Greek Gods & Goddesses

  • Gods
    • Olympians
      • Apollo
      • Ares
      • Dionysus
      • Hades
      • Hephaestus
      • Hermes
      • Poseidon
      • Zeus
    • Titans
      • Atlas
      • Coeus
      • Crius
      • Cronus
      • Helios
      • Hyperion
      • Prometheus
      • More Titans
    • Other Gods
      • Adonis
      • Chaos
      • Eros
      • Kratos
      • Pan
      • Uranus
      • More Gods
    • Roman Gods
  • Goddesses
    • Olympians
      • Aphrodite
      • Artemis
      • Athena
      • Demeter
      • Hera
      • Hestia
    • Other Goddesses
      • Gaea
      • Nike
      • Selene
  • Heroes
    • Achilles
    • Bellerophon
    • Heracles
    • Odysseus
    • Perseus
    • Theseus
    • Other Heroes
  • Myths
    • Mortals
    • Places
    • Elements
    • Stories
      • Adventures of Perseus
      • Adventures of Theseus
      • Apollo and Daphne
      • Constellations Mythology
      • The Trojan War
      • Theogony
      • Titanomachy
  • Creatures
    • Centaurs
    • Chimaera
    • Cyclopes
    • Echidna
    • Medusa
    • Minotaur
    • Pegasus
    • Sirens
    • More Mythical Creatures
Home » Other Gods » Hecate

Hecate

The Goddess Of Witchcraft

Hecate was a goddess in Greek Mythology. Her name was derived from the Greek word hekatos which means “worker from afar”. She is often displayed holding two torches or a key. It is believed that Hecate represented witchcraft, magic and ghosts. She was often placed at the entrance of homes to help protect against the evil forces of the world.

Hecate As The Protector

Hecate’s powers to protect were passed on from Titan parents Perses and Asteria and covered the heavens, earth and sea. According to Hesiod’s Theogony, the Titans were the first Greek gods born of earth and the heavens. Hecate was an only child and was worshiped in households of Athens where families hoped to receive protection, prosperity and daily blessings.

Athenian Greeks used the evening meal, known as Deipnon, to honor Hecate. They believed that by praising the goddess, the restless dead would be soothed and not deliver vengeance on the family. Further, the home would be blessed and any wrong-doing by family members would be forgiven and the household purified.

Many Different Interpretations

Later periods show statues of Hecate in three-fold having 3 separate bodies and faces. It is unclear why this change took place. Some speculate that it represents the full moon, half moon, and new moon. Historian Robert Graves notes that the heads could be distinctive of a dog, lion and horse, representing the constellations which cover the calendar year.

Writings throughout the centuries have woven different tales about Hecate and her role as a goddess. The various statues have also raised questions as to her duties. One sculpture depicts Hecate with a friendly dog and another with heads of a cow, dog, boar, serpent or horse.

While some scholars attribute these displays as holding a dark side to Hecate, most myths associate her with a protective nature toward humans.

Link/cite this page

If you use any of the content on this page in your own work, please use the code below to cite this page as the source of the content.

Link will appear as Hecate: https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net - Greek Gods & Goddesses, October 19, 2019

hecate
HECATE FACTS
Name(s):Hecate
Rules over:Magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy
Title:Goddess of Magic and Spells
Gender:Female
Symbols:Pair of Torches, Hecate's wheel
Sacred animals:Black Dog, Polecat
Items:Keys, Daggers, Snakes
Parents:Perses and Asteria
Consort:None - Virgin Goddess
Other significant others:Retinue: - Lampades, Ghosts
Children:None, however in some myths there are various potential offspring mentioned - (Aegialeus, Circe, Empusa, Medea, Scylla)
Roman name:Trivia

Search for a God or Goddess

Popular Pages

  • Greek vs Roman Gods
  • Famous Greek Statues
  • Wives of Zeus
  • Sons of Zeus
  • Daughters Of Zeus
  • Siblings of Zeus
  • Greatest Ancient Greek Philosophers
  • Greek Alphabet Letters & Symbols
  • Children of Aphrodite
  • Powers of the Greek Gods
  • Greek Gods and the Planets

© Greek Gods and Goddesses 2010 - 2023 | About | Contact | Sitemap | Privacy