Goddess of crossroads, magic, the moon and the night, Hecate held the keys between worlds. Mysterious and powerful, she is one of the most fascinating figures of Greek mythology. Here is her story.
Who is Hecate?
Hecate (Hekate) is the Greek goddess of magic, witchcraft, crossroads, entrances, the night, the moon, ghosts and necromancy. Daughter of the Titans Perses and Asteria, she was one of the few Titans honoured by Zeus after the war against the Titans, who allowed her to keep her powers over the earth, the sea and the sky.
In art Hecate holds two blazing torches, lighting the way through darkness, and is accompanied by black dogs. She is often shown in triple form – three figures standing back to back – watching over the three roads of a crossroads, the three phases of the moon, or the past, present and future. Her symbols also include keys, daggers and serpents.
Guardian of the crossroads
In ancient Greece, small shrines and images of Hecate stood at crossroads and at the doors of houses to protect travellers and households from evil spirits. At the new moon, people left offerings of food for her at the crossroads – the "suppers of Hecate". She was the guardian of thresholds, the in-between places where one world meets another.
The torchbearer for Demeter
When Persephone was carried away by Hades, it was Hecate who heard her cries from her cave. She joined Demeter in the search, lighting the way with her torches, and together they went to Helios, the sun, who revealed the truth. When Persephone returned from the underworld, Hecate became her companion and guide, travelling with her each year between the worlds.
Goddess of magic
Hecate taught the arts of herbs, potions and spells. The great sorceresses of myth – Medea, who helped Jason win the Golden Fleece, and Circe, who enchanted Odysseus' men – were her priestesses or descendants. In later centuries she became the queen of witches, appearing in Shakespeare's Macbeth and in many modern pagan and Wiccan traditions, where she is honoured as a triple goddess of the moon.
Hecate in art and in your home
Hecate symbolises wisdom, protection, intuition and the courage to face the unknown. Her statue is a popular piece for altars, meditation spaces and libraries, and a meaningful gift for lovers of mythology, witchcraft and the night sky. Look for her with her torches and hounds, or in her triple form, in a dark bronze finish that suits candlelight.
Related gods
Read the stories of Hades and Demeter, whom she helped, and of Zeus, who honoured her. Browse all the gods in our Greek Mythology collection and our Skeletons & Gothic collection.
