The Dark Mother

Last week I took a look at Hecate in her role as the Goddess of the Crossroads. There is much more to her than being a protector for those that travel. Hecate is the Dark Mother, Goddess of the Three Faces, Queen of the Witches, Hecate Antea, Goddess of Wild Animals, and Queen of the Ghostworld. She wears many faces, and her roles are intertwined.

Originally Thracian in origin, Hecate is a pre-Olympian goddess. Hecate is said to be the evolution of the Egyptian goddess/midwife Heket. She was eventually integrated in to the Greek and Roman pantheons. Hecate is the daughter of the Titan Perses and the star goddess Asteria. Hecate is said to be the mother of Apollo and Artemis. Hecate is a goddess that was honored by Zeus above all the other goddesses, and she was given a portion of the earth and a portion of the sea. Because of Zeus’ generosity Hecate is a goddess of the earth, heavens, and seas.

Although Hecate was one of the Greek goddesses, she did not live among them. Instead, she made her home in the Underworld. Hecate is the Mistress of the Night Sky and she holds the keys to the Underworld. She escorts the souls of the dead from their graves. The Greeks called her The Hag of the Dead, and in the Middle Ages she was called Queen of the Ghostworld.

One of the entrances to the Underworld was Lake Averna. Hecate would lead the departed soul there to begin their next journey. Around the lake there were hidden caves through which the souls of the dead were summoned. The lake was surrounded with trees that were considered sacred to Hecate: such as Yew, Willow, and Osier.

Hecate is part of the Triple Goddess. The Romans called her Diana Triformis and believed that the goddess was made up of Diana, Persephone, and Hecate. However, the Greeks saw the Triple Goddess as being Persephone, Demeter, and Hecate. For the most part, Hecate is always the Crone of the three. The Triple Goddess is made up of the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. Hecate is often symbolized with the waning or dark moon.

Hecate eventually became most known as the Queen of the Witches. In parts of Thessaly, female moon worshippers paid homage to Hecate. Hecate is one of the major deities in all types of enchantment, witchcraft and sorcery. Hecate is often seen as a crone that carries three torches and three emblems. The key unlocks the secrets of the occult mysteries and the knowledge of the afterlife. The rope she carries symbolizes an umbilical cord of rebirth and renewal. The dagger, or athame, symbolizes ritual power.

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