Goddess of the Witches
Morgan Myers
HUM 259
Professor Lloyd
April 21, 2017
There are many Gods and Goddesses in Greek mythology, each one usually representing natural phenomenon, such as Poseidon and the sea, Zeus and the sky, Athena and war. However, one of the most interesting of the deities is Hecate. Many people would assume that the stories and beliefs in these Gods and Goddesses were left in the past, however even today, people worship these ancient deities. Hecate is of one of the most prominent in my religion, Wicca. The attributes of Hecate make her a very interesting, and intriguing figure to study.
Who was Hecate?
Hecate is the Goddess of magic, and witchcraft and is also closely associated with ghosts and spirits of the dead. She is the daughter of Perses and Asteria, who were both Titans. She is also sometimes referred to as the Virgin Goddess, without any children, but some accounts have also referred to her as the mother of Medea, or the mother of the sea monster Scylla.The Goddess Hecate is also considered to be very useful in protection and prosperity and sometimes people would place her image or figure in the entrance of their homes. In most images, Hecate is depicting holding torches, and some paintings she is also depicted with three heads and three bodies. Other symbols and items that may be in her images are a dagger, rope, and a key. The dagger is used to represent power and protection, the rope is used to represent an umbilical cord which is equated to rebirth and renewal, and the key which represents her key to the underworld and knowledge of death. In the middle ages, Hecate was given the names, "Queen of the Ghostworld" and "Queen of the Witches".
Hecate was important in Greek mythology for her connection to the underworld, her renewing and fertility properties, and for her protection. She was also relevant in the story of Demeter and Persephone. Hecate accompanied Demeter on her search for Persephone. When Persephone was found, she was told she had to stay with Hades, and Hecate became Persephone's guide through Hades.
Accounts of Hecate
Some accounts of Hecate can be confusing due to the fact that her character and persona seem to change as time goes on, and differs in different pieces of literature. Historians have been led to believe that Hecate may have originally been worshipped as a moon Goddess by the Thracians, and eventually became intertwined with Persephone and Selene. When Hecate was described as the mentor of Persephone, she was the Goddess of the dead. This is when the idea of her relating to spirits, necromancy, and witchcraft became prevalent. She was portrayed as having omnipotent powers over the underworld and the spirits of the dead.
Hecate's appearance can be described as a large woman who is often carrying a torch and sometimes a sword. Her hair has even been depicted as composed of snakes. Her followers performed her rituals and celebrations at night by torchlight. The sacrificing of animals, specifically black lambs, was a common offering for Hecate. Hecate was not considered a very warm, welcoming, and loving Goddess, so her followers would pay close attention to the tiniest of details for fear of ticking her off.
What are the Associations of Hecate?
Hecate is associated with many different symbols, animals, objects, and foods. Her main themes are night, rebirth, and magic. Her general associations are torches, candles, athame or dagger, moon, the number three, masks, and candles. Her animal associations are dogs, sheep, horses, owls, bats, snakes, and boars. She is even associated with some plants and herbs such as; willow, dark yew, saffron, raisins, pumpkins, and blackthorn. In Wicca, scents and oils are often used as a representation of deities, Hecate is represented by cinnamon, myrrh, mugwort, honey, and verbena. Another practice of Wicca is to associate deities with gems and minerals, Hecate is associated with black tourmaline, silver, onyx, moonstone, hematite, and smoky quartz. The colors that represent her are black, orange, red, and grey.
Hecate in Modern Day Wicca
In Wicca, the ideas and attributes of Hecate may fluctuate varying from person to person. Each person who claims to work with Hecate may have a different relationship and understanding of her. Personally, I have always found Hecate as a dark Goddess, she is very picky with whom she chooses to share a relationship with. Once she relates to you, the bond is almost indestructible. Hecate is often used in hex magic and protection magic as well as fertility and rebirthing rituals. Sometimes working with Hecate is risky business because she is a Goddess who abides by the Karmic rules or the law of the universe. However, she still has mercy, love, and tenderness of heart when the time is right. One may get less than what they ask for, more than what they ask for, or exactly what they deserve.Wiccans know her as the Goddess beginnings and endings, and the gateway between worlds. A Sabbat that is celebrated by Wiccans and many other Neopagans, is Samhain. Samhain is an old holiday that is the origin of Halloween. Her power is at its peak at midnight, and spells pertaining to her are best performed at her peak. In Wicca, she is known as the mother Goddess. The mother Goddess is symbolized by a triple moon, Hecate, among some other Goddesses, are depicted as the triple moon Goddess.
The Myths of Hecate
There is not a plethora of myths or stories that include Hecate. Some of the stories that do contain Hecate are that of Persephone and Demeter, the story of Medea. The story of Persephone and Demeter is that Persephone was lost, and Hecate helped Demeter go search for her daughter, Persephone. They found her in Hades, where Hades had commanded Persephone to stay. Hecate then became a mentor and guide for Persephone in the Underworld, and accompanied her on her trips to and from Earth and the Underworld.In the story of Medea, Hecate is the bearer of all of Medea's magical powers. She was also sometimes written as the Aunt or Mother of Medea. Some stories account Hecate as the birther of the sea creature Scylla. Scylla was a dangerous sea creature, who attacked and ate sailors.
Conclusion about Hecate
It is obvious how Hecate can be so intriguing to some, and a common deity used in modern religions such as Wicca and other Neopagan religions. She is the Goddess of the moon, the underworld, rebirth, and protection. She is a jealous Goddess who is the keeper of the laws of the universe, although she does not lack mercy or a tender heart. She is close to the people she deems worthy of a relationship with her and can be a good ally or a worst enemy. She holds the key to the underworld and is often used in hex magic and necromancy. Her associations are hounds, bats, snakes, cinnamon, myrrh, blackthorn, willow, onyx, and the colors black, orange, and grey. Hecate is a great deity to study and is full of mysteries and dark themes. However, do not mistake her darkness for evilness, as she is a protector and Goddess of life and rebirth.
Notes
2. 2013. "Hecate~ Goddess of the Witches." Sibylline Order. January 27. Accessed
April 21, 2017.
3. Atsma, Aaron J. 2017. "HEKATE." Theoi. Accessed April 21, 2017.
4. Ibid.
Accessed April 21, 2017.
7. Ibid.
8. 2002-2017. "Hecate." Ancient-Greece. Accessed April 21, 2017.
9. RavynStar. 2012. "Goddess Hecate." Journying to the Goddess. December 31.
Accessed April 21, 2017.
10. Ibid.
11. 2013. "Hecate~ Goddess of the Witches." Sibylline Order. January 27. Accessed
April 21, 2017.
12. Ibid.
13. Megas, Charilaos. 1997-2017. "Hecate." Greek Mythology. Accessed April 21, 2017.
14. Atsma, Aaron J. 2017. "HEKATE." Theoi. Accessed April 21, 2017
