Goddess of the Month

WHO IS HEKATE? Hekate (also known by the more common Latinized spelling: Hecate) is the Goddess of witchcraft and magic, protectress of children, guardian of the home, and keeper of the mysteries of life, death, and rebirth. Daughter of the Titans Perses and Asteria, She is also a Titan, whose power reigns in heaven, on the earth, and in the sea. She bestows upon humanity wealth, victory, and wisdom. She was invoked for good luck by sailors and hunters. When the Dorics and their Olympian gods conquered the Greek mainland, She was one of the few early deities to retain all Her original powers and glories. Hekate was originally an Anatolian Goddess of the wilderness and childbirth, who was introduced into Thrace and Greece in pre-historic times. One of the earliest written records comes from Hesiod's Theogony, written in the 7th to 8th century BCE, in which She is referred to in this way: "Hekate whom Zeus the son of Kronos honoured above all. He gave her splendid gifts, to have a share of the earth and the unfruitful sea. She received honour also in starry heaven, and is honoured exceedingly by the deathless gods . . . For as many as were born of Gaia (Earth) and Ouranos (Heaven) [the Titanes] amongst all these she has her due portion. The son of Kronos [Zeus] did her no wrong nor took anything away of all that was her portion among the former Titan gods: but she holds, as the division was at the first from the beginning, privilege both in earth, and in heaven, and in sea. Also, because she is an only child, the goddess receives not less honour, but much more still, for Zeus honours her." Later She was brought into Egypt by the Macedonian Ptolemy and his followers after the death of Alexander the Great and had a large center of worship at Alexandria. It is interesting to note that Her earliest depictions were not tri-formed but singular in nature. Pausanias states that Hekate was first shown in Her tri-form by the sculptor Alkamenes as part of the work he did for the temple of Nike on the Athenian Akropolis during the late fifth century BCE. So strong was Her worship in the hearts and minds of the people that as late as the 7th century CE the Christian Patriarch Eligius had to admonish his recently converted flock against making offerings to the Goddess of the Crossroads. Some of Her titles include: Khthoniê, Of the Underworld Krataeis, the Mighty One Enodia, Of the Crossroads Kourotrophos, Nurse of the Young Propylaia, the One before the Gate Propolos, the attendant who leads Phosphoros, the light-bringer Prytania, Invincible Queen of the Dead Trioditis, Of the Three-Ways Klêidouchos, Keeper of the Keys Tricephalus, The Three-Headed Perseis, Daughter of Perses Brimô, Terrible One Aidônaia, Lady of the Underworld Trimorphis, Three-Formed Zerynthia, Of Mount Zerynthia (in Samothrace) Nyktipolos, Night Wandering Atalos, Tender One Skylakagetis, Leader of the Dogs Kourê Mounogenês, Only Begotten Maiden Liparokrêdemnos, Bright-Coiffed Anassa Eneroi, Queen of the those Below