godly tasks. Hecate is usually thought to have originated in Thrace, a wild northern region of Greece that is also known for its tales of Amazons. EFFECTIVE MAGICK AND ALPHA STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS, Seventh Phoenix MY Amazing STORY,My Journey, REAL LIFE Curses That STUNNED THEIR VICTIMS, HOW THE ALPHA FREQUENCY POWER-CHARGES YOUR MAGICK, Protection Magick Mastery Course #1 Best Rated. 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. The Moirai, or Fates, were one such trio of goddesses. She could switch between being a Titan and a goddess in Greek mythology. Mike Greenberg, PhD. Hecate has been depicted in Greek art, literature, and pottery dating from the fifth century BCE. Hecate was often shown as a single person wearing a long robe and holding burning torches. Classical scholars have differing views about where the worship of Hecate in Ancient Greece came from. 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. Hecate became Persephones guardian and close friend while she was living in the Underworld. Many of the traditional offerings to Hecate- are: milk, honey, oil, cakes, cheese, bloody meat, eggs, onions, garlic. Those who failed to win the goddesss favor could expect her to invite evil and misfortune into their lives. This article contains incorrect information, This article doesnt have the information Im looking for. But Hekate was in this time also connected to liminality. The boundaries she oversaw were not limited to the physical world, though. 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. 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. Instead, some believe that the goddess originated in Asia Minor. 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). 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! Although they combined her with Diana and Artemis, the Romans also worshipped this deity, referred to her as Trivia, which means three ways. 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. Follow for more great fun learning. Her attributes, besides the torch, are the snake, whip, dagger, and sword. While Hecates temples in the area are from a later period, she bears a resemblance to a more ancient goddess in Caria. The Greek goddess Hecate, or Hekate, is Greece's dark goddess of the crossroads. Greece itself worshipped many trios of goddesses or goddesses with three forms that fit this archetype. While some scholars attribute these displays as holding a dark side to Hecate, most myths associate her with a protective nature toward humans. 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. In a few cases, Hecate was said to have shared these powers with her most devoted followers. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. She would go with Persephone to the Underworld every year when the girl returned to Hades. A statue called Hekate Epipyrgidia (On the Ramparts) stood at the Athens Acropolis entrance. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! SOLD JUN 15, 2022. First 6 Months for 1.99 with Monthly Student and Teacher Plans Dismiss, 2022 Learning Mole. Other writers claim her as the daughter ofZeusandDemeter, Aristaion. 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. Hecate rules over the night, magic, and places where three roads meet. Hecate also has several temples where her shrine is worshipped. This is how she came to command the earth, bliss, and sea. Hecate is petitioned for fertility, especially for female children. The goddess Hecate is one of the Greek goddesses that not many people know about. According to Theogony. Hecate was both Greek and foreign at the same time. She is the witness to every crime. It is believed that Hecate represented witchcraft, magic and ghosts. Click to reveal She could not undo the curse, but she made the polecat her sacred servant. 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. In ancient times the crossroads didnt have our modern symbolism as a place of choices. 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. She also assisted the gods in their war with the Gigantes, and slew Clytius.5, This extensive power possessed by Hecate was probably the reason that subsequently she was confounded and identified with several other divinities, and at length became a mystic goddess, to whom mysteries were celebrated in Samothrace6 and in Aegina.7 For being as it were the queen of all nature, we find her identified with Demeter, Rhea (Cybele or Brimo); being a huntress and the protector of youth, she is the same as Artemis (Curotrophos); and as a goddess of the moon, she is regarded as the mystic Persephone.8 She was further connected with the worship of other mystic divinities, such as the Cabeiri and Curetes,9 and also with Apollo and the Muses.10, The ground-work of the above-mentioned confusions and identifications, especially with Demeter and Persephone, is contained in the Homeric hymn to Demeter; for, according to this hymn, she was, besides Helios, the only divinity who, from her cave, observed the abduction of Persephone. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Hecate (also spelt Hekate) is a goddess capable of both good and evil. She was accompanied by packs of barking dogs. Of course, as with many stories of Hecate there was also a darker version. Hecate the goddess of Greek mythology has been primarily remembered for her associations with magic and witchcraft. Advanced Magick for the 21st Century The Adeptus Course, THE MOST COMPLETE COURSE IN PRACTICAL MAGICK EVER RELEASED. She acted as a sort of guardian because she watched over the places that allowed passage into homes, cities, or even states. Hecate - Greek Mythology 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. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. 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. In Aeschylus Suppliants, for example, they were often mixed up to make a goddess with two faces. Persis and Asteria, two Titans from the generation of deities prior to the Olympians, are the legendary parents of Hecate. She was the ruler of crossroads, entrances, nighttime, light, magic (witchcraft and sorcery), herbs and plants. According to the Greek writer Hesiod*, Hecate was the daughter of the Titan* Perses and the nymph Asteria. Major temple shrines to Hecate were in the regions of Phrygia and Caria. Hecate can banishghosts(or produce a ghost infestation). Hecate is remembered best not as a goddess of boundaries, but as a goddess of magic. There are cult sites for the goddess Hecate in Caria, which shows that people there worshipped her. Victorian Era, Ibn Khaldun or Celts. The goddess Hecate had unusual rituals performed in her honour, which include the offerings of food given at crossroads, road junctions, and any other sort of boundary or threshold known as the supper of Hecate. She has long been associated with witchcraft and the occult, even necromancy. DeTraci Regula is a freelance writer who has specialized in Greek travel and tours for 18 years. Some depictions show the Goddess with the head of a dog, horse, and lion, which could be the constellations during the year. According to Greek mythology when the universe first came into being the primordial gods were there, fully formed. Her companions are known to punish wrong doing and criminals. Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. The aspects of the goddess that had darker connotations were separated from her to create another goddess altogether in the character of Hecate. She was both a product of the Titans and an honored member of Zeuss court at Olympus. Several times, authors make a connection between Medeas use of magic, both harmful and protective, and her worship of Hecate. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. As punishment, she was transformed into a dog to be the companion of Hecate. 8 Best Crystals for Hecate (Important Facts) Her name is akin to the Latin words dium ("sky") and dius ("daylight"). Hecate (Hekate) is the goddess of boundaries and guardian of crossroads; she is often shown with three faces and carrying a torch to show her connection to the night. A few pagans and Wiccans have also been known to worship Hecate as a dark goddess. Hecate appears in many plays and poems as the personification of darkness, the moon, and magic. They gave mortals wealth, victory, wisdom and luck. However. She is sometimes depicted as being accompanied by dogs or hounds and ghosts. However, she is believed to be protective of human beings. HECATE (Hekate) - Greek Goddess of Witchcraft, Magic & Ghosts - Theoi On Greek pottery, she is usually shown as a young woman holding a torch or a key. She was most famously the goddess of magic, witchcraft, ghosts, necromancy, the Moon, and the night. Nearby Recently Sold Homes. Polecats hid in dirty holes and, it was believed by the Greeks, had a grotesque and unnatural way of mating. Her halos are usually made of moonbeams. Some poets say her mother is Crataeis. Another story of Hecates protective nature also involves another of her sacred animals. Most likely, the cults of Thessalian Pherai (Pherae) and Eleusis saw Hekate as Chthonian (Underworld) Hermess wife. Contrary to popular current belief she wasnt originally a matron for women but for all who fit the above categories. Some early writers claimed that Hecate was actually the princess Iphigenia, saved from death by Artemis and transformed into a goddess. Writings throughout the centuries have woven different tales about Hecate and her role as a goddess. This is especially ironic since, after this, she seems to have become more associated with the underworld, not less. A mysterious goddess of sorcery, necromancy, and ghosts, Greek Goddess Hecate is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing characters in all of Greek mythology! It is even more enjoyable Coconuts are delicious. The first example of the triple-Hecate form, called hekataia, was made by the sculptor Alcamenes in the 5th century BCE. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. Hecate is usually depicted with a burning torch in her hand and with a dog laying at her feet, its head raised. Euripides, on the other hand, mentions her mother isLeto. She was often placed at the entrance of homes to help protect against the evil forces of the world. Q: Why was Hecate excluded from witch meetings? 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. 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. What Were the Hamadryads in Greek Mythology? The goddess Hecate is one of the lesser-known goddesses of the Greek pantheon. Origin and Family Persis and Asteria, two Titans from the generation of deities prior to the Olympians, are the legendary parents of Hecate. Hecate also presided over more mystical boundaries. She was also the goddess of the Oikos and the guardian of its entrances. Hecate - goddess of ghosts, witchcraft & magic - Religious Talks As you may already know Hecateis a goddess ofGreek mythologywho was capable of both good and evil. Your privacy is important to us. Hesiod, for example, seemed to hold in in high regard and makes no mention of this darker association. She was a goddess that could be both a protective guardian and a source of menace.