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. Names derived from hers were common, including Hecatomnus, the father of the ruler Mausolus who built the famous tomb. They claim she originated in Caria, a region in southern Anatolia on the Mediterranean, and was adopted into the Greek pantheon. 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. Hades was pleased with this, and Hecate was allowed to come and go as she pleased from the Underworld. Her liminality came from the fact that she was the daughter of a Titan and a goddess. Esoteric writing from this time says that Hecate has the heads of a horse, a dog, and a snake. She was the daughter of the Titan Perses and the nymph Asteria. IT WAS A COMMON PRACTICE TO PLACE IMAGES OF HECATE ATCITYGATES & THE DOORWAYS OF PRIVATE HOMES AS SHE COULD WARD OFF EVIL SPIRITS. 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. The goddess told Demeter everything she had heard, but Demeter didnt know who had taken her daughter. She is sometimes depicted as being accompanied by dogs or hounds and ghosts. She was there when Demeters daughter Persephone was taken to the Underworld, and she helped search for her with a torch in her hand after she saw it happen. She's ill at ease in cities and civilization. Look for her animals: snakes, dragons, cats, and especially dogs. 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. If you are interested in effective unique protection magickCLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE! 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. 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. 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 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. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. As you may already know Hecateis a goddess ofGreek mythologywho was capable of both good and evil. Even though there arent many myths about the goddess Hecate, the ones that do exist tell us a lot about where she has power. She is also mentioned in Aeneid, a play by Virgil where she guides one of the characters, Sibyl, in the Underworld. She was known by her Roman name, Trivia, as well as by her triple form. Such triple goddesses were common in ancient religions. Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. The duration ofa dark moonvaries between 1.5 and 3.5 days) to the crossroads. 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. She is invoked for justice, especially for sexual crimes against women and girls. 139.162.195.99 But because these Anatolian cult sites were built later, other classicists say that the goddess could not have come from Anatolia. She was often shown holding two torches, such as would be found beside gates, to allow her to illuminate both sides of a boundary. Classical scholars have differing views about where the worship of Hecate in Ancient Greece came from. This was a group started by May Otis Blackburn in Los Angeles, California. The first sculpture of Hecate in triple form was the (lost) statue by Alcamenes (fifth century BCE) at the Acropolis. 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. 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. This myth led to goddess Hecate being depicted with torches in her hand. As the Romans developed and constructed superior road systems, we started to see the emergence of choices and nowadays in modern. Hecate was a cathonic goddess that preceded the Olympians, and it seems that she was highly worshipped in Thrace. She is often displayed holding two torches or a key. Hecate rules over the night, magic, and places where three roads meet. She was also associated with some of the most revered and respected goddesses of Olympus. Is Hecate a jealous goddess? I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. She witnessed the abduction of Demeters daughter Persephone to the underworld and, torch in hand, assisted in the search for her. Nearby Recently Sold Homes. The name "Hecate" (Greek , translit. 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. This article incorporates text from Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) by William Smith, which is in the public domain. Dogs also howl at the Moon, so this could be a link. Still another school of thought links her, at least linguistically, to Egypt. The most commonly repeated story of her birth was that Hecate was the daughter of Perses and Asteria, two second-generation Titans. Though perhaps originally an indigenous woodland goddess, Diana early became identified with Artemis. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. 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. She is also Queen of the Night, and is highly connected to All Hallow's Eve. The Egyptian fertility goddess Heqet was associated with magic, which the Egyptians called heqa. Archaeological items found in Lagina in Caria and Phrygia also point to the importance of this Goddess during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. The time of the dark moon is a special time of the month to give offerings to Hecate. But the version of Hecate that appears in Greek texts is not so straightforward. The things that make Hecate seem like an older woman are in the Pharsalia. Hecate was weaved strongly into all these symbolisms of the crossroads and still does to her devotees. It was believed that she could see in all directions. Other writers claim her as the daughter ofZeusandDemeter, Aristaion. 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. Another story of Hecates protective nature also involves another of her sacred animals. She is the witness to every crime. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. Hecate is often depicted with three heads as she was called the Goddess of the Crossroads. Hecate was the principal goddess who had jurisdiction over enchantments and spells. 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. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Some myths suggest that Zeus and Hera were the parents of this Goddess, and that is how she came to control the heavens and the earth. Several modern devotees already adapted the tradition of giving food offerings to Hekate- these are sacred meals, that are bought on the dark moon ( This is the last visible crescent of a waningMoon. 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. Carole Raddato/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 2.0. Share This Post. Hecate may be invoked for healing, especially if medical solutions have failed or are not an option. Lycophron, 77; Scholiast on Aristophanes'. The Goddess Hecate is supposed to be the daughter of Perses, a Titan, and Asteria, a nymph. 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 is invoked when justice is not forthcoming from other channels. 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 people of Sparta claimed that Ares had been nursed by a nymph called Thero. In the Pharsalia, the witch Erichtho calls on Persephone as the lowest part of Hecate. Asteria may be the original goddess associated with the Asterion mountain range on the island of Crete. They are sometimes represented with the familiar aspects of the maiden, mother, and crone. 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. Eating crunchy while enjoying a good movie or your favourite video game is a blessing. There are few legends about Her, and no fixed genealogy. 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. These statues took on a distinctive appearance. "Hecate: Greece's Dark Goddess of the Crossroads." Archaeologists have found essential offerings to the goddess at Lagina in Caria and Phrygia. People left the food there to honor Hecate. Interesting facts: Hestia was one of three goddesses immune to the influence of Aphrodite. 1,178 Sq. They include, science, maths, English and more. She was a goddess in charge of magic, witchcraft, and much more. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. 2 Beds. She was the only child of the Titanes Perses and Asteria from whom she received her power over heaven, earth, and sea. Hecate is petitioned for fertility, especially for female children. 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 was the only Titan who kept her power while Zeus was in charge. All Rights Reserved, Ancient Egyptians The First Woman Pharaoh, A Crunchy Pistachios Tale: 13 Interesting Facts About These Salty Munchies. It is the story of how the polecat became one of her companions. The hekataion depicted Hecate as three women encircling a central column. 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. Hecate was the chief goddess presiding over magic and spells. Most likely, the cults of Thessalian Pherai (Pherae) and Eleusis saw Hekate as Chthonian (Underworld) Hermes's wife. Hecate: Greece's Dark Goddess of the Crossroads. She was often placed at the entrance of homes to help protect against the evil forces of the world. On her head she sometimes wears a kalathos, a tall wicker basket, or a moon sickle. "Worker-from-afar." Many people think that worshipping the goddess began before the Greeks, while others think it started in Thrace. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. She rules wisdom, choices, expiation, victory, vengeance, and travel. Although they combined her with Diana and Artemis, the Romans also worshipped this deity, referred to her as Trivia, which means three ways. 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. What Were the Hamadryads in Greek Mythology? They thought she would protect them and keep away evil spirits. 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. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. And all these views if we go back in time can also be found in the Greco-Roman world.
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