Several Greek myths and tales reference Hecate, the Greek goddess associated with magic, witchcraft, and the night. Here are a few examples.
Hecate and Persephone: In the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, Hecate plays a role in the myth of Persephone's abduction by Hades. After Persephone is taken to the underworld, Hecate becomes her companion and guide. Hecate assists Demeter, Persephone's mother, in searching for her daughter and helps reveal the truth about her whereabouts.
Persephone was the daughter of the goddess Demeter, the goddess of agriculture. One day, Persephone was picking flowers in a field when Hades abducted her. Hades came to the earth in a chariot drawn by four black horses. He emerged from a crack in the earth and abducted Persephone while she was distracted by the flowers. Hecate was the only one who witnessed the abduction. She was a goddess of the night and of the crossroads, and she was often depicted with torches. She saw Hades abduct Persephone and she knew that Demeter would be heartbroken. She went to Demeter and told her what had happened. Demeter was devastated by the loss of her daughter. She refused to eat or drink and stopped caring for the earth. The crops began to die, and the people of the earth began to starve.
Zeus, the king of the gods, was concerned about the state of the earth. He sent Hermes, the messenger god, to the underworld to return Persephone to her mother. Hermes found Persephone in the underworld and persuaded Hades to let her go. However, Hades tricked Persephone into eating a pomegranate seed before she left. This meant she was bound to the underworld for part of the year. She would spend the winter months with Hades in the underworld and the spring and summer months with her mother on Earth. The myth of the abduction of Persephone is a story about the cycle of the seasons. It is also a story about the power of motherhood and the importance of family. Hecate's role in the myth is significant, as she is the only one who witnesses the abduction and helps Demeter find her daughter. She is a symbol of hope and of the power of the divine feminine.
Hecate and the Witch Medea: In the myth of Jason and the Argonauts, the witch Medea calls upon Hecate for assistance in her magical practices. Medea is known for her ability to manipulate magic, and Hecate is often associated with granting power to witches and sorcerers. Hecate's involvement in the story highlights her connection to magic and witchcraft.
Jason and the Argonauts is a famous Greek myth about Jason's quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece. Hecate plays a significant role in the myth, as she is the one who gives Jason the advice and magical items he needs to succeed on his quest. In the myth, Jason is the rightful heir to the throne of Iolcus, but his uncle Pelias has usurped the throne. Jason is determined to reclaim his rightful throne and sets out on a quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece. The Golden Fleece is a magical ram's fleece that is said to have the power to make its owner invincible. Hecate is the first person that Jason meets on his quest. She is a powerful goddess of night and magic, known for her ability to see into the future. Hecate tells Jason that he will need her help to succeed in his quest. She gives him a magic potion that will protect him from harm, and she also gives him a golden fleece that will guide him on his journey. Jason and the Argonauts travel to Colchis, where the Golden Fleece is kept. They must face many challenges along the way, but with Hecate's help, they can overcome them all. In the end, Jason can retrieve the Golden Fleece and return to Iolcus. He defeats his uncle Pelias and reclaims his rightful throne.
Hecate's role in the myth of Jason and the Argonauts is significant. She is the one who gives Jason the advice and magical items he needs to succeed on his quest. She is also the one who helps him to overcome the many challenges he faces along the way. Without Hecate's help, Jason would not have been able to retrieve the Golden Fleece and reclaim his rightful throne.
The myth of Orpheus: Hecate helps Orpheus to find his way back to the underworld to rescue his wife Eurydice.
In the myth, Orpheus is a musician known for his beautiful music. He is married to Eurydice, a nymph, but she is bitten by a snake and dies. Orpheus is heartbroken and decides to journey to the underworld to rescue her. Hecate is the goddess of the night and the underworld, known for her ability to see into the future. She meets Orpheus at the underworld's gates and tells him that he must not look back at Eurydice until they have reached the upper world. Orpheus travels through the underworld, playing his music. The music is so beautiful that it even moves the underworld gods. They agree to let Eurydice go, but they warn Orpheus that he must not look back at her until they have reached the upper world. Orpheus and Eurydice begin their journey back to the upper world, but Orpheus cannot resist the temptation to look back at her. As soon as he does, Eurydice is lost to him forever. Orpheus's story is a tragedy, but it is also a story about the power of love. Orpheus's music is so powerful that it even moves the underworld gods. He can get close to Eurydice but cannot resist the temptation to look back at her. This is a reminder that even the strongest love can be fragile. Hecate's role in the myth of Orpheus is significant. She is the one who helps Orpheus to find his way back to the underworld, and she is the one who warns him not to look back at Eurydice. Without Hecate's help, Orpheus would not have been able to get as close to Eurydice as he did.
The myth of Theseus: Hecate helps Theseus to defeat the Minotaur in the labyrinth.
In the myth, Theseus is a young prince from Athens. Every year, Athens is forced to send seven young men and seven young women to Crete to be sacrificed to the Minotaur, a half-man, half-bull creature that lives in the Labyrinth. Theseus decides to volunteer to go to Crete and to defeat the Minotaur. Hecate, the goddess of the night and of magic, helps Theseus to prepare for his journey. She gives him a sword and a ball of thread. The sword is to help him to defeat the Minotaur, and the ball of thread is to help him to find his way back out of the labyrinth. Theseus arrives in Crete and is met by King Minos. King Minos agrees to let Theseus enter the labyrinth, but he warns him that no one has ever escaped. Theseus takes the ball of thread and enters the labyrinth.
Theseus follows the thread through the labyrinth and eventually comes to the Minotaur's lair. The Minotaur is asleep, and Theseus attacks it with his sword. The Minotaur is a powerful creature, but Theseus can defeat it.
After defeating the Minotaur, Theseus uses the thread to find his way back out of the labyrinth. He returns to Athens a hero and is hailed as the city's savior.
Hecate's role in the myth of Theseus is significant. She is the one who helps Theseus to prepare for his journey, and she is the one who helps him to find his way back out of the labyrinth. Without Hecate's help, Theseus would not have been able to defeat the Minotaur and to save Athens.
The myth of Medea: Hecate is a friend and advisor to Medea, and she helps her avenge her children's death.
In the myth, Medea is a princess from Colchis. She is married to Jason, a Greek hero on a quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece. Medea helps Jason to retrieve the Golden Fleece, and they eventually marry.
However, Jason eventually abandons Medea for another woman, Glauce. Medea is heartbroken and vows to avenge her children's death. She kills Glauce and her father, Creon, and then she escapes from Corinth with her children.
Hecate, the goddess of night and magic, helps Medea escape from Corinth. She gives Medea a chariot drawn by dragons, and she helps her cross the sea safely. Medea eventually settles in Athens, where she raises her children.
Hecate's role in the myth of Medea is significant. She is the one who helps Medea to escape from Corinth and to carry out her revenge. Without Hecate's help, Medea would not have been able to avenge the death of her children and to find safety.
Hecate's role in these myths is important today as it was in antiquity. She is a symbol of hope, of the power of the divine feminine, and of the mysteries of the night. She is also a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for light to return.
In the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, Hecate helps Orpheus to find his way back to the underworld to rescue his wife. This story is a reminder that even the strongest love can be fragile and that hope can sometimes be found in the darkest of places.
In the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, Hecate helps Theseus to find his way through the labyrinth and to defeat the Minotaur. This story is a reminder that even the most difficult challenges can be overcome with courage and determination.
In the myth of Medea, Hecate helps Medea to escape from Corinth and to carry out her revenge. This story is a reminder that even the most powerful forces can be turned to good or evil, depending on the intentions of the person who wields them.
She is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for light to return.
What have you found? Which are your favorites? Feel free to share here in the comments!
Remember, stay present and mindful.
Rev. Renee Sosanna Olson
Keybearer to the CoH
Founder of the Sanctuary of Hecate Brimo.