4060 in. The Matres While little is known of their exact function, over 1,000 images of the three goddesses have been found in Northwestern Europe. Hecate fled to Earth and hid in the house of a woman who had just given birth. It's commonly suggested that the crossroads symbolize Hecates triple nature and all-seeing ability, but there are deeper mysteries. what is hecate passionate aboutgwinnett online campus. In the physical world this could mean anything from doorways to city walls and state borders. Paired torches, dogs, serpents, keys, daggers, and Hecate's wheel is known as a stropholos. Antoninus Liberalis used a myth to explain this association: Aelian told a different story of a woman transformed into a polecat: Athenaeus of Naucratis, drawing on the etymological speculation of Apollodorus of Athens, notes that the red mullet is sacred to Hecate, "on account of the resemblance of their names; for that the goddess is trimorphos, of a triple form". It has been suggested that this arose from the use of watchdogs, particularly at night, to scare away intruders and warn their owners of danger. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hecate&oldid=1133940061. All paths lead to the crossroads Regarding the nature of her cult, it has been remarked, "she is more at home on the fringes than in the centre of Greek polytheism. While this sculpture has not survived to the present day, numerous later copies are extant. Hecate became an aspect of the Triple Moon Goddess Diana (the Full moon, associated with Earth), Proserpina (the lunar phases, associated with Heaven), and Hecate (the New moon, associated with the Underworld.). https://www.thoughtco.com/greek-mythology-hecate-1526205 (accessed January 18, 2023). The blessings she gave them were eventually seen as magic, while prayers were seen as incantations. Only you can define it for yourself. She was also closely associated to the spiritual world, ghosts, and the dead. "[c] Hecate probably originated in the mythology of the Karians in southwest Asia Minor and was integrated into Greek religion around the sixth century BCE. [134][135] In various later accounts, Hecate was given different parents. Eventually, Hecate evolved to become a . The Olympians 'adopted' Her after they had defeated the Titans, but She was not of the same kind, and never lived amongst them. This could be: Working with technology, solving interesting technical challenges, helping people, making a difference in peoples lives, helping people live healthier lives, etc. The frog-headed goddess Heqit assisted with the daily birth of the Sun and was associated with the apparently magical germination of the seemingly lifeless corn seed. but only one can you travel He also performs other secret rites [of Hecate] at four pits, taming the fierceness of the blasts [of the winds], and he is said to chant as well the charms of Medea. Principally the Ethiopians which dwell in the Orient, and the Egyptians which are excellent in all kind of ancient doctrine, and by their proper ceremonies accustomed to worship me, do call me Queen Isis. He gave her splendid gifts, to have a share of the earth and the unfruitful sea. She has long been associated with witchcraft and the occult, even necromancy. [3], The 2nd-century travel writer Pausanias stated that Hecate was first depicted in triplicate by the sculptor Alcamenes in the Greek Classical period of the late 5th century BC,[4] whose sculpture was placed before the temple of the Wingless Nike in Athens. As Sterckx (2002) observes, "The use of dog sacrifices at the gates and doors of the living and the dead as well as its use in travel sacrifices suggest that dogs were perceived as daemonic animals operating in the liminal or transitory realm between the domestic and the unknown, danger-stricken outside world". She was an attendant of the goddess Persephone, daughter of Demeter, who was abducted by Hades and taken into the Underworld. Pp. The oldest known direct evidence of Hecate's cult comes from Selinunte (near modern-day Trapani in Sicily), where she had a temple in the 6th5th centuries BC. Hecate or Hekate is a goddess in ancient Greek religion and mythology, most often shown holding a pair of torches, a key, snakes or accompanied by dogs and in later . Which one will you choose? But traditional beliefs that evolve over time may have little to do with historical origins. The figure is flanked by lions, an animal associated with Hecate both in the Chaldean Oracles, coinage, and reliefs from Asia Minor. I think its something my parents taught me from a young age. One of her epithets, Apotropaia, references the protection she gave in these spaces. Hecate or Hekate is a goddess in ancient Greek religion and mythology, most often shown holding a pair of torches, a key, snakes, or accompanied by dogs, and in later periods depicted as three-formed or triple-bodied. Samhain is especially significant to Hecate, but several Festival days are celebrated in Her honour: The 13th August is the time to ask for Her blessing on the coming harvest, for as Goddess of Storms Hecate has the power to destroy the crop before it can be cut. [citation needed], The spelling Hecat is due to Arthur Golding's 1567 translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses,[24] and this spelling without the final E later appears in plays of the Elizabethan-Jacobean period. So if you really dont feel like answering with a work-related passion, then you can give an answer like the example we covered. Pages 57 to 64, Roscher, 1889; Heckenbach, 2781; Rohde, ii. She was a goddess that could be both a protective guardian and a source of menace. Hecate particularly appreciates honey & magic mushrooms if you have them - Well, it is supposed to be a sacrifice! The Moirai, or Fates, were one such trio of goddesses. Criminals or those who had angered the Gods followed the third road to Tartarus, a sunless land of punishment. Sunset on November 16th marks the beginning of the Night of Hecate. Hecate was known by a number of epithets: Hecate has been characterized as a pre-Olympian chthonic goddess. On any trip to Greece, it's helpful to have some knowledge of the Greek gods and goddesses. Origin and Family Persis and Asteria, two Titans from the generation of deities prior to the Olympians, are the legendary parents of Hecate. Hecate took pity on her, though, and brought her back to life as a dog to be her companion. So, then, albeit her mother's only child, she is honored amongst all the deathless gods. (i. ", I am the glinting sword that protects you from harm. Asteria may be the original goddess associated with the Asterion mountain range on the island of Crete. In Hesiod she is the daughter of the Titan Perses and the nymph Asteria and has power over heaven, earth, and sea; hence, she bestows wealth and all the blessings of daily life. Hecate was believed to be a goddess of both the living world and the underworld. Subsequently, Hecate became Persephone's companion on her yearly journey to and from the realms of Hades, serving as a psychopomp. Athenian Greeks used the evening meal, known as Deipnon, to honor Hecate. The Greek form is hekatos, which means "who works from afar," a probable reference to her magic powers, but it may also distantly reference her possible origins in Egypt. Generally speaking, if you want to be passionate about something in life, you need to understand yourself first. Interview Answers, What Do You Dislike About Your Job? As one of the deities capable of passing between realms, she had access to the secrets of the dead. Sometimes she is also stated to be the mother (by Aetes[76]) of the goddess Circe and the sorceress Medea,[147] who in later accounts was herself associated with magic while initially just being a herbalist goddess, similar to how Hecate's association with Underworld and Mysteries had her later converted into a deity of witchcraft. The people of Sparta claimed that Ares had been nursed by a nymph called Thero. She was often placed at the entrance of homes to help protect against the evil forces of the world. Proponents of this theory believe that this may have been the case with Hecate. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. In the course of this beleaguerment, it is related, on a certain wet and moonless night the enemy attempted a surprise, but were foiled by reason of a bright light which, appearing suddenly in the heavens, startled all the dogs in the town and thus roused the garrison to a sense of their danger. And when men arm themselves for the battle that destroys men, then the goddess is at hand to give victory and grant glory readily to whom she will. [157] Such derivations are today proposed only by a minority[158][159] [85], The earliest definitive record of Hecate's worship dates to the 6th century B.C.E., in the form of a small terracotta statue of a seated goddess, identified as Hecate in its inscription. which way will you go? What is my passion? In that place were also the mysteries of the Korybantes [Kabeiroi] and those of Hekate and the Zerinthian cave, where they sacrificed dogs. 39 K), and 358 F; Melanthius, in Athenaeus, 325 B. Plato, Com. While spinning them, they call out unintelligible or beast-like sounds, laughing and flailing at the air. Some speculate that it represents the full moon, half moon, and new moon. This made her one of the few deities to have the power to move freely between the world of the living and the underworld. "Most importantly, child, I am you. [28], Hecate's cult became established in Athens about 430 B.C.E. She was often placed at the entrance of homes to help protect against the evil forces of the world. In this article, Im going to show you the best way to answer what are you passionate about? with word-for-word answer examples, mistakes to avoid, and more. choice creates endings This ability may be why it is so often found in graveyards as a symbol of eternal life. Painting is a good way for me to relax after a busy week. Zorya The Slavic goddess of beauty and light took three forms corresponding to morning, evening, and midnight. Curious about Hecate. 394 K), Antiphanes, in Athenaeus, 358 F; Aristophanes, Plutus, 596. As these stories were passed on, though, they often changed. Hecate knew what had happened: Hecate reveals the truth to Demeter, and together they go to try and rescue Persephone. [25]Webster's Dictionary of 1866 particularly credits the influence of Shakespeare for the then-predominant disyllabic pronunciation of the name. In Greece, there is some evidence that Hecate was originally seen as a much more benevolent, cosmic goddess. However, there is evidence that Hecate evolved from the Egyptian midwife goddess Heqit, (alternatively spelt 'Heket' or 'Hekat'.) Hecate, however, is routinely described as the goddess of witchcraft and associated with characters like Medea and Circe, the witch of Homers Odyssey. Phoenix, 24(4), 283295. [13] In association with her worship alongside Apollo at Miletus, worshipers used a unique form of offering: they would place stone cubes, often wreathes, known as (gylloi) as protective offerings at the door or gateway. Female monsters also often came in threes, as was the case with the Gorgons and Graea. ", I am the fire that kisses the shackles away. Hecate's appearance is dark-haired and beautiful, but with an eerie edge to that beauty befitting a goddess of the night (though the actual goddess of the night is Nyx). Webster 's Dictionary of 1866 particularly credits the influence of Shakespeare for the then-predominant disyllabic pronunciation the!, to have the power to move freely between the world best way to answer what are you about...: //www.thoughtco.com/greek-mythology-hecate-1526205 ( accessed January 18, 2023 ) the underworld that Ares had been nursed a! Of punishment 's companion on her yearly journey to and from the Egyptian midwife Heqit. 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