Hekate
Greek goddess of witchcraft, magic, necromancy, spirits, crossroads, the night, and the Moon
Hekate was the only child of the Titans Perses and Asteria from whom she received her power over heaven, earth, and sea. 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. She was the only one among the Titans who retained this power under the rule of Zeus, and she was honoured by all the immortal gods. Hekate is known to be a bringer of good luck, wisdom, victory, and is a protector of children and households as well. She is the goddess who rules over every herb and is the one who guards gates, crossroads, and entryways of all kinds.
While Hekate is often believed to be a “triple goddess”, a Wiccan concept of the stages of maiden, mother, and crone in a goddess, Hekate actually appears in triple form to represent the three-way crossroads. She is sometimes 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. There is another very important feature which arose out of the notion of her being a chthonic divinity, namely, she was regarded as a spectral being, who at night sent from the Underworld all kinds of entities and phantoms, who taught sorcery and witchcraft, who dwelt at places where two roads crossed each other, on tombs, and near the blood of murdered people. She herself wanders about with the souls of the dead, and her approach is announced by the whining and howling of dogs. In works of art she was sometimes represented as a single being, but sometimes also as a three-headed monster.
In one myth, Hekate assisted Demeter in her search for Persephone after she was kidnaped by Hades, guiding her through the night with flaming torches. Once Persephone was rescued, Hekate remained with her as her attendant and companion. She thus became a deity of the lower world in order to provide companionship to Persephone whenever she is forced to return to Hades in the Underworld. Hekate is described in this capacity as a mighty and formidable divinity, ruling over the souls of the departed; she is known as the goddess of purification and expiation, and is accompanied by Stygian dogs.
Appearance: a woman in her 30’s with long black hair, black eyes, and pale skin. She has black-feathered wings and wears a black dress that comes down to her feet
Personality: Hekate is often very quiet, mysterious, gloomy, and a bit serious. She is extremely knowledgeable on all things regarding magick and can teach humans on the proper ways to perform this craft, as well as how to improve one’s astral senses. Hekate is the very embodiment of magick, the ancient spiritual power (just as Heka is); thus she knows best how one can become a witch and the many secrets regarding this crooked path. However, one must earn her respect and prove their worth before being told such knowledge. Hekate usually speaks calmly, but has a bit of an eerie presence to her, as if she is the cold embrace of night itself. When angered, she is often horrific and puts powerful curses upon whoever wronged her.
| Symbolism of Hekate |
Crossroads
Torches
Keys
Daggers
Hekate’s wheel
Black dogs
Polecats
Serpents
The Moon
| Some of her epithets |
Æmbýlios (At the gate)
Ærannín (The lovely one)
Amaimákrætos Vasíleia (Indomitable queen)
Dǽspina (Mistress)
Einodía (At the cross-roads)
Khrysosandalaimopotikhthonía (The earthly goddess who wears golden sandals and drinks blood)
Khthónii (Of the earth; earthly)
Kourotróphos (Nurturer of children)
Nyktǽria (Of the night; hidden)
Ouræsiphítis (She who haunts the mountains)
Philǽrimos (Lover of solitude)
Phohsphóros (Bringer of light)
Própolos (Attendant and guide)
Sæmní (Revered)
Sóhteira (Protectress)
Triodítis (Of the crossroads; the three-ways)
Tymvídios (Of the grave)
Vrimóh (The terrible one)
Offerings: red wine, pomegranate juice, dark chocolate, pomegranates, figs, blackberries, sour cherries, chess boards (black and white ones), black and white beads, bat wings, dragonfly wings, animal bones, snakeskin (from venomous snakes only), toadstools, queen of night orchid, nightflower perfume, Fiore del Dragone perfume, midnight dahlia perfume, bat figurines, black cat figurines, toad figurines, spider figurines, black feathers, starfish, cat eye crystal, moonstone, obsidian, black onyx, black silk (to cover altar), scrying orbs, black mirrors, chicken feet, black candle with a red ribbon tied around it, tarot cards, Ouija boards/planchettes, athames, keys, images of the moon, and incense of opium or Queen of the Night
