I praise lovely 
three-formed Hekate Enodia,
 
saffron-veiled, 

of Sky, Earth, and Sea, 

who celebrates Bacchanalia 
at the tomb 
with the souls of the dead, 

Daughter of Perses, 

Lover of solitude, 

honored with cakes, 

Nocturnal one, 

Protector of dogs,

Invincible Sovereign, 

heralded by the roar of wild beasts...

Keybearing Queen of the whole Cosmos. 
 

Primary Sources on Hecate

The earliest is Hesiod's Theognis  
(Penguin ed., pp 36-7.) Hesiod, to whom the work is generally attributed, lived in the 8th century b.c.e., but the work may be older, originating in oral tradition.


The Homeric Hymn to Demeter refers to "luminous Hecate," bearing a light in her hands.




Secondary Sources on Hecate

The following excerpts are from essential texts for the scholarly study of ancient Western Paganism. 

From Greek Religion by Walter Burkert (ISBN 0-674-36281-0), p 171.
"Hecate is a goddess of more independent character, however often she was equated with Artemis from the fifth century onwards. In the iconography she is generally pictured as the same lithe virgin with short chiton, except that instead of the bow she carries torches---though these may be taken over by Artemis also.

Hecate is the goddess of pathways, Enodia, especially of cross-roads and of the offerings laid down there; the triple-form figure of Hecate arose from the three masks which were hung at the meeting of three pathways. The pathways of Hecate are pathways of the night; accompanied by barking dogs, she leads a ghostly retinue. Hecate is also goddess of the moon and of the moon-conjuring witches of Thessaly, such as the dreaded sorceress Medea. Here secret society rituals are reflected. 

In the journey to Hades in the tale of the rape and return of Persephone Hecate is also at hand. 

Hecate seems to have her roots among the Carians of Asia Minor; her most important sanctuary is Lagina, a temple state of oriental type where there are also sacred eunuchs. The theophoric name Hekatomnos, which is non-Greek in formation, is also Carian. Hesiod's family, which came from Aeolian Cumae, seems to have been especially devoted to Hecate; the Theogony contains a Hymn to Hecate which accords the goddess a portion of honour in all domains of the world."





From The Gods of the Greeks by Carl Kerenyi (ISBN 0-500-27048-1), pp. 35-36.

"Hekate ... was always closest to us --- although her name perhaps means "the Distant One". 

It is not only her name that links her with Apollon and Artemis, who are also named Hekatos and Hekate, but also her family origin --- if Hesiod is right in his account of it. She is elsewhere supposed to have been one of the daughters of Night. Hesiod, however, gives us the following genealogy: the Titan couple Phoebe and Koios had two daughters: Leto, the mother of Apollon and Artemis, and Asteria, a star goddess who bore Hekate to Peraios or Perses, the son of Eurybia. Hekate is therefore the cousin of Apollon and Artemis, and at the same time a reappearance of the great goddess Phoibe, whose name poets often give to the moon. Indeed, Hekate used to appear to us carrying her torch as the moon-goddess, whereas Artemis, although she, too, sometimes carries a torch, never did so. Hesiod seeks further to distinguish Hekate from Artemis by repeatedly emphasising that the former is monogenes, "an only child". In this respect, too, Hekate resembled Persephone, the goddess of the Underworld. 

For the rest, she was an almighty, threefold goddess. Zeus revered her above all others, and let her have her share of the earth, the sea and the starry sky; or rather, he did not deprive her of this threefold honour, which she had previously enjoyed under the earlier gods, the Titans, but let her retain what had been awarded to her at the first distribution of honours and dignities. She was therefore a true Titaness of the Titans, even though this is never expressly stated. On the contrary, she is said to be that Krataiis,that "Strong One", who bore to Phorkys the female sea-monster Skylla. 

Tales are told of her love-affairs with gods of the sea: with Triton, in particular, whom Hesiod calls eurybias, "of wide force". 

On the other hand, it was also said that Hekate was mistress of the Underworld and every night led around a swarm of ghosts, accompanied by the barking of dogs. She was even called Bitch and She-wolf.

She was literally "close" to us, in the sense that she stood before the doors of most of our houses under the name of Prothyraia, the goddess who helped women in childbed (or sometimes cruelly oppressed them), and was also to be seen at meeting  places of three ways, where images of her were set up: three wooden masks upon a pole, or a threefold statue with three faces looking in three directions. [See image above.] To describe how and with what purposes she was invoked by women would take us into the field of witchcraft; and I propose to confine myself as closely as possible to Mythology."

Modern Devotional Prayers

Prayer to HeKate

Most ancient Goddess, beautiful Hekate, 
powerful, swift, unseen, 
We invoke Thee.
Be among us, 
Come to our aid.

Ever Watchful, 
nothing escapes your understanding. 
Your domain is unbounded;
the secrets of the heavens, the earth, 
and the underworld are Yours. 
You hear the laments 
of the oppressed.

Companion of all 
who travel in darkness, come to us 
bearing light in your hands. 
Be our guide 
through the dark places. 
Protect us from unseen dangers. 
In our travail, 
help us to bring new life safely to birth.

Champion of refugees, 
in your honor, 
we kindle now 
a flame of hope, 
as a sign 
of our covenant of solidarity with all who are oppressed.

(c) Christa Landon 2002








On the Worship of Hekate
by "Lucian Prymal" shadowserpent@mail2hecate.com

[In] my own personal opinion ... the gift of greatest worth in honoring the Mighty Gods is that of the intent behind the offering, regardless of the value of the offering itself. 

There are few things as powerful as presenting offerings and libations into a great fire ablaze atop a large stone altar during festival, but then, again, few things can compare to being before your home altar sharing your heart, thoughts, and adoration with the Mighty Gods. 

I do not pretend to know how others perceive the Gods they worship, nor to question the validity of the way they choose to honor those Gods. However, in worshipping Mighty Hekate, She is ever the light within the darkness and is my guide, guardian, and protectress. 

When I light candles to honor Her, these simple candles have a great significance to me as in their flames, I acknowledge Glorious Hekate's roles in my life. [With them] I honor Her by remembering how, by Her Divine Will and Guidance, I was lead from out the darkness and emptiness of my past life and given a new chance at truly living in fulfillment in Her service. The candle flame also serves to remind me that the darkness ever exists, but in Hekate's Eternal Light, one need never become lost within the shadows without or within, for She is ever faithful and never is Her light denied those that seek it and find it. 

Honor and glorious praises to all the Immortal Gods!

Lucian Prymal
Servant of Mighty Hekate 

A small prayer I made for the Goddess Hekate, she was my patron in my early
years of pagan witchcraft, while in 8-9th grade.  I'm still young but she helped me out greatly. 

-ScarletWillowRoot
scarletwillowroot@hotmail.com