facts about hecate facts about hecate

A statue called Hekate Epipyrgidia (On the Ramparts) stood at the Athens Acropolis entrance. Those who failed to win the goddesss favor could expect her to invite evil and misfortune into their lives. She is sometimes depicted as being accompanied by dogs or hounds and ghosts. Hecate was believed to be a goddess of both the living world and the underworld. Hecate doesnt often appear in Greek art and writing until the 5th century BCE. The well-known Pergamon Altar (from around the 2nd century BCE) shows Hecate as three different things. Hesiod describes the goddess in the following glowing terms: Zeus, Cronus son, honoured [Hecate] above all others: he gave her splendid gifts to have a share of the earth and of the barren sea, and from the starry sky as well she has a share in honour, and is honoured most of all by the immortal gods. There are cult sites for the goddess Hecate in Caria, which shows that people there worshipped her. Q: How do the three witches make Hecate angry? Performance & security by Cloudflare. Medeas magic was often described as having to do with necromancy, sleep, and the night. We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content. She's also the Queen of Witches. Her attributes, besides the torch, are the snake, whip, dagger, and sword. Any information you provide to us via this website may be placed by us on servers located in countries outside the EU if you do not agree to such placement, do not provide the information. Kos, Erythrai,Samothrace, Thessaly, and Miletos also worshipped the. According to Theogony. On an Attic vase from the 5th century BCE, a woman is shown giving a goddess a puppy and a basket of cakes. Hecate is closely associated with several other goddesses in the Greek pantheon, with symbolism and function seeming to overlap. times its difficult to find a quite crossroads to perform workings except in remote areas. Origin and Family Persis and Asteria, two Titans from the generation of deities prior to the Olympians, are the legendary parents of Hecate. And all these views if we go back in time can also be found in the Greco-Roman world. A competing theory says that Hecate did not develop in Greece at all. Scholars say that this Apolline name connects Hecate to Artemis, another goddess with a similar area of power. She is described in this capacity as a mighty and formidable divinity, ruling over the souls of the departed; she is the goddess of purifications and expiations, and is accompanied by Stygian dogs.11 By Phorcys she became the mother of Scylla.12, There is another very important feature which arose out of the notion of her being an infernal divinity, namely, she was regarded as a spectral being, who at night sent from the lower world all kinds of demons and terrible phantoms, who taught sorcery and witchcraft, who dwelt at places where two roads crossed each other, on tombs, and near the blood of murdered persons. Hecates actual origins may be in caria, Turkey we can find The Temple of Hecate in the Sanctuary of Hecate at Lagina in Caria (modern-day Turkey which has been dated to the last quarter of the 2nd century CE. The Orphic Mysteries said that Hestia was the daughter of Demeter instead. Hecate is defined by her powerful magic, being at ease with the night and darkness and in wild surroundings. She was a goddess that could be both a protective guardian and a source of menace. Roman poets encouraged the idea that Hecate was three different things by calling her Hecate-Selene and other similar names. This food offering was known as the Supper of Hecate. There is a belief, therefore, that the three goddesses may be aspects of a singular, earlier deity. Link will appear as Hecate: https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net - Greek Gods & Goddesses, October 19, 2019, Greek Gods and Goddesses 2010 - 2023 | About | Contact | Sitemap | Privacy, Hecate: https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net, Magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy, None, however in some myths there are various potential offspring mentioned - (Aegialeus, Circe, Empusa, Medea, Scylla). 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! In her form as a triple goddess, Hecate was closely linked to intersections. Her liminality came from the fact that she was the daughter of a Titan and a goddess. All Rights Reserved, Ancient Egyptians The First Woman Pharaoh, A Crunchy Pistachios Tale: 13 Interesting Facts About These Salty Munchies. 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. In literature, there is a clear link between her, Demeter, and Persephone. On the Pergamon Altar of Zeus, from the 2nd century BCE, a three-headed Hecate and a dog attack a snake-like giant. Each of the Greek gods has a few specialized functions. To find out more about LearningMole please visit our about us page or visit more of our topics available. Hecate was the chief goddess presiding over magic and spells. A case in point is the Greek goddess Hecate. A: This Greek Goddess is often considered to be capable of both good and evil. 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 food offered to this deity included cheese, cakes of eggs, and a dish of red mullet. In ancient times, Hecates three-part form was shown as three separate bodies surrounding a central column. A: Hecate is the Greek Goddess of magic and witchcraft. She is often displayed holding two torches or a key. 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. They include, science, maths, English and more. 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. Her origins and powers were unexplained and changeable. 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. Hecate acted as a veil between the world of the mortals and the supernatural. The best of the LearningMole geography tutorials. Hecate was the chief goddess presiding over magic and spells. Seeing her friend in pain, Galinthias tricked the Moirai into thinking the child had been born despite their interference. First 6 Months for 1.99 with Monthly Student and Teacher Plans Dismiss, 2022 Learning Mole. It has been suggested that the idea of magic coming from Hecate was an evolution of the many gifts she was capable of bestowing upon her favorites. The crossroads are special places, places of great power, but at the same time haunting places. First you can set down the offerings to Hekate on the crossroad, just be sure to choose a less travelled crossroads free of heavy traffic for your safety. As a result, the goddess of magic remained a major deity in regulating evil spirits in the Underworld. In Greece, there is some evidence that Hecate was originally seen as a much more benevolent, cosmic goddess. She may be petitioned for a swift, painless death. They are sometimes represented with the familiar aspects of the maiden, mother, and crone. The Moirai crossed their arms and Eileithyia refused to help the laboring woman. 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). This makes her the granddaughter of Phoebe and Coeus, both Titans. This is shown by her names and cult titles, such as India (which means on the way), Trodia (which means frequenter of the crossroads), and Propylaia (of the gates). Over time, some of the Olympians changed form and function. On any trip to Greece, it's helpful to have some knowledge of the Greek gods and goddesses. She was most famously the goddess of magic, witchcraft, ghosts, necromancy, the Moon, and the night. Follow for more great fun learning. 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. The Egyptian fertility goddess Heqet was associated with magic, which the Egyptians called heqa. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. $204,000 Last Sold Price. 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. HEKATE (Hecate) was the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy. This is shown in Act III, scene five of the play. 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. Hecate was a goddess of boundaries and in between spaces. Her name was derived from the Greek word hekatos which means worker from afar. Moreover, the fact that Hecate had a Greek name does not necessarily mean that her cult originated in Greece (she more likely emerged from Caria in Asia Minor). Home History Great Facts about Goddess Hecate. Hecate, goddess accepted at an early date into Greek religion but probably derived from the Carians in southwest Asia Minor. The necromancers not only conjured the spirits of the dead on nightly cemeteries but also on the crossroads, the leftovers from spells are buried on the crossroads in many magical traditions and in many religions it is believed that the spirits are lingering on the crossroads. In a few cases, Hecate was said to have shared these powers with her most devoted followers. On her head she sometimes wears a kalathos, a tall wicker basket, or a moon sickle. 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. She was both a product of the Titans and an honored member of Zeuss court at Olympus. The goddess was often linked to Demeter, and in some cults, she was seen as the same as Demeter. She was also called the Goddess of the threshold or the Goddess of the house. Her name is akin to the Latin words dium ("sky") and dius ("daylight"). The most famous witch in Greek mythology received her knowledge of magic from Hecate. Many of the traditional offerings to Hecate- are: milk, honey, oil, cakes, cheese, bloody meat, eggs, onions, garlic. Writings throughout the centuries have woven different tales about Hecate and her role as a goddess. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. The Carians were devoted to Hecate, and she was the primary deity worshipped in the town of Lagina. Lycophron, 77; Scholiast on Aristophanes'. Picture of the Greek Underworld, the residence of Hecate. outlandish in her infernal aspects, she is more at home on the fringes than in the centre ofGreekpolytheism. Sometimes, as was the case with Hecate, it was a single goddess who was shown with three aspects. Apollonius of Rhodes says that the sound of dogs barking from the Underworld can be heard when Hecate is nearby. Sorceresses ask the goddess for help with their magic and spells, and she is shown on curse tablets that have survived. The hekataion depicted Hecate as three women encircling a central column. She is not a typical one-dimensional goddess but lives on many different levels. Mike Greenberg, PhD. Another story said that Hecate herself had cursed a witch named Gale to be a polecat for disgusting her with incontinence and abnormal desires. This was a terrible fate. The chief Greek god, Zeus, was very fond of this Goddess and gave her a share of the earth and sea. By joining Kidadl you agree to Kidadls Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receiving marketing communications from Kidadl. The iconography had not yet come to include her usual attributes, such as her keys and torches or her three aspects. Hecate: Greece's Dark Goddess of the Crossroads. Hecate Triformis, Hecate of the three faces or three forms, corresponding to the phases of the moon: dark, waxing, and waning. Hecate has the power to grant or deny any mortals wish. It is unclear exactly when Hecate became so closely linked with magic and witchcraft. 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. Hekate: A beginner's guide to witchcraft, ghosts, spirituality, and Hekate advance rituals and spells for Meditation and Divination Kindle Edition by Johander Kholms (Author) Format: Kindle Edition 9 ratings See all formats and editions Kindle $5.49 Read with Our Free App What Were the Hamadryads in Greek Mythology? I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. The first literary reference to Hecate was in the Theogony, a Greek poem by Hesiod that is believed to have been written in 700 BCE. Quite often each face is different, one of a dog, one of a horse and one of a goddess. Was the Griffin a Bird from Greek Mythology? The time of the dark moon is a special time of the month to give offerings to Hecate. Like Hermes, who was also a deity of liminal spaces, statues of Hecate were often placed at crossroads and borders. Her parentage was given differently by various writers. Hecate is one of the many goddesses in Greek mythology. Moving between the barrier between life and death explains Hecates connection to both ghosts and necromancy. Your IP: 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. In fact, the earliest depictions of Hecate can only be differentiated from those of Artemis by inscriptions. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published. 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. 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. Hesiod goes on to say that the goddess supports warriors, athletes, hunters, horsemen, herdsmen, shepherds, fishermen, and children. 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. You then connect yourself to her through visualizing and forming a mental image of her presence, you then thank her and pray to her. She is also associated with the moon and is sometimes depicted as having three faces which symbolize the waxing, waning, and full moon phases. Even in her origin, Hecate moved between two places. Hecate the goddess of Greek mythology has been primarily remembered for her associations with magic and witchcraft. The goddess told Demeter everything she had heard, but Demeter didnt know who had taken her daughter. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. Hecate was a goddess in Greek Mythology. Because she was associated with borders, gates, and doorways, Hecate took on a protective role. This is especially ironic since, after this, she seems to have become more associated with the underworld, not less. Much later, Shakespeare referenced her in Macbeth, where she is mentioned in the scene of the three witches boiling together their dire brew. The heads could be of a dog, a lion, or a horse, representing the constellations that make up the year. The goddess Hecate is generally depicted as either an old woman in a long dress or a young woman in a knee-length skirt with hunting boots. Instead, some believe that the goddess originated in Asia Minor. Major temple shrines to Hecate were in the regions of Phrygia and Caria. Even in descriptions of Medeas witchcraft, it is difficult to distinguish magical rituals from more standard worship and rites. A mysterious goddess of sorcery, necromancy, and ghosts, Greek Goddess Hecate is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing characters in all of Greek mythology! She is the witness to every crime. Hecate could give her worshipers wealth and blessings, but she could also take them away if they didnt worship her well enough. She is depicted on the altar of Pergamon with one body and three heads (ca. The goddess was frequently associated with Demeter and even assimilated to her in some cults. Intrinsically ambivalent and polymorphous, she straddles conventional boundaries and eludes definition. Author: Hecate He | Editor: Michael Sarazen. Hecate can banishghosts(or produce a ghost infestation). She was known by her Roman name, Trivia, as well as by her triple form. Modern neopagan and Wiccan religions often include worship of a triple goddess, and of Hecate herself. At doorways and crossroads, pillars of the goddess Hecate, who held a torch, stood. They call her Aristaion or Night. 1.5 Baths. By the first century CE, Lucans Pharsalia made it clear that Hecate was the goddess of magic and witchcraft. 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. People believed that by honoring and praying to this Goddess, their homes would be preserved from the vengeance of the dead. The Furies, winged creatures who punished wrongdoing, were also said to be the companions of Hecate. Most of the ceremonies and festivals dedicated to this Goddess were often celebrated at night. Hecates powers to protect were passed on from Titan parents Perses and Asteria and covered the heavens, earth and sea. 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 aspects of the goddess that had darker connotations were separated from her to create another goddess altogether in the character of Hecate. Hecate was said to be a beautiful lady with dark hair. But she isnt in the Homeric epics, which is a big deal. 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. The boundaries she oversaw were not limited to the physical world, though. This made her one of the few deities to have the power to move freely between the world of the living and the underworld. She is depicted on the altar of Pergamon with one body and three heads (ca. Hecates name comes from the Greek word hekatos, which means worker from afar.. Some depictions show the Goddess with the head of a dog, horse, and lion, which could be the constellations during the year. Persephone was married to Hades and was the queen of the Underworld. As a cthonic goddess of the underworld, her rituals and rites were often associated with death and secrecy. Hecate helps or protects warriors, athletes, hunters, horsemen, herders, shepherds, fishermen, and children. Dogs also howl at the Moon, so this could be a link. 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. Hecate is a Goddess shrouded in mystery, for there is continuing debate about Her name, origin and character. 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. Victorian Era, Ibn Khaldun or Celts. Even though there arent many myths about the goddess Hecate, the ones that do exist tell us a lot about where she has power. Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. Moon Goddess of Hidden Wisdom, Change and Darkness. Hectate is derived from the Greek word 'hekatos,' which 'means worker from afar.' This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. 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. When Persephone was abducted to the underworld by Hades, Hecate was the only witness willing to help Demeter search for her daughter. She was also the goddess of the Oikos and the guardian of its entrances. She convinced her daughter Eiliethyia, the goddess of childbirth, and the Moirai, the Fates, to prevent the birth. Scylla's most retold appearance is in Homer's Odyssey. 2 Beds. The triple Hecate represented three aspects of a single goddess. Hecate is the goddess of witchcraft and was specifically known for her herbal knowledge. Controlling who moved through the border between the earth and the underworld gave her a unique power to summon spirits and raise the dead. 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. The goddess Hecate is one of the lesser-known goddesses of the Greek pantheon. 1,178 Sq. If you enjoyed this content why not dive into some more historical eras check out these articles: Ancient Rome, Ancient Egyptians The First Woman Pharaoh, Greek Mythology Medusa, Native American History. 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. To learn more about other Goddesses and exciting information, keep visiting on LearningMole. Long before Hesiod and Homer began writing their poetry, the stories of the gods were passed on through oral tradition. These crystals possess unique energies and properties that enhance spiritual practices and aid connections with Hecate. Most likely, the cults of Thessalian Pherai (Pherae) and Eleusis saw Hekate as Chthonian (Underworld) Hermes's wife. the Jinn or Genie-good, bad or simply Goetic spirits of another name? The things that make Hecate seem like an older woman are in the Pharsalia. Some experts believe that the three heads or faces of the Goddess Hecate denote the full, half, and new moon. We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. Why notsubscribe to our LearningMole Library for as little as 1.99 per month to access over1000fun educational videos. As was already said, the dog was Hecates most holy animal. She was a goddess in charge of magic, witchcraft, and much more. 170 BCE). Posted by 7thphoenix | May 27, 2020 | Magick Articles | 0 |. Hecate (also spelt Hekate) is a goddess capable of both good and evil. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. Her tasks went beyond the heavens, the earth, the seas, and the Underworld. Hecate Greek Goddess of Witchcraft : The Complete Guide. 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. 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. In Late Antiquity, the empousai have been described as a category of phantoms or spectres, equated with the lamiai and mormolykeia . Thus, pillars called Hecataea stood at crossroads and doorways, perhaps to keep away evil spirits. She was the daughter of Perses and Asteria. As early as the 5th century BC, the image of the hekataion was the standard way of showing the goddess in sculpture. Hecate: [noun] a Greek goddess associated especially with the underworld, night, and witchcraft. The witches were telling Macbeth about his future and had not consulted the Goddess and had left her out of the meeting. Hecate. A popular story among the Greeks was that the dog that accompanied Hecate was the Trojan queen Hecuba. Hecate has been referenced in various literary works, including the plays by Sophocles and Euripides. Her friends are the Erinyes, winged creatures that punish bad behaviour, and her children are the Empusae, female demons that like to seduce travellers. She is also mentioned in Aeneid, a play by Virgil where she guides one of the characters, Sibyl, in the Underworld. It is believed that Hecate represented witchcraft, magic and ghosts. 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. This could be because she sided with him during the 10-year battle between the Titans and the Olympians. It was believed that she could see in all directions. The people of Sparta claimed that Ares had been nursed by a nymph called Thero. This concept became a central figure in many later versions of polytheism. Kidadl is supported by you, the reader. Proponents of this theory believe that this may have been the case with Hecate. It is unclear why this change took place. Regula, deTraci. During ancient times the place where roads met or at crossroads, a pole with three masks was erected. DeTraci Regula is a freelance writer who has specialized in Greek travel and tours for 18 years. Hecate carrying a torch is a common way to show this myth in art. Hecate is invoked when justice is not forthcoming from other channels. Carole Raddato/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 2.0. The beginnings of Hecates worship are shrouded in mystery. 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. Most likely, the cults of Thessalian Pherai (Pherae) and Eleusis saw Hekate as Chthonian (Underworld) Hermess wife. She was often shown holding two torches, such as would be found beside gates, to allow her to illuminate both sides of a boundary. Hecate has been depicted in Greek art, literature, and pottery dating from the fifth century BCE. Meanwhile, others believe she is the progeny of Hecate and Phorcys. She rules wisdom, choices, expiation, victory, vengeance, and travel. Hesiod claimed that Hecate was a favorite of Zeus . Several times, authors make a connection between Medeas use of magic, both harmful and protective, and her worship of Hecate. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. When her city fell, the queen was taken captive and lept off a cliff to her death. These primordial gods each represented a different aspect of existence, together they formed the building blocks of the early universe. There are many other interesting facts about Hecate as pointed out by philosophers and researchers. Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. Hecate is usually depicted with a burning torch in her hand and with a dog laying at her feet, its head raised.