Hekate's father. dark goddesses

In Greek mythology, a strong goddess who patronizes magic and sorcery.

Hecate has three meanings: the goddess of fertility and abundance; moon goddess; and queen of the night, ghosts and shadows. As the goddess of the Moon, she is often in union with Selene and Diana/Artemis - the triple Goddess. Hekate possesses diabolical power, she roams the Earth at night with a pack of infernal red-eyed dogs from hell and with a retinue of the souls of the dead.

Only dogs see her, and if the dogs howl at night, it means that Hekate is nearby. She causes nightmares and madness, and is so terrifying that many of the ancients called her only "Nameless". She is the goddess of darkness on the moon, the destroyer of life, but also the regenerator of life.

In one myth, she turns into a bear or a wild boar and kills her own son, then revives him. Being an arcane power, she wears a necklace of testicles, her hair is writhing snakes that turn to stone like Medusa the Gorgon.

Hekate - goddess of all crossroads

She looks in three directions at once. In ancient times, her three-headed statues were erected at many intersections, and secret rituals were performed under the full moon to propitiate her. Statues of Hecate with torches and swords were placed in front of houses to keep evil spirits at bay. As the goddess of all kinds of magic and sorcery, Hekate was much more important in antiquity than the mythical sorceress Medea, who helped Jason steal the Golden Fleece and was sometimes said to be the daughter of Hekate.

Hecate in modern witchcraft

In modern witchcraft, Hekate is often associated with the lunar trinity, the triple Goddess. She rules the waning and dark moon, in a two-week period, the best for magic; which deals with exile, liberation, designs and introspection. She calls for justice

Goddess Hekate

Even Zeus himself respected Hekate so much that he never challenged her ancient right to give or not give mortals what they wished. She had three bodies and three heads - a lion, a dog and a mare (Hesiod. Theogony 411-45 2.)

Hecate (E k a t h) - the goddess of darkness, night visions and sorcery. In the genealogy proposed by Hesiod, she is the daughter of the Titanides Perse and Asteria, and thus is not connected with the Olympian circle of the gods. She received from Zeus as inheritance power over the fate of the earth and the sea, was gifted with great power by Uranus.
Hekate is an ancient chthonic deity, which, after the victory over the titans, retained its archaic functions, was even deeply revered by Zeus himself, becoming one of the gods who help people in their daily work. She patronizes hunting, shepherding, breeding horses, human social activities (in court, national assembly, competitions, in disputes, in war), protects children and young people.
She is the giver of maternal well-being, helps the birth and upbringing of children; gives travelers an easy way; helping abandoned loved ones.

“I call on you, O smiting Hekate,
the three sacred paths, the formidable maiden,
take pity, come down to us in the earthly hypostasis, sea and heaven,
in bright ashes: with his yellowness he argues with the crocus.
Souls of the dead from the abyss, carrying away the Bacchic dance,
You wander, daughter of Perseus, hunting among the graves.
Following you, deer run through the deserted expanses,
Dogs surround you, queen of midnight visions.
Irresistible, you respond with a deadly whistle.
Maiden of the night, sacrificing calves; universe
Housekeeper. There are no belts on your lustful clothes.”
(Orphic hymn)

“If people are equipped for a man-killing battle,
He becomes close to those Hekate whom she wishes
Give favorably victory and adorn the name with glory.
A goddess sits at the court near worthy kings.
It is very useful, and when people compete:
The goddess stands next to them, and gives them help ...
... She also gives horsemen help when she wants,
Also for those who hunt among the blue, destructive waves,
He will begin to pray to Hecate and the noisy Ennosigeus.
Very easy on the hunt, she gives a lot of prey,
It is very easy, if he wants to, he will show it - and take it away.
(Theogony)

Hecate. A very amazing and mystical female archetype. The goddess who awakens in a woman the desire for spirituality, for magic and mysticism.
She is the Goddess of limits - all doors and roads are in her charge. It is she who opens the door to our world for newborns.
She can be a good and evil witch. A joker and a motherfucka. She can do a lot and still be unknown.
This is the Goddess who helps offended women to restore justice and take revenge on the offender, sending madness on him through the rite.
It was she who helped Medea achieve the love of Jason.
And at the same time, she has her own unwritten rules, which she observes very strictly and it is impossible to convince her.
Usually this Archetype awakens in a woman after 45-50. Children are already adults and we can start exploring the world around us and ourselves.
A woman in whom this archetype manifests itself in full force often becomes a professional fortune teller or witch. She can also be a professional spiritual midwife, letting neophytes into the world of spirituality and magic.
Hecate has access to all three worlds and can freely roam the various worlds, so astral travel in mysticism and trance states of modern psychology are in her control.
With all the attractiveness of the magic and mysticism of the Hekate Archetype, it must be remembered that according to mythology, she had many children, but had neither a husband nor a lover. So that, if you want to get married, then the Hekate archetype is not for you.

In modern society, we can often meet Hekates, who have many spiritual children, but the female happiness of marriage is not their way. Although the true Hekate is not afraid and does not stop. Let's see how the archetype of Hecate is formed in a woman.

Childhood: Hekate can become a girl who from birth feels her otherness. When there is a transfer of magical power by genus. Sometimes the archetype of Hekate can awaken difficult events, orphanhood - when the magical power of Hekate allows you to survive.

Education: Usually Hekate has a lot of certificates and diplomas in a variety of areas: from medical and psychological to obviously magical.

Men: are of no importance to her. Very often, men are afraid of her and her strength and try to avoid relationships with her. God forbid to frivolously seduce and deceive her. In anger, Hekate will be terrible and her revenge will immediately destroy the offender. Gloomy, cold, outwardly closed men - the masters of souls - are her chosen ones. Often they are sorcerers - people from her circle or alcoholics, whom she will save in all possible ways, from herbs to prayers in the church.

Children: She allows children to behave as they please, the main thing is that they follow her instructions and rules.

Archetype Identification: If a woman takes possession of the archetype of Hecate, then she will try with all her might to establish her power over all loved ones. Any methods will be used, up to black magic. Fury and vengeance can take over the soul and require more and more rituals to take revenge on everyone who has ever crossed her path. Hekate's vindictiveness knows no bounds. Her malice and envy has no limits. You could meet such old women who are dissatisfied with everyone and everything and constantly curse everyone, from the government to the neighbor's cat. And yet it is much more pleasant to be a good sorceress, and not an evil witch.

Development: If you have discovered the energy of the Hekate archetype in yourself, then try to go beyond it, be realistic. In addition to other worlds, our earthly one also exists. Summon Athena and Artemis for help. And do not take on the functions of an almighty God - this can lead to a psychiatric hospital.

Help: The energy of Hekate can be turned to when we need to open any doors. Assistance in any mediation.
The Romans identified Hekate with their goddess Trivia, the "goddess of the three roads", just like her Greek counterpart, she had three heads and three bodies. The image of Hecate was placed at a crossroads or at a crossroads, where, after digging a hole in the dead of night, puppies were sacrificed, or in gloomy caves inaccessible to sunlight.

“Zeus entrusted her (Hecate) with the care of the children who, after the goddess Hecate, will see the dawn of the many-seeing Eos.” (Hesiod)

Thus, Hekate lets children into this world in the process of their birth from the OTHER world. She is the goddess of Midwives and Dole.

By the way, it was with Hekate that the Slavic Makosh was compared in ancient sources. Considering them similar in character and deeds.

Copyright©EugenieMcQueen-2008 for Lunar Calendar magazine

Despite her intimidating appearance, Hekate was one of the most revered goddesses by women. They prayed to her when leaving the house, appointed games in honor of her, arranged mysteries and festivities dedicated to Hekate, brought rich gifts. Festivities in her honor took place at night by torchlight. Every year on the island of Aegina, in the Saronic Gulf, a mystical ritual was performed in her honor. As the Lady of the Wild Hunt and sorcery, Hekate was primarily a female deity who could be called upon for help, but who was to be feared by those who violated his spiritual commandments.

Since ancient times, in order to appease and win over the goddess of witchcraft and the mistress of ghosts, Hekate, they leave her hearts of chickens and honey cakes in front of the threshold of her house. It is significant that gifts are placed on her doorstep, because the door is the boundary separating the world of the living and the world of the dead. And although the altar to the goddess is placed in the house, they don’t really want to invite her inside because of her attitude to the afterlife.
- goddess of all crossroads She looks in three directions at once. In ancient times, her three-headed statues were erected at many intersections, the figures of Hecate with torches and swords were placed in front of houses to keep evil spirits at bay. Hekate is associated with many spells, sacrifices and rituals.

In ancient times, people tried to appease her by leaving the hearts of chickens and honey cakes of pepper at their doors. On the last day of the month, gifts were brought to the crossroads - honey, onions, fish and eggs, with sacrifices in the form of dolls, baby girls and female lambs. The sorcerers gathered at the crossroads to pay their respects to her.

Day face of Hekate: patroness of hunting, shepherding, youth, social activities such as meetings, competitions, judicial debates and military achievements. Fight for the sake of fighting. Here she appeared as a middle-aged woman, an experienced and wise adviser to people ( Morena, "Maria the Artisan").

Night face of Hekate: patroness of darkness, night, nightmares, revenge, debauchery and witchcraft. Beautiful and intimidating appearance, snakes in her hair. She is a huntress (like the maiden Artemis, the sister of Apollo and a warrior), but her hunt is gloomy, nocturnal, and her pack of hounds runs among the graves and ghosts. It was in this incarnation that she helped Medea in the preparation of potions. Rejected lovers and murderers prayed to her. She inspired how to prepare decoctions for love spells and poisons ( "Mary the harlot").

The third face of Hekate: heavenly, "Urania Hecate" - irresistible spiritual love. She is young and beautiful with that heavenly beauty that does not cause carnal desires, but only admiration and delight. In this guise, Hekate helps philosophers, scientists, "leads the souls" of people from the Kingdom of the Dead to light and love ( "Mary the ascetic").

Sinister snake-haired and three-faced goddess appears on the surface of the earth only in moonlight, with two flaming torches in his hands, accompanied by dogs black as night and monsters of the underworld. Dogs have red eyes in the dark. Perhaps these are the shadows of dogs sacrificed to Hekate. Hecate is also seen by living dogs - then they start whining and howling. And this is a sign that the goddess is near. On her feet are bronze leather sandals with bronze studs. Hekate - night "chthonia" and heavenly "urania", "irresistible" wanders among the graves and releases the ghosts of the dead, sends horrors and terrible dreams, but can also protect from them and from evil demons and witchcraft. Among her constant companions are the terrible Empusa, capable of changing her appearance and frightening belated travelers, as well as the spirit demons of Kera.

There are different legends about the origin of Hekate. Some say that she was the daughter of the titans Tartarus and Night; in others, Perseus and Asteria; in the third, Zeus and Hera. Myths about Hekate spread throughout the Mediterranean.

Hekate can also be considered the nocturnal analogy of Artemis; she is also a hunter, but her hunting - this is a gloomy night hunt among the dead, graves and ghosts of the underworld. Hekate is also close to Demeter - the life force of the earth. In the image of Hecate, the demonic features of the pre-Olympic deity are closely intertwined, linking two worlds - the living and the dead. She is darkness and at the same time the moon goddess, close to Artemis and Selene.

There are two moons. It is believed that they exist, but are not visible to the human eye. One of them is White. It revolves around the earth in 28 days. Brings good luck, prosperity, blessing, joy. The Black Moon revolves around the Earth in 29 days and brings retribution. In Indian mythology, Hecate corresponds Goddess Kali- Goddess of time, destruction and transformation. The long period of time in which our lives also fell is called the Kali Yuga, i.e. he is patronized by Hekate. The White Moon is a symbol of a hostess, whose tables are bursting with food, healthy and happy children are scurrying around, and the house is twined with grapes. In a word - a woman who creates simple and beautiful earthly happiness. This woman becomes the Black Moon when her children and respectable home are in danger and she turns into a protector. The main task of Hekate is to protect the house, entwined with grapes, from dark forces. It is believed that Hekate can destroy the ghosts of the night, vampires and even demons.

Symbols of Hekate: boiler, dogs and keys.
Days of Hekate: 9, 15, 23, 29.

Sources:
1. Lizi Black. III Hecate (

In world mythology, there were goddesses who were far from always kind and merciful. They demanded a special kind of worship from their admirers. These deities include Hekate - the goddess of darkness and gloom. Even connoisseurs of Greek mythology have not always heard of her, because she is often hidden behind other deities. After reading this article, you will get complete information about it.

Acquaintance

Hekate is the Greek goddess of darkness. She is considered the ruler of the night, which is why she is also called the goddess of the night and darkness. Under her dominion were all ghosts, monsters, night visions and sorcery. According to legend, she was born from the marriage of Asteria and the titan Perse. After she was born (although in her case it would be more accurate to say - into darkness), the supreme god Zeus the Thunderer gave Hekate power over the fate of the inhabitants of both the earth and the sea, and Uranus - the god of Heaven (her grandfather) endowed her with indestructible power. In a word, she was under the auspices of the sky and the depths of the sea. In later versions of this myth, the goddess Hekate wore a necklace of eggs on her chest, which gave her secret power, and her hair was snakes wriggling like a Gorgon's medusa, which were able to turn people into stone. Hekate was also depicted with sharp horns on her head and with a torch in her hands. Doesn't this remind you of anything? Yes, many see the resemblance to the famous Statue of Liberty in New York. Nevertheless, the author of the statue - a French sculptor - refutes these assumptions.

Origin

Initially, the goddess Hekate was a Thracian and Anatolian goddess, and only after that she moved to the Greek pantheon, where she took the place of the moonlight deity, as well as the goddess of the underworld, that is, the underworld. She patronized all monsters and ghosts, sorceresses. She was often depicted surrounded by Stygian dogs. It was first mentioned by Hesiod in the 8th century BC. e. The historian of religion Nilson suggested that the cult of the goddess Hecate originated from Caria. He noticed that in this area there are many personal names that contain the root of her name.

Transfiguration

By the way, there is a version according to which the Greek goddess Hekate was a completely virtuous goddess of the moon. She patronized hunting, horse breeding, shepherding, guarded children and youths at night, gave victory during competitions, supported in court and in war. In a word, she was a very revered goddess, in whom the Greeks saw a savior, but in Greece they began to intensively cultivate such gods as Apollo and Hermes, Artemis and Aphrodite, and then she faded into the background, her influence weakened, and she gradually turned into formidable, fearsome and terrifying goddess of gloom and darkness.

Goddess of the underworld - Hekate

She was especially popular among the "Orphics", that is, mystics. Sometimes she was associated with mysteries - Rhea, Cybele, Persephone, Demeter. In many images, she appears with a torch in her hand. The sculptors created her statues, and then they were placed at the crossroads, it was believed that in this way one could protect oneself from misfortune and misfortune. On the other hand, it was believed that she is the cause of madness, obsession, insanity and sends terrible visions and ghosts to people.

Time passed, and the goddess Hecate in Greek mythology acquired more and more qualities. For example, she was considered the patroness of sorcerers, witches and sorceresses. On the other hand, people asked her to protect them from evil demons.

Children

Hekate - the goddess of darkness, according to legend, was the mother of the monster Empusa, who at night took the form of a miracle maiden and carried away and destroyed travelers, and sometimes turned into a terrible ghost and frightened lonely wanderers. It was said that his face was burning with heat, and one of his legs was made of copper. And from Forkis, the sea deity, the goddess Hecate gave birth to a daughter - Scylla.

mythical stories

There are many stories about this goddess in Greek mythology. The most famous of them is associated with Demeter. According to her, the goddess Hecate, whose photo (exposition) you see in our article, helps the desperate goddess of fertility to find her daughter Persephone, who was abducted. No one wanted to help Demeter, and only she extended a helping hand to her. After all, once the mother of Hecate died because of Zeus, who desired her, but her aunt, Leto, yielded to the Thunderer and survived. This story made Hekate the goddess of humiliated, offended, offended women from the common people. And she was terrible in her revenge, she could bring madness, illness and misfortune to the offender. However, for this, the woman who called for the help of the goddess had to perform a magical rite.

There is a legend that it was the goddess Hekate who helped the Georgian Medea fall in love with the handsome Jason, although he later abandoned her. Another story with Hecate is connected with this myth. This time she hides under the guise of the goddess Electra, who initiates the Argonauts into her mysteries.

Temple Priestesses

Hecate - the goddess of darkness - had many admirers, and a temple was created for them, the priestess of which was the sorceress Circe. She lived on the island, attracted men and turned them into different animals. Only Odysseus, with the support of the god Hermes, was able to resist her charms. He seduced her and stayed with her for about three years. There is a version that the daughter of Agamemnon, Iphigenia, was also a priestess of Hecate, although she presented herself as a servant of Artemis in Tauris. This became evident when, during the sacrifice, she turned into an animal. The plot of the myth about Iphigenia is very similar to the “classical myth” about Hekate.

Later myths

Gradually, the legend about this deity changed so much that it was difficult to draw a parallel between them. So in later myths, Zeus and Hera were considered the parents of Hecate. She greatly angered her mother when she began to help Europe - one of the beloved of her father - Zeus the Thunderer. First, she helps Europe during childbirth, while hiding from her mother at the bedside of the woman in labor, and then she has no choice but to go to Hades and settle there. There is another legend, according to which she herself turns into either a bear or a wild boar, kills, and then revives her son.

Trinity Goddess

The goddess of darkness Hekate (see photo in the article) in some paintings and statues is depicted as a three-body. This speaks of the triplicity of her character. Each of the three bodies belonged to mature women who looked in different directions and held torches, snake-whips and daggers in their hands. It was these statues of Hecate that were placed in the middle of the crossroads. According to one version, each of the three women symbolizes one of her three incarnations, namely the goddess of abundance and fertility, the moon, sorcery and darkness. However, if you look at their images, you can hardly find a relationship with the above goddesses. Her three-bodies were also associated with her three guises: mare, lion and dog. She was the only one of the goddesses who ruled the three stages of human existence - birth, mature life and death, that is, the past, present and future were under her power. There were also versions that its trinity lies in the three states of the moon: in the growing, full moon and waning. It is also said that she possessed "three whips of power" and with their help ruled mankind. However, if you look at her images, you can see only two whips (sometimes depicted in the form of snakes), which are held in both hands by one of the three bodies of the goddess. But the other two have other items in their hands. By the way, on those statues where she is depicted in one body, she holds two torches, which symbolize darkness, gloom.

Lunar Triad

The Amazon goddess Artemis was the "occult sister" of the goddess of darkness. They have a lot in common both in character and in terms of attributes and the way in which they rush. They are independent and do not have husbands who would hamper their freedom. They are always and everywhere accompanied by dogs. They are the patronesses of women in trouble, especially through the fault of men. Artemis, Hecate and Selena - they represent the lunar triad, they are all virgin, independent, independent, can compete, achieve their goals. They love to put things in order and make the world more beautiful and fairer. Unlike the first two, Selena has a lover, but she likes to sit and watch him sleep, but real love does not attract her.

Earth Triad

Demeter, Persephone, Hekate are sisters in spirit. The name of Persephone includes the name of Hecate's father, the titan Perse, but a part of the “background” speaks of her destructive power, because she cuts the thread of fate and calls to the underworld. In the concept of the earthly triad, Hekate appears as a "vulnerable" goddess. Her well-being depends on what kind of relationships she builds. She is receptive to those who ask for her help in love affairs. She is always ready to help those who suffer from love persecution, as in the legend of Demeter and Persephone. She is ready to avenge women who have been abused, who are persecuted and want to commit violence against them.

goddess images

Hecate was one of the few Greek deities who were allowed to enter Hades. In this capacity, she is Hecate Chthonia. That is why she was able to cause madness and nightmares, to terrify. The ancient Greeks called it "nameless", like death. The image of Hecate Urania suggests that she was both an underground and heavenly goddess. The main hypostasis of the goddess, with which she has come down to our days, is witchcraft. In the works of Shakespeare, you can find her name - the inspirer of all witches. She did not patronize black magic, but participated in all night activities. Hecate-Propylaea is the protector of young and helpless girls and women who wish to return their feminine happiness with the help of charms. In the fourth book of the Aeneid, the goddess Hecate is addressed by the former lover of Aeneas, who abandoned her and brought the woman to suicide with his step. Standing with a dagger in her hand, she calls out to Hecate and only then stabs herself with a blade. The unfortunate woman prays to the goddess to avenge herself.

But for the mystics, she was the guardian of the path of those people who are engaged in the occult sciences and are considered the chosen ones. So, in the 6th book of the Aeneid, she appears as a teacher of Sibylla and gives her the power to wander through the labyrinth of Tartarus. In some sources, no matter how strange it may sound, the goddess of darkness, Hekate, is presented as the patroness of weddings and childbirth. This is evidenced by torches as an attribute of the goddess of childbearing. But the dagger in her hands is intended for cutting the umbilical cord in a newborn. If you remember, it was customary to install a statue of Hekate at the crossroads, from this point of view she is known in the form of the goddess of “limits”, where one ends and another begins. It could also be the place where the other world ends and the this world begins. In a word, she presented herself as the guardian of the “gates”.

Habits and Attributes

The most important habit of Hekate was walking at night with a pack of dogs with burning red eyes, as well as with the souls of dead people. She, as a rule, wore sandals made of bronze, or rather leather, decorated with bronze blotches. It is believed that when dogs begin to whine and howl for no reason, they sense the approach of Hekate. She is also accompanied by the demons of Kera.

Hekate had magical herbs in her arsenal, such as the aconite flower, about which there is a sad legend. Aconite grew near the city of Akon, next to which there was a cave with the entrance to Hades (hell). According to legend, this flower was regularly watered with Cerberus's saliva. Aconite flowers are very poisonous, not only stems and buds, but the smell itself. Healing magicians used the juice of plants as a remedy for taming sensual attraction. It was used in rituals. The sign of the goddess Hecate was also coniferous branches entwined with ivy. They say that they were able to fence off from troubles.