The Distant One: Hecate

 Thanks to Goldenferi for posting about Hecate…something clicked and so here I am inspired to learn more.

I just found this amazing site with more info on Hecate:

http://www.theoi.com/Khthonios/Hekate.html

The Greek Goddess Hecate represents the third aspect of the Goddess, the Crone. She is known as the Goddess of witches and of magic, the dark of the moon, and the depths of the underworld. She walks along the roadways and counsels those at the crossroads. Of all the Greek Goddesses, Hecate alone could grant or refuse anything asked by mortals. She is the Queen of the Night, and those who seek her protection can move safely in the darkness. Hecate is the voice of wisdom, divination and dreams.

http://www.lunaea.com/goddess/magic/hecate.html

The information below comes right from the site Godchecker.  For more info on Hecate or other Gods visit the link below.

http://www.godchecker.com/

HECATE

Also known as HEKATE

HECATE: Goddess of Hidden Wisdom, Change and Darkness.

She’s also the Queen of Witches. But HECATE is not the evil hag that popular legend suggests. In fact she seems to have started out as HEKET, the Egyptian Goddess of Childbirth.

Her considerable power over nature ensured her continued popularity, but she’s never fitted in with the crowd. Any crowd. She’s very much her own Goddess.

Her role and attributes are hard to sum up in a few words. She has the power of change, whether for good or evil, and is the one invoked when spells are cast. A good lunar calender is essential as the power she gives is related to the phases of the moon. That’s why it’s best to start new projects when there’s a full moon. (If nothing else, at least you’ll be able to see what you’re doing.)

HECATE is often seen with three heads: dog, horse and lion (or snake). These symbolise the attributes of SELENE, ARTEMIS and PERSEPHONE (but not necessarily in that order), as HECATE is something of a three-in-one Goddess in the attribute department.

Over the centuries, her esoteric nature has led to a lot of misunderstandings and bad press. The modern conception of a wicked cackling witch with broomstick and warts is more or less the result of early Christian anti-HECATE propaganda. (After all, any decent witch could cure warts in a jiffy.)

Trivia: HECATE was known by the Romans as TRIVIA.

Entry last modified on 27 August 2006

VITAL STATISTIX
Area or people:
Location : Ancient Greece
Gender : Female
Category : Deity
Pronunciation : Coming soon
Alternative names : HEKATE
Attributes : Coming soon
Mystic number : 6249 (a)

From Goddess Gift:  Hecate, Greek Goddess

of The Crossroads

Hecate, Greek goddess of the three paths, guardian of the household, protector of everything newly born, and the goddess of witchcraft — once a widely revered and influential goddess,  the reputation of Hecate has been tarnished over the centuries. In current times, she is usually depicted as a “hag” or old witch stirring the cauldron.

But nothing could be further from the image of Hecate’s original glory.

A beautiful and powerful goddess in her own right, the Greek goddess Hecate was the only one of the ancient Titans who Zeus allowed to retain their authority once the Olympians seized control. Zeus shared with Hecate, and only her, the awesome power of giving humanity anything she wished (or withholding it if she pleased).

Usually classified as a “moon goddess”,  her kingdoms were actually three-fold . . . the earth, sea, and sky. Having the power to create or withhold storms undoubtedly played a role in making her the goddess who was the protector of shepherds and sailors.

A lover of solitude, the Greek goddess Hecate was, like her cousin Artemis, a “virgin” goddess, unwilling to sacrifice her independent nature for the sake of marriage. Walking the roads at night or visiting cemeteries during the dark phase of the moon, the goddess Hecate was described as shining or luminous.In other legends she is invisible, perhaps only glimpsed as a light, a “will-o-the-wisp”.  Perhaps it was this luminous quality that marked Hecate as a “moon goddess”, for she seemed quite at home on the earth.Some scholars believe it is also was because her mother was Asteria (the Titan goddess of the Shining Light or “Star”) or perhaps it was because she sensibly always carried a torch on her journeys.

For more information :

http://www.goddessgift.com/goddess-myths/greek_goddess_hecate.htm

 

Wikipedia Info on Hecate:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hecate