In the sources about Hekate that are from the ancient world, the crossroads are not mentioned as a symbol of Hecate. When they heard this the Moirai uncrossed their arms, releasing the bonds that kept the infant Heracles from the earth. She was the only Titan who kept her power while Zeus was in charge. Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. This could mean that the goddess didnt come to Greece from Caria until a relatively late date. Click to reveal 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. 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. She was most famously the goddess of magic, witchcraft, ghosts, necromancy, the Moon, and the night. The well-known Pergamon Altar (from around the 2nd century BCE) shows Hecate as three different things. 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. 755 Hecate Dr, Virginia Beach, VA 23454 | MLS# 10469859 | Redfin According to a legend, Odysseus got the Trojan queen Hecuba as a captive after the defeat of Troy. Due to her magical powers, Hecate was believed to protect children, sailors, and shepherds. Sometimes, as was the case with Hecate, it was a single goddess who was shown with three aspects. Her name was derived from the Greek word hekatos which means worker from afar. In her form as a triple goddess, Hecate was closely linked to intersections. The aspects of the goddess that had darker connotations were separated from her to create another goddess altogether in the character of Hecate. Please like and share this article if you found it useful. Greeks focused worship on the more protective aspects of Artemis, goddess that existed on the edges of the Greek, The Norns These three goddesses were the Norse equivalent of the Moirai. She has also been associated with the dark side of human beings, which is death. While some scholars attribute these displays as holding a dark side to Hecate, most myths associate her with a protective nature toward humans. They include, science, maths, English and more. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). This is shown in Act III, scene five of the play. Because of this, some people would make sacrifices of dogs, especially puppies, to her. It even appears in Christianity, with the gospels placing three Marys at both the Crucifixion and Christs tomb. She was not portrayed as being loving towards children but as someone who took revenge against anyone that harmed children. Controlling who moved through the border between the earth and the underworld gave her a unique power to summon spirits and raise the dead. 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. 8 Best Crystals for Hecate (Important Facts) The Furies, winged creatures who punished wrongdoing, were also said to be the companions of Hecate. Since the fifth century BCE, Hecate has been associated with magic, witchcraft, the moon, and other dark influences. 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 . Even in descriptions of Medeas witchcraft, it is difficult to distinguish magical rituals from more standard worship and rites. Latin Spelling. You may like to light incense such as the smoke of wormwood, cypress and lavender in these offerings. Article created on Monday, March 3, 1997. And there is a good book titled Hekate liminal rites By David Rankine and Sorite DEsteyou should check out. She was a goddess of magic and the underworld, but she was also a protector of the home and a guardian of borders. A shrine to this Goddess was built at the entrance of homes and cities as she was believed to keep evil spirits away. 1.5 Baths. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a28cb13cce875e3 Some speculate that it represents the full moon, half moon, and new moon. She is sometimes shown holding a key. She was a goddess in charge of magic, witchcraft, and much more. One can view the doors between the worlds as being very thin during this time therefore it is a golden opportunity to show her your respect. Her parentage was given differently by various writers. The worship of Hecate continued into theHellenisticandRomanperiods with significant archaeological finds of votive offerings to the goddess being found at Lagina in Caria andPhrygia. Hecate: 15 Ways to Work With the Goddess of Witchcraft The Ancient Greek Underworld and Hades - ThoughtCo The Charites (Graces) and Horai (Seasons) were also trios of minor goddesses in Greek mythology. Hecate - goddess of ghosts, witchcraft & magic - Religious Talks Hecate is a Goddess shrouded in mystery, for there is continuing debate about Her name, origin and character. 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. 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. Each of the Greek gods has a few specialized functions. The best of the LearningMole geography tutorials. Hecate is closely associated with several other goddesses in the Greek pantheon, with symbolism and function seeming to overlap. Kidadl is supported by you, the reader. 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. According to Theogony. Hecate the goddess of Greek mythology has been primarily remembered for her associations with magic and witchcraft. Hecate Triformis, Hecate of the three faces or three forms, corresponding to the phases of the moon: dark, waxing, and waning. Hecate appears in many plays and poems as the personification of darkness, the moon, and magic. She was also closely associated to the spiritual world, ghosts, and the dead. She is also said to be the Goddess of childbirth and the protector of children. 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. The Moirai, or Fates, were one such trio of goddesses. The Orphic Mysteries said that Hestia was the daughter of Demeter instead. To learn more about other Goddesses and exciting information, keep visiting on LearningMole. If lost at a crossroads, literal or metaphoric, invoke her name and then pay attention to signs from her. Hecate was a goddess in Greek Mythology. Hecate is the goddess of witchcraft and was specifically known for her herbal knowledge. She was also bound to other goddesses in a closely-linked trio. The parentage of Scylla is hotly debated. You ask Hecate to feed on these offerings, to accept them as an act of friendship and continued bond and also as an act of gratitude on your part. We will examine her origins and describe the crossroads ritual. 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. The Greeks likewise borrowed many deities and legends from their eastern neighbors. 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. Hecate is known to rule over the sky, the earth, and the sea. The blessings she gave them were eventually seen as magic, while prayers were seen as incantations. The things that make Hecate seem like an older woman are in the Pharsalia. 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. The Greek goddess Hecate, or Hekate, is Greece's dark goddess of the crossroads. A: In Greek mythology, Hecate was the Goddess of witchcraft and magic. Hecate may be invoked for healing, especially if medical solutions have failed or are not an option. Hecate - Greek Mythology While Hera was considered a singular being, she was given three names to represent her different stages in life maiden, wife, and mother. Eleusis was in Greece, which is where it is now. In single form she appears on Greek vases and coins. 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. But Hekate was in this time also connected to liminality. She could not be forced to love anyone. It is believed that Zeus, the king of the gods, asked Hecate to help find Persephone after Hades kidnapped her. She is depicted on the altar of Pergamon with one body and three heads (ca. In a few cases, Hecate was said to have shared these powers with her most devoted followers. The crossroads were and are also places where several accidents occurred and or ambushes, holdups they can be places of vulnerability where fates seem to be on rare occasions sealed. Some poets say her mother is Crataeis. The chief Greek god, Zeus, was very fond of this Goddess and gave her a share of the earth and sea. 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. Quite often warriors worshipped the goddess Hecate just as readily. Hesiod claimed that Hecate was a favorite of Zeus . 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 hugged the girl when Persephone was reunited with her mother, Demeter. She witnessed the abduction of Demeter's daughter Persephone to the underworld and, torch in hand, assisted in the search for her. 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. She witnessed the abduction of Demeters daughter Persephone to the underworld and, torch in hand, assisted in the search for her. She has long been associated with witchcraft and the occult, even necromancy. They believed that by praising the goddess, the restless dead would be soothed and not deliver vengeance on the family. Lastly, the goddess is mentioned in the tragedies of Euripides and Sophocles, among others. Her tasks went beyond the heavens, the earth, the seas, and the Underworld. The Moirai crossed their arms and Eileithyia refused to help the laboring woman. Of course, as the goddess of boundaries she had the power to let things in as well as keep them out. 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. Check your inbox for your latest news from us. Hesiod goes on to say that the goddess supports warriors, athletes, hunters, horsemen, herdsmen, shepherds, fishermen, and children. "Hecate: Greece's Dark Goddess of the Crossroads." 1,178 Sq. 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. Her companions are theFuries(Erinyes), the winged creatures who punished wrong-doing, and her children are the Empusae, female demons partial to seducing travellers. 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. Hecate was a goddess of boundaries and in between spaces. Home History Great Facts about Goddess Hecate. This was all about Hecate, a goddess in ancient Greek religion. If you are interested in effective unique protection magickCLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE! HECATE (Hekate) - Greek Goddess of Witchcraft, Magic & Ghosts - Theoi As was already said, the dog was Hecates most holy animal. 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. Some later stories agreed that Asteria was her mother, but claimed Zeus had been her father. Updates? I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. IT WAS A COMMON PRACTICE TO PLACE IMAGES OF HECATE ATCITYGATES & THE DOORWAYS OF PRIVATE HOMES AS SHE COULD WARD OFF EVIL SPIRITS. She may be invoked for protection for dogs and from dogs. Hecate Greek Goddess of Witchcraft : The Complete Guide. On the other hand, Euripides says that Leto is her mother. Hecates name comes from the Greek word hekatos, which means worker from afar.. As such, she was greatly honored by Zeus, who allowed her to operate on Earth, as well as the sky and the Underworld. Hecate is petitioned for fertility, especially for female children. Her priests are normally accompanied by hell hounds sent by their goddess to guard her temples. Child of Perses and Asteria, she was the only Titan to retain her control under Zeus' reign.