On Hecate

When dealing with Greek Mythology, you are dealing with poetry in motion.  That is to say, the Greek world's stories were first recorded as poems.  Hecate, the most evasive spirit in the region, would have been first recounted by word of mouth and then famed by written word.  In this untapped form before dictionaries, media interpretations and art we find the primal goddess.

     In Hesiod's Theogony Hecate is said to be a descendant of the older, Titan generation.  Thus she is older than the traditional Greek gods.  Perhaps recognizing this Zeus grants her dominion over the three realms of creation: the heae, earth and underworld.  Great emphasis is placed on the fact that she deserves her dues, even from the King of Olympus.  Classical writers observed fear as her signature, fear belonging to mortals and immortals alike.  Her name is said to mean "She who has influence from far off" or "her that operates from afar."  She was associated with graveyards, dogs, torches, crossroads and magic.

     How was Hecate represented in Greece?  How did she manifest?  As a vital, dark haired grown woman, constantly in motion.  One hardly sees her pictured without an instrument or torch in hand.  Her second hallmark is the ability to exist in three bodies at once.  This is possibly an illumination of her claims over heaven, earth and hell.

     Modern religions, quick to over analyze, claim her triple function to be a side effect of the popular Triple Goddess of Neo Pagans: Maiden, Mother and Crone, fixating heavily on the role of crone.  I prefer to stray from this representation.  The Greeks knew Hecate's roles were vast, too vast to fit into one body.

     My shrine to Hecate is mounted on a wall.  She is intentionally placed near the bedroom door.  I burn mullein and incense for her inside but.I prefer to leave all consumable offerings outdoors at the crossroads.  Hecate, it should be known, is loud if you call on her but you'll never forget her words.