Hecate, the great goddess of darkness

Hecate, the great goddess of darkness
1st-2nd Century ACE. Marble relief of Hecate in a temple from the time of Hadrian © Kinský Palace, Prague (NM-H10 4742).

Hecate, the great goddess of darkness

I. Female divinities associated with magic

Since ancient times, the goddess Hecate has been surrounded by mystery. Lacking a mythical narrative of her own, Hecate is primarily recognized for her attributes and her power over the sky, earth, and sea. She protects and benefits those who worship her, serving as a nurturing and healing goddessshe is often referred to as «Savior». Many scholars identify her as one of the manifestations of the Great Goddess, an embodiment of fertility and feminine energy. She shares characteristics with other goddesses with whom she is associated, such as Artemis (always accompanied by dogs and ready for the hunt), Persephone (Hecate guided Demeter in the search for her daughter, illuminating the path with her torches), or even Selene (lunar deity who rules the nights). Like them, Hecate also protected young women, pregnancies, and childbirth. 

However, her immense power posed a threat to the patriarchy. Due to her strong connection with the underworld (the Homeric Hymns present Hecate as a companion to the aforementioned Persephone, freely wandering in the world of the dead), she became defined as the queen of shadows, the goddess of witchcraft and necromancy, and the mother of a renowned lineage of witches, such as Circe and Medea, as some sources suggest. As the goddess of unknown territories, it was common to find her masks and statues at crossroads, liminal places where she could be invoked for protection during journeys. She was often depicted as a goddess with three heads (the maiden, the mother, the crone; the past, the present, the future). Her protective animal was the dog, and she herself was known as «The Dog» and could assume this form (it was said that the barking of dogs announced her arrival). Her symbol, the moon.

 

Ana González-Rivas