Hecate - Wikipedia The Tridevi The triad of goddesses in Hinduism often represents the three states of creation, preservation, and destruction. 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. 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. She was known by her Roman name, Trivia, as well as by her triple form. Hecate took pity on her, though, and brought her back to life as a dog to be her companion. The first sculpture of Hecate in triple form was the (lost) statue by Alcamenes (fifth century BCE) at the Acropolis. She is invoked for justice, especially for sexual crimes against women and girls. SOLD JUN 15, 2022. The witches were telling Macbeth about his future and had not consulted the Goddess and had left her out of the meeting. The Goddess Hecate is supposed to be the daughter of Perses, a Titan, and Asteria, a nymph. It has been suggested that this arose from the use of watchdogs, particularly at night, to scare away intruders and warn their owners of danger. Hecate is invoked when justice is not forthcoming from other channels. Another story of Hecates protective nature also involves another of her sacred animals. If you are interested in effective unique protection magickCLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE! Latin Spelling. In the 6th century BCE, a circular altar was built in Miletos to honour the goddess (the earliest archaeological evidence of her worship). Read on to find out more about Greeces most mystical goddess! The best of the LearningMole geography tutorials. Much later, Shakespeare referenced her in Macbeth, where she is mentioned in the scene of the three witches boiling together their dire brew. The various statues have also raised questions as to her duties. Her tasks went beyond the heavens, the earth, the seas, and the Underworld. She has also been mentioned in the works of Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream, King Lear, and Macbeth. Well send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out. Hecate was believed to be a goddess of both the living world and the underworld. Many of the traditional offerings to Hecate- are: milk, honey, oil, cakes, cheese, bloody meat, eggs, onions, garlic. 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 keys that she is sometimes shown holding are supposed to be the keys of the Underworld. Witches do gather together or solitary on crossroads as do magicians , hoodoo and voudan practitioners to cast their enchantments and spells. Some poets say her mother is Crataeis. Small cakes made of eggs, cheese, bread, and dog meat were lit with tiny torches. 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. The goddess told Demeter everything she had heard, but Demeter didnt know who had taken her daughter. Quite often each face is different, one of a dog, one of a horse and one of a goddess. Hecate: [noun] a Greek goddess associated especially with the underworld, night, and witchcraft. Hecate hugged the girl when Persephone was reunited with her mother, Demeter. Hesiod claimed that Hecate was a favorite of Zeus . Women also prayed to her for fertility and the birth of female children. Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, 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. During the Romans, many of her traits belonged to the world of the dead. To find out more about LearningMole please visit our about us page or visit more of our topics available. Hecate could give her worshipers wealth and blessings, but she could also take them away if they didnt worship her well enough. A few pagans and Wiccans have also been known to worship Hecate as a dark goddess. She is helping a dog attack a giant who looks like a snake. Hecate is defined by her powerful magic, being at ease with the night and darkness and in wild surroundings. Classical scholars have differing views about where the worship of Hecate in Ancient Greece came from. Her parentage was given differently by various writers. Names derived from hers were common, including Hecatomnus, the father of the ruler Mausolus who built the famous tomb. . Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, creative tips and more. In a hymn to Hecate, Hesiod detailed the ways in which the goddess could both allow good fortune and deny it: Whom she will she greatly aids and advances: she sits by worshipful kings in judgment, and in the assembly whom she will is distinguished among the people. It was believed that she could see in all directions. 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. She is also known as Soteria (Savior), the Mother of Angels, and the Cosmic World. Further, the home would be blessed and any wrong-doing by family members would be forgiven and the household purified. As punishment, she was transformed into a dog to be the companion of Hecate. Hecate is usually depicted with a burning torch in her hand and with a dog laying at her feet, its head raised. Hecate, however, took pity on Galinthias. Another option was a dish of red mullet, which was usually not allowed to be given to other gods. But the version of Hecate that appears in Greek texts is not so straightforward. Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. At least one story, however, gives the goddess a much more human origin. 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. (2021, December 6). Hecate was both Greek and foreign at the same time. And during these times Hecate was also very much connected to other portals- such as doors, entrances, thresholds and eventually the crossroads. Seeing her friend in pain, Galinthias tricked the Moirai into thinking the child had been born despite their interference. The offerings to the goddess were made each month during the night of a new moon. A: Hecate is the Greek Goddess of magic and witchcraft. Selenite, tiger's eye, obsidian, rhodochrosite, jet, jasper, agate, and amber are the most suited crystals for Hecate. What are interesting facts about Hecate? - WisdomAnswer Eleusis was in Greece, which is where it is now. She has long been associated with witchcraft and the occult, even necromancy. Hecate was a goddess of boundaries and in between spaces. The evening meal in ancient Greece, especially in Athens known as Deipnon, was in honor of Hecate. Since the 5th century BCE, the goddess has been linked to the darker parts of life, like death, witchcraft, magic, the Moon, dreams, fierce hounds, and creatures that roam the night. Hecate - Greek Mythology Local sun goddesses from before the Greek era have many of the same attributes as those later associated with Hecate. On her head she sometimes wears a kalathos, a tall wicker basket, or a moon sickle. The Greeks likewise borrowed many deities and legends from their eastern neighbors. 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. According to Greek mythology when the universe first came into being the primordial gods were there, fully formed. Hecate first appears in Hesiods Theogony, written in the 7th century BCE. 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. Not only could she move between the realms, but she had power to control the passage of others. The droves of kine and wide herds of goats and flocks of fleecy sheep, if she will, she increases from a few, or makes many to be less. They claim she originated in Caria, a region in southern Anatolia on the Mediterranean, and was adopted into the Greek pantheon. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The Greek goddess Hecate, or Hekate, is Greece's dark goddess of the crossroads. The Goddess Hecate is supposed to be the daughter of Perses, a Titan, and Asteria, a nymph. The first example of the triple-Hecate form, called hekataia, was made by the sculptor Alcamenes in the 5th century BCE. Hecate hkt, hkt , in Greek religion and mythology, goddess of ghosts and witchcraft. Even in descriptions of Medeas witchcraft, it is difficult to distinguish magical rituals from more standard worship and rites. Her attributes, besides the torch, are the snake, whip, dagger, and sword. One of these was the boundary between life and death. She is depicted on the altar of Pergamon with one body and three heads (ca. One of Hecates frequent animal companions, and the one that shes most often depicted with, was a black dog. Subscribe to our popular newsletter Synced Global AI Weekly to get weekly AI updates. As she is said to be the guardian of the crossroads, she is most often depicted with three faces and carrying torches or a key. When you buy through the links on our site we may earn a commission. The goddess was often linked to Demeter, and in some cults, she was seen as the same as Demeter. Facts About Hestia, the Greek Goddess of Home and Hearth - ThoughtCo Her group included the Lampades, the nymphs of the Underworld, and ghosts. She was also called the Goddess of the threshold or the Goddess of the house. "Worker-from-afar." In addition to magic and witchcraft, Hecate was also considered to be the Goddess of crossroads, gates, and ghosts. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. 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. Victorian Era, Ibn Khaldun or Celts. In the writings of Hesiod, Hecate is the daughter of the Titan Perses and the nymph Asteria. It is believed that Zeus, the king of the gods, asked Hecate to help find Persephone after Hades kidnapped her. Proponents of this theory believe that this may have been the case with Hecate. A: In Greek mythology, Hecate was the Goddess of witchcraft and magic. The crossroads are special places, places of great power, but at the same time haunting places. Most of the ceremonies and festivals dedicated to this Goddess were often celebrated at night. Such triple goddesses were common in ancient religions. Ft. 1302 Covington Ct, Virginia Beach, VA 23453. In ancient times the crossroads didnt have our modern symbolism as a place of choices. As a result, the goddess of magic remained a major deity in regulating evil spirits in the Underworld. People left the food there to honor Hecate. Writings throughout the centuries have woven different tales about Hecate and her role as a goddess. 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. This grouping of the goddesses happens again in Aristophanes Frogs (1358f) when Aeschylus character calls on the goddesses. 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. The chief Greek god, Zeus, was very fond of this Goddess and gave her a share of the earth and sea. Hecate is a Goddess shrouded in mystery, for there is continuing debate about Her name, origin and character. A mysterious goddess of sorcery, necromancy, and ghosts, Greek Goddess Hecate is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing characters in all of Greek mythology! A: In Greek Mythology, Hecate was the Goddess of magic and witchcraft. She witnessed the abduction of Demeter's daughter Persephone to the underworld and, torch in hand, assisted in the search for her. 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. 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! IT WAS A COMMON PRACTICE TO PLACE IMAGES OF HECATE ATCITYGATES & THE DOORWAYS OF PRIVATE HOMES AS SHE COULD WARD OFF EVIL SPIRITS. Hecate was an only child and was worshiped in households of Athens where families hoped to receive protection, prosperity and daily blessings. 170 BCE). Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The worship of Hecate continued into theHellenisticandRomanperiods with significant archaeological finds of votive offerings to the goddess being found at Lagina in Caria andPhrygia. 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. the Jinn or Genie-good, bad or simply Goetic spirits of another name? Was the Griffin a Bird from Greek Mythology? Apollonius of Rhodes says that the sound of dogs barking from the Underworld can be heard when Hecate is nearby. 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. A popular story among the Greeks was that the dog that accompanied Hecate was the Trojan queen Hecuba. My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) She is the witness to every crime. Hecate is a goddess in Greek mythology often associated with darkness and witchcraft. Hecate appears in many plays and poems as the personification of darkness, the moon, and magic. 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. Persis and Asteria, two Titans from the generation of deities prior to the Olympians, are the legendary parents of Hecate. The conflicting origins of Hecate were only the beginning of what made this goddess so mysterious. 8 Best Crystals for Hecate (Important Facts) She was both a product of the Titans and an honored member of Zeuss court at Olympus. First 6 Months for 1.99 with Monthly Student and Teacher Plans Dismiss, 2022 Learning Mole. Seneca often talks about Hecate and her moon-based counterparts and even links Medea to the goddess. https://www.thoughtco.com/greek-mythology-hecate-1526205 (accessed March 4, 2023). In Greece, there is some evidence that Hecate was originally seen as a much more benevolent, cosmic goddess. Many Anatolian gods had their roots in the Greek pantheon. There is evidence that this may have been the case with Hecate. Child of Perses and Asteria, she was the only Titan to retain her control under Zeus' reign. They thought she would protect them and keep away evil spirits. Eventually, this came to include the boundary between the natural and the supernatural, making her a goddess of magic. Although Hecate found Persephone, instead of rescuing her, she helped her settle into her new life as the bride of Hades. This is how she came to command the earth, bliss, and sea. creative tips and more. At doorways and crossroads, pillars of the goddess Hecate, who held a torch, stood. Apollo is often called Hekatos, the masculine form of his name. 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. Asteria may be the original goddess associated with the Asterion mountain range on the island of Crete. Click to reveal They believed that by praising the goddess, the restless dead would be soothed and not deliver vengeance on the family. Carole Raddato/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 2.0. Hecate has the power to grant or deny any mortals wish. In mythology Nyx represented night. In revenge for the trick, Eileithyia turned Galinthias into a polecat. A competing theory says that Hecate did not develop in Greece at all. Archaeologists have found essential offerings to the goddess at Lagina in Caria and Phrygia. This was all about Hecate, a goddess in ancient Greek religion. People believed that by honoring and praying to this Goddess, their homes would be preserved from the vengeance of the dead. Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. On Greek pottery, she is usually shown as a young woman holding a torch or a key. During ancient times the place where roads met or at crossroads, a pole with three masks was erected. Was the Griffin a Bird from Greek Mythology? There are many other interesting facts about Hecate as pointed out by philosophers and researchers. Hecate, however, is routinely described as the goddess of witchcraft and associated with characters like Medea and Circe, the witch of Homers Odyssey. The Ancient Greek Underworld and Hades - ThoughtCo But Hecate is not the evil hag that popular legend suggests. According to a legend, Odysseus got the Trojan queen Hecuba as a captive after the defeat of Troy. According toHesiodin hisTheogony, Hecate is the daughter of Perses and Asteria, making her the granddaughter of the Titans Phoebe and Coeus. You may like to light incense such as the smoke of wormwood, cypress and lavender in these offerings. Eating crunchy while enjoying a good movie or your favourite video game is a blessing. She was a goddess in charge of magic, witchcraft, and much more. 1,178 Sq. She may be petitioned for a swift, painless death. All Rights Reserved, Ancient Egyptians The First Woman Pharaoh, A Crunchy Pistachios Tale: 13 Interesting Facts About These Salty Munchies. The goddess Hecate is one of the lesser-known goddesses of the Greek pantheon. She was often placed at the entrance of homes to help protect against the evil forces of the world. She is also said to be the Goddess of childbirth and the protector of children. According to Hesiods Theogony, the Titans were the first Greek gods born of earth and the heavens. 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. 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. "Hecate: Greece's Dark Goddess of the Crossroads." 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. A case in point is the Greek goddess Hecate. 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. Story of Hecate It is even more enjoyable Coconuts are delicious. 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. Major temple shrines to Hecate were in the regions of Phrygia and Caria. Tackling Hallucinations: Microsoft's LLM-Augmenter - medium.com Long before Hesiod and Homer began writing their poetry, the stories of the gods were passed on through oral tradition. Even in her origin, Hecate moved between two places. Hecate was variously associated with crossroads, entrance-ways, dogs, light, the moon, magic, witchcraft, knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, ghosts, necromancy, and sorcery. 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. 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. In the Greek religion, strange rituals were done to honour the goddess. Hecate, goddess accepted at an early date into Greek religion but probably derived from the Carians in southwest Asia Minor. By the first century CE, Lucans Pharsalia made it clear that Hecate was the goddess of magic and witchcraft. Hecate was a goddess in Greek Mythology. Q: How do the three witches make Hecate angry? Hecates powers to protect were passed on from Titan parents Perses and Asteria and covered the heavens, earth and sea. The people of Sparta claimed that Ares had been nursed by a nymph called Thero. Hecate is the goddess of witchcraft and was specifically known for her herbal knowledge. The Charites (Graces) and Horai (Seasons) were also trios of minor goddesses in Greek mythology. There is a belief, therefore, that the three goddesses may be aspects of a singular, earlier deity. Like her Greek counterpart, she was also a goddess of domestic animals. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. The goddess was also worshipped in Kos, Erythrai, Samothrace, Thessaly, and Miletos. Lycophron, 77; Scholiast on Aristophanes'. This myth led to goddess Hecate being depicted with torches in her hand. Related Topics: greek. HEKATE (Hecate) was the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy. Intrinsically ambivalent and polymorphous, she straddles conventional boundaries and eludes definition. The goddess had a lot of powers, some of which were later taken over by other gods. While some scholars attribute these displays as holding a dark side to Hecate, most myths associate her with a protective nature toward humans. HECATE - the Greek Goddess of Crossroads (Greek mythology) - Godchecker Hecate became Persephones guardian and close friend while she was living in the Underworld. 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. In sculptures from the Classical and Hellenistic periods, she looks most striking when she has three bodies and three heads, one body with three heads, or three bodies and one head. Symbols of Hecate are her place, the crossroads, two torches, and black dogs. We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. 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. The triple Hecate represented three aspects of a single goddess. Her name was derived from the Greek word hekatos which means worker from afar. Is Hecate a jealous goddess? Esoteric writing from this time says that Hecate has the heads of a horse, a dog, and a snake. Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. Hecate: The Goddess of Witchcraft in Greek Mythology 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. She was most famously the goddess of magic, witchcraft, ghosts, necromancy, the Moon, and the night. She was also the goddess of the Oikos and the guardian of its entrances. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. 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 Facts for Kids | KidzSearch.com We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! Zorya The Slavic goddess of beauty and light took three forms corresponding to morning, evening, and midnight. 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. As early as the 5th century BC, the image of the hekataion was the standard way of showing the goddess in sculpture. 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. She was also associated with some of the most revered and respected goddesses of Olympus. 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. As you may already know Hecateis a goddess ofGreek mythologywho was capable of both good and evil. 170 BCE). Hecate was weaved strongly into all these symbolisms of the crossroads and still does to her devotees. Hecate is the daughter of Perses and Asteria. Your privacy is important to us. 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. Due to her magical powers, Hecate was believed to protect children, sailors, and shepherds. Hecate Facts and Information on the Goddess Hecate Hecate was a goddess in Greek Mythology. HEKATE (Hecate) was the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy. Although much of her power appeared generally dark or menacing, Hecate could also be a merciful goddess. From the three supposedly came her image in Greek . Offerings to this Goddess were also made during the night of the new moon. In her form as a triple goddess, Hecate was closely linked to intersections. Of course, as the goddess of boundaries she had the power to let things in as well as keep them out. 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. 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. Her name was derived from the Greek word hekatos which means "worker from afar". Why notsubscribe to our LearningMole Library for as little as 1.99 per month to access over1000fun educational videos. The masculine form of this word is said to be used for Apollo, one of the Greek gods. It even appears in Christianity, with the gospels placing three Marys at both the Crucifixion and Christs tomb. The facts about Hecate provides a list detailing fascinating additional info to increase your knowledge about Hecate in Greek Mythology. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong. But she isnt in the Homeric epics, which is a big deal. She is sometimes depicted as being accompanied by dogs or hounds and ghosts. In this manner, pillars known as Hecate stood at key intersections and entryways, possibly to ward off malevolent spirits.