HECATE, a Greek goddess who is never mentioned in Homer, but is of great importance in other parts of the literature as well as in religious observance. The name Hecatos, the masculine corresponding form, is a frequent epithet of Apollo; and though the word eκdτη is never used exactly as an epithet of Artemis, yet this suggests a close relationship between the two goddesses, which an examination of their functions fully confirms. Their character and attributes stamp both as moon-goddesses. In fact, though often distinguished from Artemis, yet at other times Hecate is identified with her. The worship of Hecate seems to have flourished especially among the wilder tribes of Greek nationality, in Samothrace, Thessaly, and elsewhere; she has, however, been received into the Pantheon of the more civilized Greek races, probably on account of her close resemblance to Artemis; and this is doubtless the meaning of Hesiod’s statement lfΓheoa., 423) that she alone of all the Titanic powers was left undisturbed in her honours by Zeus. The parentage of Hecate is variously given. Hesiod names her father Perses (a word connected with Perseus, Persephone, &c., all of which denote powers of light) and her mother Asteria, the starry sky of night. Zeus and Demeter, Zeus and Hera, <fcc., are also named as her parents. Her chief prerogatives or functions are the following....
(1) She is the chief goddess who presides over magic arts and spells, for all incantations naturally were performed by the light of the moon. Medea is in this respect closely associated with her worship. See her prayer in Sophocles, Rhizοt.fr . In Theocr., Id. ii., where a woman’s incantation to bring back her faithless lover is given, Hecate is constantly invoked. (2) She is a Chthonian power, and is worshipped at the Stmothracian mysteries. She is then closely connected with Demeter. Alone of the gods besides Helios, she witnessed the abduction of Persephone, and, torch in hand (a natural symbol for the moon’s light), she assisted Demeter in the search for her daughter (IIym. Dem., 45 ff). She is obviously a by-forna of Persephone, who as queen of the lower world is also the moon, the bride of the sun, when at setting he has gone to the lower world. She rules as a terrible power, Krataïs, among the shades <f)rph., 48, &c.). (3) As δαδούχος,
φώσφορος, v7roλαp7rτeφα, she lights wanderers on their way by night, and is therefore, along with Hermes, worshipped as patron of roads under tire name tvoδ'α, At cross-roads she was the director, hence her name τpιoδZτις, and probably also τρίμορφος, τρνπρόσωπος, <fcc. Pillars called Hecataea, like the Hermae, stood, especially in Athens, at cross-roads and door-ways. (4) She is the goddess of fertility, and, like Artemis, presides especially over the birth and the youth of wild animals. As the moon measures the months, the moon-goddess in all forms, as Artemis, Helena, <fcc., presides over birth. (5) It follows easily from the last that she should be the goddess who gives wealth and power. Thus she is celebrated by Hesiod (Z.c.). On the Acropolis at Athens Hecate Epipyrgidia, as protectress of the citadel, had a shrine beside the temple of Victory. To Hecate dogs were offered, also honey and black she-lambs, as black victims were offered to other Chthonian deities. She was represented generally as a triple form, holding in the six hands torches, with sometimes a snake, a key, a whip, or a dagger, often with dogs standing beside her. The three heads support a basket, “kalathos,” such as often adorns the statues of Artemis and Hera. The Hecataea also generally represent her with three heads; occasionally, however, a single-formed Hecate is found, still with torch or key in hand, and sometimes with crescent moon on head.
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