In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, plans to trick Macbeth by showing him illusions that make him believe he is secure. She is angry that the three witches interfered with Macbeth without her consent and chastises them for not consulting her first. However, she promises to help them when Macbeth comes to see them tomorrow.
Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, is known as the ruler of the Three Witches and represents the theme of supernatural influence. She is the daughter of Perses and Asteria, a magician who raised a temple to Diana and performed human sacrifice. Her children are Medea and Circe. In Macbeth, Hecate is displeased with the witches for meddling with Macbeth without her consent and chastises them for not.
In her plan, Hecate sends false predictions and deluding Macbeth into a false feeling of security. Her goal is to make Macbeth overconfident and irresponsible, leading to his downfall. To rectify the situation, Hecate plans to lure Macbeth into a cavern, have the witches kill him with a potion, and give him prophecies. She also wants the witches to meet Macbeth as she plans for them to cast a spell on him that would give Macbeth illusions.
Hecate, the Greek goddess of magic, embodies the meddling supernatural forces in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. She manipulates Macbeth’s ambition by using his overconfidence and desire for power against him. In Macbeth, Hecate is angry with the witches for interfering with Macbeth and conjuring a prophecy without her knowledge and consent. She believes Macbeth is not worthy of their help and wants them to stop aiding him.
📹 Character Analysis: The Witches in ‘Macbeth’
In today’s video, I look at the witches in ‘Macbeth’. Sources referred to: Samuel Johnson: ‘MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS on …
What is Hecate’s opinion of Macbeth’s loyalty towards the witches?
The speaker posits that Macbeth’s loyalty is not to the witches, but rather to his own self-serving interests. This is evidenced by the character’s portrayal as spiteful, wrathful, and self-absorbed, rather than devoted to the witches.
What does Hecate want?
Hecate, a Greek goddess, was associated with garlic, a tree symbolizing death and the underworld, and cypress, a tree sacred to chthonic deities. Other plants, such as aconite, belladonna, dittany, and mandrake, are also associated with Hecate. The use of dogs for digging up mandrake is suggested to further corroborate the association. The Greeks held the yew sacred to Hecate, with attendants draped wreaths around black bulls’ necks and yew boughs burned on funeral pyres.
The scientific name for yew, taxus, is likely derived from the Greek word for yew, toxos, which is similar to toxon, their word for bow, and toxicon, their word for poison. It is believed that the latter were named after the tree due to its superiority for both bows and poison.
What was Hecate’s goal?
Hecate’s primary purpose in the play is to act as an authority figure to the witches and represent the capricious nature of supernatural forces. She symbolizes the intersection of the natural and supernatural realms, encouraging the audience to question whether Macbeth is really at fault for his tragic destiny or if he is simply a victim of magical manipulation.
The answer to this question is up to audience interpretation. Hecate declares that Macbeth will believe he is safe, which will lead to his demise. However, the magical prophecies and machinations of the witches are what initially send him down this destructive path.
Many literary scholars believe that Hecate’s scenes were not originally written by Shakespeare but instead written and added to the play by another author. This theory stems from the language and stylistic choices used in Hecate’s scenes, which contrast significantly with the rest of the play. Others scrutinize the character itself and argue that her involvement in the story feels forced and unnecessary.
What is her plan for Macbeth?
In the play “The King’s Tale”, Lady Macbeth informs her husband that the king has dined and has been asking for Macbeth. Macbeth, outraged, declares that he no longer intends to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth questions his manhood and promises that they will succeed if they are bold. She proposes a plan: while Duncan sleeps, she will give his chamberlains wine to make them drunk, and then she and Macbeth can slip in and murder Duncan. They will smear Duncan’s blood on the sleeping chamberlains to cast guilt upon them.
Astonished by Lady Macbeth’s brilliance and daring plan, Macbeth hopes that she will only give birth to male children. He agrees to proceed with the murder. Lady Macbeth’s violent soliloquies in Act 1 scenes 5 and 7 testify to her strength of will, which completely eclipses that of her husband. She understands that she will have to manipulate her husband into acting on the witches’ prophecy.
In Act 1, scene 5, Lady Macbeth spurns her feminine characteristics, wishing for the milk in her breasts to be exchanged for “gall” so she could murder Duncan herself. She questions her husband’s manhood and compares his willingness to carry out his intention of killing Duncan with his ability to carry out a sexual act. Throughout the play, whenever Macbeth shows signs of faltering, Lady Macbeth implies that he is less than a man.
What was Hecate’s plan?
Hecate’s intention is to facilitate a meeting between Macbeth and a coven of witches. The objective is to cast a spell that would induce illusions, a sense of invincibility, and ultimately, Macbeth’s downfall.
What does Hecate plan to do to Macbeth?
Hecate intends to utilize a potion and apparitions to mislead Macbeth into a false sense of security.
What does Hecate scold the witches for doing?
In Act IV, Hecate reprimands the Three Witches for failing to seek her counsel more frequently and demands that they incorporate her into their machinations involving Macbeth, as she believes they are overstepping their bounds.
What does Hecate say she will spend the night planning?
What is the specific charge that Hecate levels at the Weird Sisters? Hecate is regarded as the Queen of Devils and is believed to have been 30 years of age. In what location does Hecate instruct the Weird Sisters to convene with her the following morning? – In the infernal regions adjacent to the river Styx. 31. What does Hecate indicate she will be engaged in during the nocturnal hours? -She spends the night preparing spells for Macbeth, with the intention of causing his demise.
What does Hecate want the witches to do in scene 5?
Hecate, the goddess of witches, is upset that the three witches from Act I have been affecting Macbeth’s life, believing they have messed it up. She instructs them to meet with Macbeth in the morning and provide him with all the information he wants about his future. The scene includes scenes 1 and 2, song summary, commercial, scene 3, song summary, scene 4, scene 5, commercial, scene 6, and scene 7.
Why do Hecate’s plans for Macbeth contradict with the idea of free will?
Hecate posits that Macbeth’s aspirations may impede his capacity to attain divine pardon, prudence, or awe. She seeks to engender false assurance and assurance in him, which could culminate in complacency and unguarded actions.
How does Hecate want to change the witches game plan?
Hecate, the Goddess of the three witches, aspires to a more prominent role in the downfall of Macbeth and endeavors to remain apprised of the other witches’ machinations and strategies for his destruction. This enables her to assume responsibility for their actions.
📹 Hecate: Goddess of Witchcraft & Necromancy – (Greek Mythology Explained)
If you enjoy mythology and folklore and want to learn more. Please consider subscribing to the channel to keep up to date with all …
Yes! She needs more love. But I would like to add that while largely a protector, some of her servants might paint a different image. She had these demons called “Empousa” under her service, which were basically vampires with hair made of flames, one donkey leg, and one prosthetic leg made of bronze or brass (other descriptions exist, but this seems like the most common one). They use shapeshifting to seduce and feed on the blood of young men, and in some cases also ate their flesh.
in my teens and very early 20’s, my X at the time was a very devoted wiccan and always told me, “I know you work late hours but Hecate will always see you home and always safe”, in my early 30’s now I can feel this every time I go hiking or running in the woods with my 2 dogs, I never disagree when my dogs want to take a different path on a crossroads, no matter which way they take I always come home safe, I have grown closely connected with this goddess in my experience, you should always trust your dogs even if its short time or long time you will always discover something.
One of my favorite, lesser known Goddesses. Underrated and unknown, I think she is misunderstood due to Abrahamic religions portraying her as evil. Nyx, Thanatos, and the rest of the Primordials are among the underappreciated Gods of Greek mythology. You should make one about Nyx and her children. Zeus even fears angering her because she could engulf the world in darkness.
Come to me Hekate, Mother of Angels, Cosmic World Soul, Trioditis – With three forms and three faces, Kleidouchos – Key-bearer, Soteira – Our Saviour. Mistress of witchcraft, The far-reaching One, Oh mistress Hecate, Patron Saint of all stray Animals, Tender-hearted, Flower of fire, our kindly Guardian. I call to Hekate, who stands at the crossroad, who stands at the city gate, who stands before my family’s home, to watch and to ward off evil. Bearer of torches, Leader of hounds, Holder of keys, Daughter of the deep earth and the starry sky, You tread upon the path less traveled; You walk, with certainty and without fear, in the dark night, in the wilderness, along roads most treacherous, among those who skirt the edges of order. Hekate, friend of all animals, protector of your beloved, You know the perils of all the worlds, as each world is your realm to wander. Thus do You hold safe my home, thus do You bar the door from all ill, thus do You drive away the baneful and the false. Hekate, compassionate goddess, I call to You. Be kind to me, protect me from all harm and protect all these stray animals I love, your daughters and sons. Be our guardian against evil. Protect us from restless dead and other evil spirits. Dear Hekate, be not restrained by my threshold, for my entire home is under your dominion. I invite Thee, Queen of the Night, Queen of all witches. I invite Thee to my home, to reside in this altar made for Thee. Make me strong and cunning so I may defeat all my enemies at once.
I love your description of Hecate. A lot of the people that I’ve talked to in my Mythology class have assumed that she is a cruel deity because of her connection to the afterlife, but you’re right, she really is a benevolent Goddess. I just wish more people knew that and respected her power rather than fear it.
I have always pronounced her name as you did (most of the time), although I have heard the other pronunciations online. Interestingly, there is also the Egyptian goddess Heqet (H’ket), who was their goddess of witchcraft. Since she predates Hecate by over 1,000 years, some have speculated Hecate’s name was derived from Heqet. She was a frog-headed woman and one of the primordial deities of Chaos. She was mostly worshipped in the delta region of the Nile, where it is a swamp, but also had shrines and temples throughout the Nile River region. As consort of Khnum, ram-headed god of craftsmen, Heqet was also the goddess of fertility, birth and rebirth (Khnum crafted men on his potter’s wheel; Heqet breathed life into them). As a witch, she could reanimate the dead.
Hoooly shit! My friend Sheila is a wiccan. We don’t speak or hang out as much as we did in high school, but every November 30 she goes and volunteers at an animal shelter on 8th street. I believe… going on 10 years now. I never thought to ask her, why that particular day. Just thought it was a day she just picked and stuck with it. Woooow… Thanks!
Another piece I learned about Hecate was that she held a somewhat similar role to Cerberus. While Cerberus had the duty of preventing the souls of the dead from leaving the Underworld, Hecate would prevent the living from entering into the Underworld. Though the story of Demeter and Persephone stands as an exception to this rule. In the research I’ve done, I’ve come across something of a debate as to whether Hecate was really childless. Some argue that she was, while some argue that she may have been the mother of Circe. I haven’t looked into the arguments enough to draw my own conclusion though.
Hecate’s symbol was the letter “Y”….in ancient doorways you will find that symbol placed above them. When walking thru a gateway or a doorway one was advised to say a small blessing to Hecate as to help make the right choice on the path that would follow once passing thru. It also was a symbol of her three headed images. She was the past the present and the future all in one goddess. Hecate did not need “love” as we know it…she was beloved and followed by so many believers …she called them “Her Children” and followers of Hecate called her “Their Mother”…if ever lost all one has to do is call out to Hecate and she would come to advise the best solution, much like a “Loving Mother.”
Perses (Πέρσης) meaning the radiant was the titan of the night time sky & Asteria (Αστερία) meaning “of the stars” or “like the stars” was the female titan of starlight. Their offspring is Hecate (Εκάτη) meaning “the one from afar” as an allusion to the titaness being able to affect or harm from afar. Her cult was stronger in Asia Minor mainly in the Hellenic city of Melitos. An epithet often used in greek was “τριτηα” meaning the triple. This alludes to the help she provided to the Olympians in their battle against the Gigantes (giants) and as a reward she was given authority over the three realms the primal Gods commanded, Heaven (Zeus), Sea (Poseidon) and the Underworld (Hades). As all titans related to light, (Perses, Asteria, Euryfaessa, Hyperion) had some oracular power so did she. All the above as primordial powers were related and invoked during witchcraft so was she. Being a lunar titan she helped Demetra find Persefone when all lights were out. When Persefone was not able to fully return to Earth she escorted her in the underworld. Sacred places to her were the places where three roads met. As a goddess of the underworld two kinds of sacrifices were offered: grains and food left as offerings on such places, and blood offerings of dogs as was done for Hades.
In Greek we pronounce her as e-KA-ti, the “H” in front of the name is actually an ancient Greek secondary intonation (δασεία) which, in the English transliteration becomes the letter H. I love your analysis- Ekati is one of my favorites along with Hades – another greatly misunderstood God. Thank you!
Some of my favorite Gods and Goddessess are Nyx, Hestia, Hades, Hecate, Pontus, Chaos, Apollo, Artemis, and The Three Fates. Most of these are so underrated, even when they are some of the most important Gods and Goddessess. Yes, i said some because i know Apollo, Artemis, Hades, and The Three Fates are very important to Greece mythology. Thank you for making these articles.
Many thanks for these gentle insights. I love the archetypal element of Hecate within the divine feminine. This inspires me to honour and value the gentle aspects of the physic abilities that help nurture and care for the neglected. I am not surprised to learn she is connection with the moon and dogs. Love Love Love. Thank you once again.
I love Hecate she is an amazing goddess. When he talking about devoting time to her on November 30th each year I thought it was going to be bad but it wasn’t. I love the fact that people would adopt a dog or help those who were neglected and alone. She really is an amazing goddess. I think Hades and Hecate are my new favorite greek god and goddess. <3 Thank you so much for making articles like these I am in love with greek mythology. Not only are your articles amazing, but your voice is so relaxing to hear hehe
I love her do much!!! Yes, she definitely helps all those in need. Especially children, she will always answer a call to help a child, any child, regardless of religious beliefs!!! She also helps the elderly, physically and mentally disabled!!! She always always helps fami,ies in need regardless of religious beliefs or whether they are rich, poor, or middle class!!! She always always answers if you are a student if any age, any religious beliefs, it doesnt matter if you are homosexuals or heterosexuals, to her you are all her beloved children!! She once said to me, “do not give action to those thoughts that would harm another, think and rethink and analyze your thoughts, because even your good intentions would harm another, so be careful of your thoughts! Take responsibility for all you dom say and act, because there are no scape goats in life, you must answer for all you do, say and act upon. So learn to take responsibility for those things that you do right and do no harm to another!! We do not cast spells against the will of another, regardless, free will is a gift from the Heavens and therefore must be respected always!!” Then she called me her daughter, and told me to never stop praying in any religious language. To keep the doors of the spiritual realm open and alive un my life, so that blessings will come through!!! She has been faithful and I live her. I am eclectic and or as active prayerband worship in many religious LANGUAGES and live them all. I have heard her screaming and crying for the deaths if children in the Middle East, Africa, Central and South America, Asian Nations, and many others.
There are reasons why we follow and feel the way we do about certain mythical Gods and Goddesses. Some speak for us. They speak to us and we honour that. Hecate speaks to me in everything I do. I’m not a Pagan or Wiccan follower but chose to be a witch. Eclectic, solitary. I believe that I was born into witchcraft. I tried other paths but none fit. Hecate is a source of strength. My dogs and cats have been rescues, I foster rats and have fostered dogs. I’m an empath and a medium. Darkness calls to me. Thank you Goddess Hecate for all your gifts.
I have often read that Hekate had three-headed statues because she was often combined with Selene, the titaness of the moon and Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, as all three were night goddesses as well as virgin deities. There are also myths detailing that one of the kind things she did was to guide shades (spirits of the dead) on their way to Hades. Another describes that Hekate was asked by Zeus to assist him during the Titanomachy, as he feared her great powers of witchcraft and plague, and her torch that was able to expel flames. She decided to assist him after being convinced the Titan regime was cruel and untrustworthy. There is also an account of her patrolling the caverns of Hades with Cerberus on a leash, lighted by her eternal torch. All of these snippets I gathered from reading renowned Mythologists. Sadly, even with hours of searching, I cannot locate the source for the Hekate-Cerberus description. It must have been a library book.
This was my favorite article because i found it hard to dig up a lot of information regarding the goddess. For example, i didnt know she could be a elderly woman. So i like that this is super informative. Especially with the animals. I had no clue thats what they were about. Overall i really enjoyed this article.
Hecate was such a powerful goddess, even the gods honored her. she being the goddess of the arcane and magic, had power over the heavens, earth, and the sea, she had domain over the dead, and necromancy, she traveled between realms freely, her three faces knew the past, present, and future, she was literally the goddess of practically everything. Even Zeus respected and was weary of her power,
Great article, as always. I’ve been here before before you reached 10k. I just highly suggest you put captions on all your articles. Youtube captions are really bad. Putting your captions can also help the hearing impaired etc. and most of the times, Youtube don’t know certain words that you say. They only base everything on how you pronounce it like names of Gods, places etc.
Hecate is definitely one of the older gods that preceded the complexity of Olympus and it’s tenants. Goddess of childbearing, Goddess of the moon in it’s movements, and Goddess of majik. She is a power that transcends above all the other gods for she is elusive like smoke. She can appear on a ray of light and depart by becoming one with the shadows. She is a combination of the all mysterious feminine energy and the cycles of time and space. She is primordial in essence and can be seen as a matriarch type, more like a great aunt that is too wild to be static but must always be moving. Hecate has always been one of the more intellectual Goddesses, you have to get into the minds of the ancient Greeks to get Hecate. They saw the juncture of two cross roads as also a road to the other side where people could disappear primarily at night and Hecate was seen as a helper to humans if they got lost. This was one meaning of the three faces. I better stop hear. Thanks for a great article creation in honor of the queen of dimensions.
Hello! I love your website, thank you for all the work you put into it. I was wondering if maybe you can do a article on Lilith? This article on Hecate reminded me of Lilith a little. Lilith comes from the Kabbalah and biblical traditions of adams first wife. She was viewed as extremely powerful after she fell for refusing to be subordinate to Adam. Her abilities with magic taught to her by the devil made her capable and far more powerful than Adam, but she was cursed to become a Succubus and to watch 100 of her children die every day… I think her story is fascinating and you could make a great article about her! Thank you in advance
I have recently moved to a very rural area and was particularly drawn to the crossroads near here. Every evening, I take my faithful companion, Bo, on a walk. We decide together which road to take, always leaving some sort of offering to the divine Goddess. It’s the perfect way to wind down our evening.
Thank you foe explaining about Pegasus, l had know idea. Last night whilst popping off to sleep a moment came just then not knowing why l opened my eyes in a sleepy way and low and behold a flying white horse a little ahead of me came by and then turned and flew slowly away. Next morning l looked it up on your sight on tube and so pleased l did never knew the mythology on Pegasus. It does explain so clearly what l am experiencing at this time in my life. Thank you so much.
When I first began to study Paganism, I felt a special connection to Hecate. I tried to become a part of a few groups, but didn’t fit in and wound up being a solitary. Hecate lit my way and helped me to find my own path. For some reason, at first I identified her with Lilith. Later I discovered they had absolutely nothing in common. I truly feel she guides the souls who seek their own path.
She’s one of those more obscure deities I came to really like as a child reading Classical mythology, though reference to her in the little book I still love up to this day is very minimal, actually just one, if I remember it right, and that being in her association with Artemis. And I’ve always pronounced her name with the stress on the second syllable.
Am a Christian but it doesn’t mean I don’t have friends that are Wiccan religions and other religion. Cause as a Christian we have to respect all humans and there decisions we have to treat our selves as brothers and sisters for we are created by the same heavenly Father and the Christians who force others to join our religion are the type of people I hate the most for the Lord our God and our father told us to choose what we want and that’s why he gave us choices to feel free in the world the Lord God as created.
She is one of my goddesses as I’m a psychopomp aka spirit communicator helping the spirits pass over as well as those grieving she’s misunderstood as many goddess are, I also have a love of dogs and have two, she showed herself to me many years ago without me realizing it because of my traumatic childhood and abandonment issues – thank you for making this article
Thank you for this. She in fact a liminal Goddess and has many dimensions. And you’ve just touched the surface here. She isn’t really a crone Goddess, but in general she is an elder/adult woman. In comparison to Artemis who appears as anything between 13 and 19. She had no consort, but did have a mortal husband King Aeetes, and the Roman Mercury was her lover in some myths, her children were the enchantresses Medea, Circe, and also Skyla the dog headed sea monster. It’s thought she came from ancient Thrace as did the Goddess Artemis who came from the Black Forest. Which is why Dogs are associated with both deities. Zeus had enormous respect for her and relied on her advice. Apart from the underworld, she is a Goddess of fertility and rules the realms of her Titan ancestors, the earth, stars and sea. She is also associated with fire, and light in the darkness. She is awesome!. And there are lot publications to read if anyone should be inspired to do so.
There exist so many variations of her. In some circles she was said to have fallen in love with The Green Man. Having done invocations to her, I had the rare opportunity to speak to her in person. She spoke in quiet whispers, circling me. Her presence was not only somehow lulling, but also frightening and intimidating. I can’t divulge the conversation, but I can point out a few more observations about her. She was able to turn a stormy, windy, cloudy night into a crystal clear beautiful evening. Everything was entirely still while she was present. Then, strangely enough, she had an accent that almost sounded subtly British. That I cannot explain. When I asked her what I should call her, she simply said, “Mother”.
I know her and yes, when she is about to appear at the cross roads, dogs begin barking & howling as to rejoice of her visit. Well, to be honest to everyone out there, she will appear to in a way you will fell comfortable with, after all she is a compassionate Goddess & would rather have you love rather than fear her. I have seen in my dreams and she appears to me as a black haired, pail white skin and a beautiful smile. She been with me as far as I can remember, comforting me, aiding me, protecting me, guiding me as well as introducing me to other Gods & Goddesses of the world, including some I use to fear, but now smile to when I sense their presence or see are depicting them. Hecate came to me at a time when I wanted revenge against those who harmed me in my childhood. She showed me how revenge is nothing but a lie to cause more pain than there already was. So I gave her my revenge stick, as she called it and in return, she gave me what I asked for….the emotions connected to the hurtful memories. She has saved my life more times than you’d think and in return I stand up for her as I stand up for her companions. I speak out against those who oppress the innocent and encourage them to stand up & fight back. I show gratitude to the Goddess who has helped me every step of the way. Anubis, Athena, Hades, Kali, Horus, Thor, Ganesh, and many, many more Gods & Goddesses she had introduced me to so I could better understand her and the world they in. I am truly grateful🦋 M
Hecate probably had no desire to have children as she treated the undesirables as her children in my eyes. She found joy in perusal over the less fortunate and misunderstood soles. This is my connection with this magnificent goddess. Who needs thunder and lightning like when you have a powerful heart and powerful intentions. Blessed be x
some parts of the description of Hecate in your article are kinda similar to the description of goddess Holle which can be found in northern Europes History. Sometimes depicted as joung woman other times as old lady, said to be able to know past and future, protecting and taking care of the ones less fortunate.. it would be nice to figure out if it is maybe a different name because of the area for the same goddess…a lot of gods and goddess have despite the different areas the same gender, the same talents, similar background story’s, but different names.
I must have seen this 3 years ago, but it reemerged in my YT feed this morning in such a timely sense, as Sunday morning October 17, 2021.. i was meditating in the predawn hours, and there was a very palpable Royal Serpentine Presence that came up from the earth to ‘visit with me. She was definitely female and I had the impression that it was Hecate. As i thought this, the purple essence of this spirit rose up much like a cobra and when i thought the name Hecate.. she entered into my left eye. Sounds weird, I know.. but it’s what happened, and I’ve not had the opportunity to look her up.. though intending to since Sunday. And Voilá! Here’s a little reminder to look into it more. I know her as a part of my own experience now, and she sounds like a sister in many ways, looking back on my life and experiences. I see everyone as part of the Creator’s Grace, so Living or Shade.. the Soul and its purposes are.. Eternal. Much Love! Many blessings! MARANATHA! 🍃🍃💚🍃🍃
I saw one interpretation of Hecate as the 3 phases maiden, mother, crone not faces but I can see the similarities between them the 3 phases could represent 3 faces and also past present and future for divination. I didn’t know much about her before; I only knew she was a witch and that some witches or pagans still worship her to this day. I enjoy these articles and learning about the different characters in our pasts and their beliefs
When I was little I had a dream of the moon, saw 3 lady’s…. One of them was Hecate, I pronounced her name in the Greek way when I walked up to her. She smiled. Till this day in waking life my pagan friends pronounce her name in other ways/styles but I’ve always always said Hecate’s name in Greek and still do. ❤️❤️❤️
Wow I can’t believe I have found this article! Up until now I had no idea who she was. But as I watched the article and when the depiction of her with the three heads came up I recognised her immidiately. I have dreamt about her. I now sort of understand why, at the time that I dreamt about her I was facing a new beginning in my life. Leaving a life of abuse and emotional and spiritual neglect, starting a new from a muddy pit. I now realise that she was with me in this time. I am amased of this and filled with much gratitude! Thank you for sharing this with us ❤
In the movie “Jason and the Argonauts,” Medea calls her “Heh-CAH-tay” as you do; later, my teacher taking us through “Macbeth,” called her “HEH-ket,” as you also mentioned. Gaining more familiarity with classical pronunciation and preferring the lyrical cadence, I prefer the former. She is a less covered deity for me, so I appreciate your exposition. Growing up, I didn’t know there were so many gods in Greek mythology and so many versions of the myths. So, Hecate is one like Aphrodite and Pan who likely predated the Olympians but supported them in defeating the Titans. Thanks again.
This is interesting, I feel called. I accidentally clicked on this article, and in that decided to continue perusal it as I believe in no accidents, and I was meant to watch this. This goddess speaks to me like none other, and represents all the things I hold dear to myself. I’ve also always been drawn to the story of Persephone, and I feel like now I know why!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder – very important to understand this. Hecate is willpower and far-reaching. For life, journey, motion, growth, and existence to thrive, you need decay, destruction, rebirth or everything remains idle, motionless, stationary – lifeless. And when people get antsy about consumption, they are consumers, hence it’s a dog eat dog world. We are cannibal at our base nature, consumers of doubt. Why it’s mind over matter, what I desire will desire me, what I crave will crave me, what I see will see me – ignorance is bliss.
I am new to Paganism and Hellenism all together. I am still figuring out who I am, but I asked Hekate for a sign one night, asking if I should worship her or not. That night I dreamt of a black dog. Funny enough, it was my old dog who died. I took that as a sign and now I worship Hekate. I went from being Orthodox when I was first born, to a non-denominational christian, to now a spiritual human. Though I am new to this, I feel so much comfort with Hekate. I feel welcomed for once and even if she didn’t reach out to me, ill always still love and worship Hekate.
I used to work as an undertakers assistant. I would have to transport the precious cargo from place of death into the care of our establishment. Most often times it would be around 2-4 in the morning. Witching hours. I always made sure I treated the deceased with the utmost respect. It was my duty & an honor to do so because I hope to see the light of her torch when it is my time.
These almost unknown Greek Characters of Greek Mythology are very interesting and I think more decent, coz they don’t seem to get jealous all the time. Also I’d like to see a story based on this woman and give her a personality and show her interact with other minor characters like Nyx, or Circe and other characters I may not know about. Greek fantasy worlds are so interesting
I’m writing a story where two characters, one born from her mother, the other a clone, can open portals to any place they want, even to another universe. They are good friends with another who’s mother is Athena. Knowing that Hecate is the goddess of witchcraft, I could say that she gave the oldest of the two this power and because the younger is a clone, she is given this power as well as right of birth.
So the goddess of witchcraft and necromancy helps the dead of Hades accept their new existence, is one of the few goddesses that literally has a free pass to come and go as she pleases from the kingdom of the dead, hates manipulating others and cares for the lost and destitute that society shuns. Plus she takes care of stray animals. Yeah, something is definitely lost in translation here. If I had to pick between worshipping her or Zeus, I know which one I’d go with. *Struck by lightning*
Hekate Hecate You say tomato I say tomotto A Wiccan friend introduced Hecate to me, in passing. I’d been interested in myth for years but hadn’t read or studied it yet. That’s where I started. With Hecate. One of my conclusions, so far… I’m not sure she’s a witch. Any way, Sticking with Classical Greek gods & goddesses for now, and what they’re known for. Had to narrow it down to something manageable lol Thanks for your contribution 🌕
I’ve listened to a different story of hecate.. She was a kind person for those of the after life. I did not know she didn’t have kids. But i understand. With the craziness that comes from seeing and hearing those of the dead. Feeling energies that are not meant from the average person. May drive her crazy… Make her indeed fit to talk to the dead. But not fit to care for children..
In Roman Myth, the God Mercury was her lover, and their daughter was the sorceress Circe. She also had a mortal husband, King Aeetes, and children, the witch Medea being the most well known in the myths. And she is sited as one of the possible parents of the sea monster Skylla, the father being the Oceanic deity Porchys. A fish tailed merman, with crabs claws and red spiky skin.
She sounds rather Sagittarius to me, which stands to reason why I’ve always preferred the soft blue and silver kiss of moonlight’s illuminations over the infinitely more likely to be imposing gaze of sunshine. While most organic living sorts rather irrefutably benefit more substantially from the later, I still have my reserves about it being so much the same case with myself.. Whether I’ve had two hours sleep, or somehow managed to be kept up for even more than a day or two, throughout my life, none too long after dusk passed and the moon’s settled into the early stages of her night-shift, I’ve always been favored with a rather significant boost of both energy and clarity that even if dragging-ass beforehand, I’d seem to naturally “wake up” at said point practically refreshed and renewed again until at least three or four hours up til ole Helios, Ra, Apollo, or what have-you’s ensuing morning shift in the coming.. While I worship no gods shy of my own patron Alpha Omega Father, Most Sovereign, though I really consider him far more and less constrained by to being identified as a god even, that’s not to say I don’t recognize and respect the others my perhaps even long still may be schizophrenic/delusional ass might be in the so adamantly saying, I can’t help seeming to have noticed no small measure of affinity and distinct favor of most those I believe I have.. It’s just a wonder that for all my particular affinity with Hecate, Luna and/or such, that her black dog companion has thus far eluded my notice till now, as I find it ironic that ever since I were eight years old, even now at 35, should I take off on a trek alone and on foot under the night sky, a large white female wolf, perhaps somewhat Alaskan Husky-mixed canine still tends to find and provide companionship over my journeys, distinctly up to the point initially arriving at my destination, usually to almost bow off gracefully, for lack of a better phrase, frequently enough, just before a pin-hair from crossing that thin threshold between darkness, or relative darkness under natural moonlight and the welcoming artificial lights as tend there to receive me as I’d arrive.
Hecate is also a cousin to Artemis and Apollo because Asteria is the sister of Leto, the mother of Apollo and Artemis. After Zeus impregnated Leto, he fixed his attention next to Asteria who on the other hand escaped his advances by transforming into a quail then, turned herself into an island which we now know as Delos. When Leto went into labor, she was the only one who welcomed her sister, defying Hera’s orders that forbade Leto any shelter.
i enjoyed this presentation as it gave me a bit more depth to hecate. she is one of my goddess friends. i really don’t understand why anyone would want to worship anyone or thing, ask their blessing or change their lives.? so i guess that lets me out of the worship theory. !! but i feel as a guide hecate does well for me. i have her placed at the apex of my starry realm. she is not my main gal but it is good to know her attributes a bit clearer. usually researchers lean heavily on their own perceptions when delineating a character. but this presentation seems to have kept an air of objectivity and yet a bit of warmth of heart.
I love your articles ✌, thank you for uploading these articles for my enjoyment plus, you have a very good and wonderful soft spoken Voice and, it makes the article more interesting, no really it does and I appreciate it very much. I am wondering where can I find your Book that you wrote? Thank you for reading and answering my Question, God bless you and Peace be with you always and forevermore amen 🙏💜.
The research I’ve done in the Greek Mythology text books, pros who’ve studied this stuff… Has led me to believe Hekate, Hacate was not connected to witchery or death. Nobody told me one way or the other. Just a lot of reading about her. A friend and I heard her, loud and clear. That was my first experience when I was studying Wiccan religion. October/November last year. My path took me in another direction but always love Greek myth.
Woh, last year at the end of October to the end of November, i saw a peculiar dog living in my neighborhood, i new it was a messenger so i gave it an offering and thanked it. I thought it was sent by Anubis, now i know it was Hecate because the dog looked exactly like her hounds just knee high. Gratitude Always 💗💗💗
All as I could tell that we had Hecatia Lapislazuli, the Goddess of Hell from the Touhou Project series whose name is similar to Hecate. She is known to had three bodies with the three planets to change her hair colour like the Otherworld (Red), Earth (blue) and Moon (Yellow). While her subordinate, Clownpiece, the American Fairy of Hell is said to based on Lampades, the torch-wielding nymphs to drive people to madness.
I think it’s interesting that in Marvel’s “Scarlet Witch” issue 2, Hecate and Scarlet Witch are really close. Scarlet Witch is the most powerful witch and senses that witchcraft is dying and she looks to Hecate for advice and Hecate asks her to defeat a dark magic empowered Minotaur as a favor. I found the connection between the two to be interesting even though it’s only one issue.