According to the Greek writer Hesiod*, Hecate was the daughter of the Titan* Perses and the nymph Asteria. 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). Scholars think that the goddess arrived in Greece during the Archaic period. Historian Robert Graves notes that the heads could be distinctive of a dog, lion and horse, representing the constellations which cover the calendar year. Hecate Greek Goddess of Witchcraft : The Complete Guide. Omissions? She is also mentioned in Aeneid, a play by Virgil where she guides one of the characters, Sibyl, in the Underworld. She could not be forced to love anyone. Hectate has neither spouse nor children. In the 6th century BCE, a circular altar was built in Miletos to honour the goddess (the earliest archaeological evidence of her worship). If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. Many Anatolian gods had their roots in the Greek pantheon. Her name has been connected to dark magic and disturbing rituals in the works of Shakespeare and well into modern times. She has also been mentioned in the works of Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream, King Lear, and Macbeth. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. There might not be any figure in Greek mythology that is as misunderstood as Hecate. On the other hand, Euripides says that Leto is her mother. "Hecate: Greece's Dark Goddess of the Crossroads." This is how she came to command the earth, bliss . Seneca often talks about Hecate and her moon-based counterparts and even links Medea to the goddess. 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. She was born into the world ruled by the Titans, but continued to be influential and powerful in the Olympian pantheon. Her friends are the Erinyes, winged creatures that punish bad behaviour, and her children are the Empusae, female demons that like to seduce travellers. The most famous witch in Greek mythology received her knowledge of magic from Hecate. Some of the statues she made as offerings to the goddess had the Graces dancing around her; In other versions of the story, she is with a pack of dogs. Another story of Hecates protective nature also involves another of her sacred animals. But by the end of the ancient world, this image had changed into a single goddess with three heads. 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. Anatolia, which covered most of what is now Turkey, was a region that had close ties to the Greek world. SOLD JUN 15, 2022. In ancient times, Hecates three-part form was shown as three separate bodies surrounding a central column. Is Hecate a jealous goddess? She was both a product of the Titans and an honored member of Zeuss court at Olympus. Hecate was also known as the queen or Goddess of the night. The blessings she gave them were eventually seen as magic, while prayers were seen as incantations. Authors from the past, like Ovid and Pausanias, say that dogs, especially black dogs, were given to the goddess as sacrifices. Some authors say that she was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. The name "Hecate" (Greek , translit. Hecate was the daughter of Perses and "gold-wreathed" Astraea (the starry night), and her sway extended over earth, heaven, and hell, for which reason she is represented in works of art as a triple divinity, having three female bodies, all young and beautiful, and united together. Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, creative tips and more. The facts about Hecate provides a list detailing fascinating additional info to increase your knowledge about Hecate in Greek Mythology. However, she is believed to be protective of human beings. My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) Some nymphs in Greek mythology were famous, but others were only known in a certain time Echidna: Greek Mythologys Mother of Monsters, Lamia: The Child-Eating Monster of Greek Legend. Hecate is also sometimes interpreted in association with Artemis and Selene. Hecate was the chief goddess presiding over magic and spells. 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 parentage of Scylla is hotly debated. Names derived from hers were common, including Hecatomnus, the father of the ruler Mausolus who built the famous tomb. On an Attic vase from the 5th century BCE, a woman is shown giving a goddess a puppy and a basket of cakes. One sculpture depicts Hecate with a friendly dog and another with heads of a cow, dog, boar, serpent or horse. 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. Major temple shrines to Hecate were in the regions of Phrygia and Caria. 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. The well-known Pergamon Altar (from around the 2nd century BCE) shows Hecate as three different things. It is believed that Hecate represented witchcraft, magic and ghosts. In Aeschylus Suppliants, for example, they were often mixed up to make a goddess with two faces. The triple Hecate represented three aspects of a single goddess. But Hecate is not the evil hag that popular legend suggests. 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). Some early writers claimed that Hecate was actually the princess Iphigenia, saved from death by Artemis and transformed into a goddess. 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. 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. The darkness, the moon, and magic have been personified as Hecate in many popular and well-known works of literature and in art. They are associated with certain ideas, occupations, or stages of life. She was known by her Roman name, Trivia, as well as by her triple form. Some of the statues she made as offerings to the goddess had the Graces dancing around her. 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's ill at ease in cities and civilization. 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. They spun the threads of fate at the base of. MAGE ENERGETICS The most complete course in magick ever released! Classical scholars have differing views about where the worship of Hecate in Ancient Greece came from. She rules wisdom, choices, expiation, victory, vengeance, and travel. Athenian Greeks used the evening meal, known as Deipnon, to honor Hecate. Eating crunchy while enjoying a good movie or your favourite video game is a blessing. They include, science, maths, English and more. If lost at a crossroads, literal or metaphoric, invoke her name and then pay attention to signs from her. The goddess was also worshipped in Kos, Erythrai, Samothrace, Thessaly, and Miletos. Study medicinal and magical herbalism and become one of Hecate's priestesses. Etymology. 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. Her main jobs were to control boundaries, witchcraft, and the Underworld. The heads could be of a dog, a lion, or a horse, representing the constellations that make up the year. Hecate was also offered the sacrifice of dogs, especially puppies. Hecate: Greece's Dark Goddess of the Crossroads. Her halos are usually made of moonbeams. And all these views if we go back in time can also be found in the Greco-Roman world. We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content. These three goddesses are also linked in the Mystery cults. Click to reveal She is capable of both good and evil and is most often associated with magic and witchcraft. 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. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. Other writers claim her as the daughter ofZeusandDemeter, Aristaion. 170 BCE). The Greek goddess Hecate, or Hekate, is Greece's dark goddess of the crossroads. According to Theogony. They are sometimes represented with the familiar aspects of the maiden, mother, and crone. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon. Even in her origin, Hecate moved between two places. Lastly, the goddess is mentioned in the tragedies of Euripides and Sophocles, among others. Hecate was weaved strongly into all these symbolisms of the crossroads and still does to her devotees. Archaeologists have found essential offerings to the goddess at Lagina in Caria and Phrygia. In single form she appears on Greek vases and coins. 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. 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. Performing a protection rite on yourself and use of amulet is always encouraged as well. Hecate can banishghosts(or produce a ghost infestation). A mysterious goddess of sorcery, necromancy, and ghosts, Greek Goddess Hecate is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing characters in all of Greek mythology! Her origins and powers were unexplained and changeable. She's ill at ease in cities and civilization. It is believed that Hecate represented witchcraft, magic and ghosts. She is sometimes shown holding a key. The most popular theory is that the Carians in Asia Minor brought Hecate to Greece, where she became a part of their religion. 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 . Some scholars of ancient Greek religion have noted that Apollo was occasionally given the name Hecatos, which they interpret to mean one who reaches far. These academics believe that Hecate, therefore, may have once been another name for Apollos twin sister, Artemis. Related Topics: greek. Still another school of thought links her, at least linguistically, to Egypt. 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. Hecate rules over the night, magic, and places where three roads meet. On Greek pottery, she is usually shown as a young woman holding a torch or a key. She held several different roles, including earth goddess, queen of the underworld, and goddess of magic and witchcraft.. This was all about Hecate, a goddess in ancient Greek religion. Hecate. Hecate was often shown as a single person wearing a long robe and holding burning torches. She is believed to visit the Underworld to help other gods and people who were outcasts due to fear. 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. Her priests are normally accompanied by hell hounds sent by their goddess to guard her temples. Hecate was also offered dogs, especially puppies, as a sacrifice. In her form as a triple goddess, Hecate was closely linked to intersections. 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). She is invoked for justice, especially for sexual crimes against women and girls. Hecate was represented as single-formed, clad in a long robe, holding burning torches; in later representations she was triple-formed, with three bodies standing back-to-back, probably so that she could look in all directions at once from the crossroads. And there is a good book titled Hekate liminal rites By David Rankine and Sorite DEsteyou should check out. 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. From the 5th century BCE, the goddess hecate is associated with the darker side of the human experience, that isdeath, witchcraft, magick, the Moon, dreams, hell hounds and creatures which roam the darkness of night. In Ancient Greek religion, Hecate had a wide range of godly tasks. From the three supposedly came her image in Greek . She may be petitioned for a swift, painless death. Hecate, goddess accepted at an early date into Greek religion but probably derived from the Carians in southwest Asia Minor. The Greeks, too, had many different theories about Hecates origins. 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. She guides Sibyl through the Underworld in Virgils Aeneid. Subscribe to our popular newsletter Synced Global AI Weekly to get weekly AI updates. By her very nature Hecate was a goddess that existed on the edges of the Greek pantheon, yet she was also a household goddess who watched over every door in Greece. Was the Griffin a Bird from Greek Mythology? The best of the LearningMole geography tutorials.