Goddess: Hecate

*Hecate √ Hecate Crone goddess of witches, magic, the night, and ruler of crossroads, borders and thresholds. Like Freya, Hecate is drawn through the sky in a chariot pulled by cats, though Hecate is also associated with other nocturnal creatures. She watches over travellers and those making major lifedecisions. She is a weaver of wisdom and the midwife who guides us into life then from life to death. She is mistress of arcane knowledge, magical and herbal, and is associated with cauldrons and broomsticks – both accoutrements associated with witchcraft. Hecate is enormously popular with contemporary witches. Origins: Greece and southern Europe Symbols and associations: Cats, crossroads, cauldrons, broomsticks, bats, moths, ravens and crows, owls, bones, herbal knowledge, spiders and webs. *adapted from The Wicca Bible by Ann-Marie Gallagher, published by Godsfield Press, 2005.

Hecate: Goddess of Witchcraft, ghosts, and the dead. *adapted from Solitary Witch by Silver RavenWolf, published by Llewellyn Publications, 2007.

HEKATE Origin Greek. Goddess of the moon and of pathways. Known period of worship circa 800 BC until Christianization (circa AD 400) Synonyms Hecate. Center(s) of cult Lagina. Art references sculptures and reliefs. Literary sources Theogony (Hesiod) etc. Hekate is the daughter of Perses and Asteria and is subsequently honoured by Zeus as a goddess. She is the mother of Scylla and is specifically a goddess of pathways and crossroads traveled by night. Artistic representations show her carrying torches. Where paths met, a tripe figure of Hekate rose from masks placed at the junction. Offerings were left in roadside shrines and at junctions. In later times she tended to become syncretized with the goddess Artemis. Hekate is also the patron of Medea and other witches, and in some parts of Thessaly she was worshiped by occult bands of female moon worshipers. In variations of the Demeter legends Hekate plays a part in the return of Persephone from Hades. She is also invoked as a bestower of wealth and favor. *adapted from Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses by Michael Jordan, published by Facts on File, Inc.

Hecate, as met by Silverbear A tall, bony sort of woman with smooth skin, thin lips, and eyes of which the iris and pupil are silvery and opaque. Her hair is either long, smooth and silver, or rolled into matted grey dreadlocks, and frequently gathered into a ponytail at the back of her head. She wears a loose black robe with a cowl. Her general demeanour seems to be reserved and stern, but not unkind. Her smile is thin and mysterious and full of secret promises.

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