Epithets of Hecate (Hekate)
Once again, this is not a complete list and is not intended to be. It is a curated list of the epithets of the deity I find the most interesting and/or useful to my practice.
TW: Many of the epithets of hekate are very dark, disturbing, and contain some rather gory imagery. She has many contradictory epithets, which has always made her an interesting goddess to me. I truly believe she is a goddess that does not hold back in bringing catastrophe upon those who deserve it. It is upg, but she is truly not a goddess to call upon for revenge or being saved from something/someone/a situation unless you are willing to accept the possibility of that person being hurt, maimed, or killed as being a part of it. She is not the goddess to call upon for "Simply keep this person away from me" protection unless you are very specific about no harm coming to them, and even then - the gods do not obey mortals. They listen, but have their own free will at the end of the day. Again, that is all upg, but if someone has done something abominable to you, and you call upon her regarding it, I truly believe that person WILL be hurt. If you do not agree with that level of vengeance, use extreme caution. I say this because her popular depiction as a goddess of witchcraft often seens very sanitized to me. Anyway, epithets:
Abronoe: Gracious minded, providing grace.
Adamantaea: Unconquerable
Agriope: Wild eyed, fierce faced. This one I feel goes particularly well with the common conception of hecate as a 3 faced deity (Or at least, her common depiction as looking out over all directions of a crossroad.)
Adonaia: of the underworld
Aimopotis: Blood drinker. Murderer. This is a very interesting one to me as I have always felt a motherly, guiding presence from Hekate, but I believe this refers to the darker side which she very much has, particularly towards harmers of women and children.
Amaimaketos: Unapproachable. Invincible. Unconquerable. Raging.
Antaian Theou: "She who meets"
Anassa Eneroi: Queen of the dead
Androphonos: Killer of men
Apanchomene: The hanged one
Arkuia: Spinner of webs. Entrapper.
Autophyes: Self generating. Self begotten. I do not know the myth of the birth of Hekate but anybody know if this is shown in mythology?
Boopis: Cow eyed. In addition to being interesting...I see it sort of as alluding to the way a cow and other herbivores have eyes on the side of their head to see predators more easily...it is extremely fun to say.
Borborophora: Eater of filth.
Brimo: Angry one. Terrifying.
Charopos: Fierce. Grim. Flashing. Bright. Having blue-grey eyes. Of the Sea.
Damnodamia: Subduer of subduers.
Deichteira: Teacher. Revealer.
Enodia: Of the crossroads
Episkopos: Guardian. One who watches over. Overseer.
Eukoline: Good tempered (Hekate has so many seemingly contradictory epithets). This next one is out of alphabetical order for contrast purposes:
Kardiodaitos: Feasting on Men’s Hearts.
Hersechtonia: Speaking from below
Kthonia: Of the underworld
Kynegetis: Leader of dogs
Limenoskopos: Of the threshhold. Of the harbor.
Lochias: Protector of birth. Goddess of childbearing.
Meisoponeros: Vice hating.
Nyktiboos: Night shouter. Night crier.
Oistrophaneia: Manifester of madness
Oksyboe: Shrill screamer. Shrieker.
Oriplanos: Mountain roaming.
Pege Psychon: Source of souls.
Phileremos: Lover of solitude
Philoskylax: Lover of dogs
Phroune: Toad. She toad. That's it. Just toad. First time I have ever read this one.
Polyodynos: Full of pain. One who suffers much.
Pyriboulos: Of fiery counsel. I feel this alludes to her bluntness. Upg, but hekate is an extremely blunt goddess. Praying to her for a solution has always gotten me something I did not ask for but that I needed, swiftly. She will remove things from your life that are harming you, but that thing may well end up being harmed in the process. Be careful to ask for no harm to come to whatever you are praying for peace or rescue from, if you do not want to see them harmed.
Sarkophagos: Flesh eater. I think this mostly alludes to her role as a goddess related to death, in the same way as the earth itself could be seen as "Eating" those who are decomposing.
Terpsimbrotos: One who delights mortals
Thanategos: One who brings death.
Tymborychos: Gravedigger, or maybe grave robber.
Zootrophos: Nourisher of life.
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