The triple goddesses are often referred to as the Maiden, Mother (or Matron), and Crone. It was said that she learned herbalism and spells from Hecate herself. 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). Hectate has neither spouse nor children. Her considerable power over nature ensured her continued popularity, but she's never fitted in with the crowd. Follow for more great fun learning. HEKATE (Hecate) was the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy. Hecate was believed to be a goddess of both the living world and the underworld. She is also known as Soteria (Savior), the Mother of Angels, and the Cosmic World. Archaeological items found in Lagina in Caria and Phrygia also point to the importance of this Goddess during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Was the Griffin a Bird from Greek Mythology? Hecate is a goddess of life, death, regeneration, and magic. Hecates powers to protect were passed on from Titan parents Perses and Asteria and covered the heavens, earth and sea. Most of all, Hecate was a goddess of mystery. This does not influence our choices. Hecate could give her worshipers wealth and blessings, but she could also take them away if they didnt worship her well enough. Hecate also presided over more mystical boundaries. This concept became a central figure in many later versions of polytheism. 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. One of these was the boundary between life and death. 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. It is believed that Hecate represented witchcraft, magic and ghosts. They thought she would protect them and keep away evil spirits. The most commonly repeated story of her birth was that Hecate was the daughter of Perses and Asteria, two second-generation Titans. "Worker-from-afar." Hecate has the power to grant or deny any mortals wish. She was a goddess that could be both a protective guardian and a source of menace. She acted as a sort of guardian because she watched over the places that allowed passage into homes, cities, or even states. Home History Great Facts about Goddess Hecate. The best of the LearningMole geography tutorials. When you buy through the links on our site we may earn a commission. (2021, December 6). The Egyptian fertility goddess Heqet was associated with magic, which the Egyptians called heqa. Her association with dark magic is also tied to her identification as an underworld goddess. She is also said to be the Goddess of childbirth and the protector of children. In fact, the earliest depictions of Hecate can only be differentiated from those of Artemis by inscriptions. The Greeks likewise borrowed many deities and legends from their eastern neighbors. In the 6th century BCE, a circular altar was built in Miletos to honour the goddess (the earliest archaeological evidence of her worship). While Hecates temples in the area are from a later period, she bears a resemblance to a more ancient goddess in Caria. Contrary to popular current belief she wasnt originally a matron for women but for all who fit the above categories. Quite often warriors worshipped the goddess Hecate just as readily. Regula, deTraci. 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. 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. To find out more about LearningMole please visit our about us page or visit more of our topics available. Hecate was said to be a beautiful lady with dark hair. Regula, deTraci. On Greek pottery, she is usually shown as a young woman holding a torch or a key. She was connected to occult practices such as witchcraft and magic, the Moon, gateways, and nocturnal beasts such as hellhounds and ghosts. She was often placed at the entrance of homes to help protect against the evil forces of the world. While Hecate was described as a single goddess with three parts, the tripartite goddess in other instances was shown as three separate but intrinsically-linked beings. Some poets say her mother is Crataeis. A few pagans and Wiccans have also been known to worship Hecate as a dark goddess. 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. The keys that she is sometimes shown holding are supposed to be the keys of the Underworld. As an Amazon Associate, Kidadl earns from qualifying purchases. 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 could not undo the curse, but she made the polecat her sacred servant. Hecate is known to rule over the sky, the earth, and the sea. Those who failed to win the goddesss favor could expect her to invite evil and misfortune into their lives. Click to reveal She was the only one among the Titans who retained this power under the rule of Zeus, and she was honored by all the immortal gods. Long before Hesiod and Homer began writing their poetry, the stories of the gods were passed on through oral tradition. The goddess was especially appealed to by sorceresses for aid in their magic and spellsand appears on surviving examples of curse tablets. In Greece, there is some evidence that Hecate was originally seen as a much more benevolent, cosmic goddess. Advanced Magick for the 21st Century The Adeptus Course, THE MOST COMPLETE COURSE IN PRACTICAL MAGICK EVER RELEASED. She was accompanied by packs of barking dogs. When they heard this the Moirai uncrossed their arms, releasing the bonds that kept the infant Heracles from the earth. When the marriage of Persephone was finalized and she became the queen of the underworld, the bond between the three goddesses was strengthened. The triple Hecate represented three aspects of a single goddess. A: The three witches in the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare made Hecate angry by meeting and predicting the future of the main character, Macbeth, without consulting her. Child of Perses and Asteria, she was the only Titan to retain her control under Zeus' reign. She is good in the byre with Hermes to increase the stock. Hecate helps or protects warriors, athletes, hunters, horsemen, herders, shepherds, fishermen, and children. According to a legend, Odysseus got the Trojan queen Hecuba as a captive after the defeat of Troy. This food offering was known as the Supper of Hecate. Hecate appears in the pseudo-Homeric hymn to Demeter- there Hecate dwelled in a cave during Kores abduction and appeared to Demeter in the dawn while she was searching for her lost daughter. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/greek-mythology-hecate-1526205. Your IP: 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 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. However, she was transformed by Circe into the monster form. Zorya The Slavic goddess of beauty and light took three forms corresponding to morning, evening, and midnight. 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. Hecate Triformis, Hecate of the three faces or three forms, corresponding to the phases of the moon: dark, waxing, and waning. She is capable of both good and evil and is most often associated with magic and witchcraft. Hecate Greek Goddess of Witchcraft : The Complete Guide. In the writings of Hesiod, Hecate is the daughter of the Titan Perses and the nymph Asteria. She was associated with witchcraft, necromancy, and poisons. At doorways and crossroads, pillars of the goddess Hecate, who held a torch, stood. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. The masculine form of this word is said to be used for Apollo, one of the Greek gods. A lot of the same things were said about all of the goddesses. Though perhaps originally an indigenous woodland goddess, Diana early became identified with Artemis. the Jinn or Genie-good, bad or simply Goetic spirits of another name? The goddess told Demeter everything she had heard, but Demeter didnt know who had taken her daughter. 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. And during these times Hecate was also very much connected to other portals- such as doors, entrances, thresholds and eventually the crossroads. Authors from the past, like Ovid and Pausanias, say that dogs, especially black dogs, were given to the goddess as sacrifices. She was both a product of the Titans and an honored member of Zeuss court at Olympus. Trade, colonization, and migration resulted in a great deal of cultural exchange between the two regions. She was made to look like a goddess who could easily move from the Underworld to the real world. 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. The boundaries she oversaw were not limited to the physical world, though. 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. Is Hecate a jealous goddess? She was the only child of the Titanes Perses and Asteria from whom she received her power over heaven, earth, and sea. The blessings she gave them were eventually seen as magic, while prayers were seen as incantations. Most likely, the cults of Thessalian Pherai (Pherae) and Eleusis saw Hekate as Chthonian (Underworld) Hermess wife. Since the fifth century BCE, Hecate has been associated with magic, witchcraft, the moon, and other dark influences. In Ancient Greek religion, Hecate had a wide range of godly tasks. A: Hecate is the Greek Goddess of magic and witchcraft. They believed that by praising the goddess, the restless dead would be soothed and not deliver vengeance on the family. Her liminality came from the fact that she was the daughter of a Titan and a goddess. Archaeologists have found essential offerings to the goddess at Lagina in Caria and Phrygia. 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. Etymology. 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. Hecate hkt, hkt , in Greek religion and mythology, goddess of ghosts and witchcraft. Anatolia, which covered most of what is now Turkey, was a region that had close ties to the Greek world. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Eating crunchy while enjoying a good movie or your favourite video game is a blessing. Hecate is invoked when justice is not forthcoming from other channels. Some later stories agreed that Asteria was her mother, but claimed Zeus had been her father. What Were the Hamadryads in Greek Mythology? These took the form of small cakes of eggs, cheese, bread, and dog meat, which were lit with miniature torches or, alternatively, a dish of red mullet, which was usually prohibited from offerings to the other gods. Origin and Family Persis and Asteria, two Titans from the generation of deities prior to the Olympians, are the legendary parents of Hecate. There are cult sites for the goddess Hecate in Caria, which shows that people there worshipped her. It measured 21m x 28m and was built in the Corinthian order with 8 columns on its shorter sides and 11 columns on its longer sides. To the Greeks this meant not only the moment at which the soul crossed between those to states, but also to a literal place. 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. The name Hecate comes from the Greek word "Hekatos," which was thought to be a really distant and obscure epithet associated with Apollo, the Greek god of music . While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. This myth led to goddess Hecate being depicted with torches in her hand. She guides Sibyl through the Underworld in Virgils Aeneid. While Hera was considered a singular being, she was given three names to represent her different stages in life maiden, wife, and mother. Her priests are normally accompanied by hell hounds sent by their goddess to guard her temples. They are sometimes represented with the familiar aspects of the maiden, mother, and crone. Apollo is often called Hekatos, the masculine form of his name. This makes her the granddaughter of Phoebe and Coeus, both Titans. The Moirai crossed their arms and Eileithyia refused to help the laboring woman. She is the witness to every crime. Hecate. She was also the goddess of the Oikos and the guardian of its entrances. 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. The facts about Hecate provides a list detailing fascinating additional info to increase your knowledge about Hecate in Greek Mythology. Latin Spelling. Hesiod, for example, seemed to hold in in high regard and makes no mention of this darker association. Hecate took pity on her, though, and brought her back to life as a dog to be her companion. There are many other interesting facts about Hecate as pointed out by philosophers and researchers. As punishment, she was transformed into a dog to be the companion of Hecate. 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. However, she is believed to be protective of human beings. Some speculate that it represents the full moon, half moon, and new moon. Hecate was the goddess of borders, barriers, and boundaries. According toHesiodin hisTheogony, Hecate is the daughter of Perses and Asteria, making her the granddaughter of the Titans Phoebe and Coeus. The three-part goddess was able to keep watch in all directions, and became standard in both written and visual representations. Some say that Hecate is the daughter of Erebus and Nyx, ageless Goddess of the night, while others believe that She is one of the Furies or the last surviving Titan except for Zeus. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). On her head she sometimes wears a kalathos, a tall wicker basket, or a moon sickle. She was also associated with some of the most revered and respected goddesses of Olympus. She can be a shadowy, oblique goddess: her response may be subtle. Many of the rituals described in ancient texts, for example the elaborate sacrifice of a ewe in Argonautica, are in keeping with what is known about the worship of other deities of the underworld. They call her Aristaion or Night. Esoteric writing from this time says that Hecate has the heads of a horse, a dog, and a snake. The earliest archaeological evidence that has been found that proved that this deity was important and worshipped by the people was the circular altar that was used in the 6th century BCE for sacrifices to her. The goddess had a lot of powers, some of which were later taken over by other gods. 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. She is sometimes shown holding a key. 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). This grouping of the goddesses happens again in Aristophanes Frogs (1358f) when Aeschylus character calls on the goddesses. She was also called the Goddess of the threshold or the Goddess of the house. Hecate was the principal goddess who had jurisdiction over enchantments and spells. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published. Another option was a dish of red mullet, which was usually not allowed to be given to other gods. 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. She was the only Titan who kept her power while Zeus was in charge. The Orphic Mysteries said that Hestia was the daughter of Demeter instead. Further, the home would be blessed and any wrong-doing by family members would be forgiven and the household purified. Historian Robert Graves notes that the heads could be distinctive of a dog, lion and horse, representing the constellations which cover the calendar year. The one in Lagina stood out the most. Hecate was believed to be a goddess of both the living world and the underworld. 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. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Updates? On any trip to Greece, it's helpful to have some knowledge of the Greek gods and goddesses. Tzetzes on Lycophron, 1175; Scholiast on Theocritus, ii, 36. According to Theogony. Dogs also howl at the Moon, so this could be a link. 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. In Aeschylus Suppliants, for example, they were often mixed up to make a goddess with two faces. Although much of her power appeared generally dark or menacing, Hecate could also be a merciful goddess. This article incorporates text from Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) by William Smith, which is in the public domain. But by the end of the ancient world, this image had changed into a single goddess with three heads. A popular story among the Greeks was that the dog that accompanied Hecate was the Trojan queen Hecuba. Local sun goddesses from before the Greek era have many of the same attributes as those later associated with Hecate. 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. Greeks likewise borrowed many deities and legends. Parents: Perses (and Asteria) or Zeus and Asteria (a second-generation Titan) or Nyx (Night) or Aristaios or Demeter (see Theoi Hecate) Because of this, some people would make sacrifices of dogs, especially puppies, to her. According to the Greek writer Hesiod*, Hecate was the daughter of the Titan* Perses and the nymph Asteria. On the other hand, Euripides says that Leto is her mother. She was a goddess of magic and the underworld, but she was also a protector of the home and a guardian of borders. Scylla's most retold appearance is in Homer's Odyssey. During the Hellenistic and Roman times, people still worshipped Hecate. Persis and Asteria, two Titans from the generation of deities prior to the Olympians, are the legendary parents of Hecate. A competing theory says that Hecate did not develop in Greece at all. She is believed to visit the Underworld to help other gods and people who were outcasts due to fear. Hecate was variously associated with crossroads, entrance-ways, dogs, light, the moon, magic, witchcraft, knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, ghosts, necromancy, and sorcery. Like her Greek counterpart, she was also a goddess of domestic animals. Hecate is invoked when justice is not forthcoming from other channels. 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. Most likely, the cults of Thessalian Pherai (Pherae) and Eleusis saw Hekate as Chthonian (Underworld) Hermes's wife. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. 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. Many depictions, such as those of the Moirae, show the three goddesses corresponding to the three stages of a womans life. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. 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. Some early writers claimed that Hecate was actually the princess Iphigenia, saved from death by Artemis and transformed into a goddess. Hecate was also linked to a lot of other goddesses from other pantheons. Much later, Shakespeare referenced her in Macbeth, where she is mentioned in the scene of the three witches boiling together their dire brew. Hecate is usually thought to have originated in Thrace, a wild northern region of Greece that is also known for its tales of Amazons. IT WAS A COMMON PRACTICE TO PLACE IMAGES OF HECATE ATCITYGATES & THE DOORWAYS OF PRIVATE HOMES AS SHE COULD WARD OFF EVIL SPIRITS. This could be because she sided with him during the 10-year battle between the Titans and the Olympians. She is also mentioned in Aeneid, a play by Virgil where she guides one of the characters, Sibyl, in the Underworld. Her group included the Lampades, the nymphs of the Underworld, and ghosts. The well-known Pergamon Altar (from around the 2nd century BCE) shows Hecate as three different things. Because she was associated with borders, gates, and doorways, Hecate took on a protective role. 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). Well send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out. Hecate has been referenced in various literary works, including the plays by Sophocles and Euripides. Polecats hid in dirty holes and, it was believed by the Greeks, had a grotesque and unnatural way of mating. Hecate was weaved strongly into all these symbolisms of the crossroads and still does to her devotees. The things that make Hecate seem like an older woman are in the Pharsalia. 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. Hecate was the chief goddess presiding over magic and spells. One of her epithets, Apotropaia, references the protection she gave in these spaces. Controlling who moved through the border between the earth and the underworld gave her a unique power to summon spirits and raise the dead. On an Attic vase from the 5th century BCE, a woman is shown giving a goddess a puppy and a basket of cakes. Her name is akin to the Latin words dium ("sky") and dius ("daylight"). Study medicinal and magical herbalism and become one of Hecate's priestesses. The first sculpture of Hecate in triple form was the (lost) statue by Alcamenes (fifth century BCE) at the Acropolis. Like most of the Olympic pantheon, Hecate predates the written mythology of Greece. Witches do gather together or solitary on crossroads as do magicians , hoodoo and voudan practitioners to cast their enchantments and spells. You may request to banish harm from you and to protect you and your loved ones. Hecate is usually depicted with a burning torch in her hand and with a dog laying at her feet, its head raised. Medeas magic was often described as having to do with necromancy, sleep, and the night. Hecate is also sometimes interpreted in association with Artemis and Selene. This is how she came to command the earth, bliss, and sea. Thus, pillars called Hecataea stood at crossroads and doorways, perhaps to keep away evil spirits. 1,178 Sq. Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, This garden would've contained her sacred trees, herbs and poisons. Hecate was a goddess of boundaries and in between spaces. Hecate was a complex, ancient goddess known to the Greeks but originally worshiped by people of Asia Minor*. Roman poets encouraged the idea that Hecate was three different things by calling her Hecate-Selene and other similar names. Q: Why was Hecate excluded from witch meetings? Other writers claim her as the daughter ofZeusandDemeter, Aristaion. 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. As a cthonic goddess of the underworld, her rituals and rites were often associated with death and secrecy. Offerings to this Goddess were also made during the night of the new moon. Over time, some of the Olympians changed form and function. Many people think that worshipping the goddess began before the Greeks, while others think it started in Thrace.
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