Hecate in Greek mythology was a powerful goddess representing the
three aspects of the great Goddess, or Triple Goddess: goddess of
fertility and plenty; goddess of the moon; and goddess of the night,
ghosts and sHades, which led to her evolving as the patroness of
magic and Witchcraft. Her powerful position was derived from the
Egyptian mid-wife goddess Heqit, Heket, or Hekat, who in turn evolved
from the heq or tribal matriarch of pre-dynastic Egypt, who was a
wise-woman in command of all hekau or "mother's Words of Power." In
her moon-goddess aspect she is often part of the trinity with Selene,
and Diana/Artemis.
The goddess possesses infernal powers, nocturnally roaming the earth
with a pack of red-eyed hellhounds and a entourage of dead souls. She
is only visible to dogs, and if the dogs are traveling at night, it
means Hecate is about. She causes nightmAres and insanity, and was so
threatening to the ancient people that she was called "the Nameless
One."
The Hellenes emphasized her Crone aspects, but continued to worship
her at places where three roads connected, especially in rites of
magic, divination, and consulting with the dead. Her images guarded
three-way crossroads for many centuries, thus she was Hecate
Trevia, "Hecate of the Three Ways." Offerings, particularly on nights
of the full moon, were left at roadside shrines built in her honor,
especially by those wishing this goddess of prophecy and magic to
assist them on journeys.
Throughout the ages incarnations have been chanted to her, sacrifices
were offered to her. In ancient times people sought to appease her by
leaving chicken hearts and honey cakes outside of their doors. On the
last day of the month, offerings of honey, onions, fish, and eggs
were left at the crossroads, along with sacrifices of puppies, infant
girls, and she-lambs. Sorcerers gathered at crossroads to pay homage
to her and such infernal servants as the Empusa, a hobgoblin; the
Cercopsis, a poltergeist; and the Mormo, a ghoul. One petition for
her patronage is recorded in the third century by Hippolytus in
Philosphumena:
Come infernal, terrestrial, and heavenly Bombo (Hecate), goddess of
the broad roadways, of the crossroad, thou who goest to and fro at
night, torch in hand, enemy of the day. Friend and lover of darkness,
thou who doest rejoice when the bitches are howling and warm blood is
spilled, thou who art walking amid the phantom and the in place of
the tombs, thou whose thirst is blood, thou who doest strike chill
and fear in mortal hearts, Gorgo, Mormo, Moon of a thousand forms,
cast a propitious eye on our sacrifice.
Also from the goddess Heqit Hecate derived her heavenly midwifery
ability. Heqit amalgamated the Seven Hathos of the birth-chamber,
since she delivered the sun god every morning. Heqit's totem was the
frog, which symbolized the fetus. Hellenic writers described Hecate
as being in the houses of women in childbirth. Therefore, since
Hecate was at times represented by Artemis, it is no wonder that the
latter was able to help in the delivery of her twin brother Apollo,
and was petitioned for help by women having difficulty in child
bearing.
In modern Witchcraft Hecate is thought to reign over the waning and
dark moon, the two weeks considered best for magic dealing with
banishing, releasing, planning, and introspection.
A.G.H.
Sources:
Guiley, Rosemary Ellen, The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft,
New York: Facts On File, 1989, pp. 155-156
Walker, Barbara G, The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets, New
York, HarperCollins, 1983, pp,. 378-379
http://www.themystica.com/mythical-folk/articles/hecate.html