(), a mysterious divinity, who, according to the
most common tradition, was a daughter of Persaeus or Perses and Asteria, whence she is called
Perseis. (Apollod. 1.2.4; Apollon.
3.478.) Others describe her as a daughter of Zeus and Demeter, and state that she was
sent out by her father in search of Persephone (Schol. ad Tleocrit.
2.12); others again make her a daughter of Zeus either by Pheraea or by Hera (Tzetz. ad Lyc. 1175; Schol. ad Theocrit. 2.36) ; and others,
lastly, say that she was a daughter of Leto or Tartarus. (Procl. in Plat.
Cratyl. p. 112 ; Orph. Argon. 975.) Homer does not mention her.
According to the most genuine traditions, she appears to have been an ancient Thracian
divinity, and a Titan, who, from the time of the Titans, ruled in heaven, on the earth, and in
the sea, who ebestowed on mortals wealth, victory, wisdom, good luck to sailors and hunters,
and prosperity to youth and to the flocks of cattle; but all these blessings might at the same
time be withheld by her, if mortals did not deserve them. She was the only one among the
Titans who retained this power under the rule of Zeus, and she was honoured by all the
immortal gods. She also assisted the gods in their war with the Gigantes, and slew Clytius.
(Hes. Th. 411_452; Apollod. 1.6.2.) This extensive power possessed by Hecate was
probably the reason that subsequently she was confounded and identified with several other
divinities, and at length became a mystic goddess, to whom mysteries were celebrated in
Samothrace (Lycoph. 77; Schol. ad Aristoph. Pac. 277) and in Aegina.
(Paus. 2.30.2; comp. Plut. de Flum. 5.)
For being as it were the queen of all nature, we find her identitied with Demeter, Rhea
(Cybele or Brimo); being a huntress and the protector of youth, she is the same as Artemis
(Curotrophos); and as a goddess of the moon, she is regarded as the mystic Persephone. (Hom.
Hymn. in Cer. 25, with the commentat.; Paus.
1.43.1.) She was further connected with the worship of other mystic divinities, such
as the Cabeiri and Curetes (Schol. ad Theocrit. 2.12; Strab. x. p.472), and also with Apollo and the Muses. (Athen. 14.645; Strab. x. p.468.) The
ground-work of the above-mentioned confusions and identifications, especially with Demeter and
Persephone, is contained in the Homeric hymn to Demeter; for, according to this hymn, she was,
besides Helios, the only divinity who, from her cave, observed the abduction of Persephone.
With a torch in her hand, she accompanied Demeter in the search after Persephone; and when the
latter was found, Hecate remained with her as her attendant and companion. She thus becomes a
deity of the lower world; but this notion does not occur till the time of the Greek
tragedians, though it is generally current among the later writers. She is described in this
capacity as a mighty and formidable divinity, ruling over the souls of the departed ; she is
the goddess of purifications and expiations, and is accompanied by Stygian dogs. (Orph. Lith. 48; Schol. ad Theocr l.c. ;Apollon. 3.1211; Lycoph. 1175; Horat. Sat. 1.8. 35; Verg. A. 6.257.) By Phorcos she became
the mother of Scylla. (Apollon. 4.829 ; comp. Hom. Od. 12.124.) There is another very important feature which
arose out of the notion of her being an infernal divinity, namely, she was regarded as a
spectral being, who at night sent from the lower world all kinds of demons and terrible
phantoms, who taught sorcery and witchcraft, who dwelt at places where two roads crossed each
other, on tombs, and near the blood of murdered persons. She herself too wanders about with
the souls of the dead, and her approach is announced by the whining and howling of dogs.
(Apollon. 3.529, 861, 4.829; Theocrit. l.c. ;Ov. Ep. 12.168, Met. 14.405; Stat. Theb. 4.428 ; Verg. A.
4.609; Orph. Lith. 45, 47; Eustath. ad Hom. p. 1197, 1887; Diod. 4.45.) A number of epithets given her by the poets contain
allusions to these features of the popular belief, or to her form. She is described as of
terrible appearance, either with three bodies or three heads, the one of a horse, the second
of a dog, and the third of a lion. (Orph. Argon. 975, &c.; Eustath.
ad Hom. pp. 1467, 1714.) In works of art she was some-times represented
as a single being, but sometimes also as a three-headed monster. (Paus.
2.28.8. 30.2.) Besides Samothrace and Aegina, we find express mention of her worship
at Argos (Paus. 2.30.2.) and at Athens, where she had a
sanctuary under the name of Ἐπιπυργιδία, on the
acropolis, not far from the temple of Nice. (Paus. 2.30.2.)
Small statues or symbolical representations of Hecate (ἑκάταια) were very numerous, especially at Athens, where they stood before or in
houses, and on spots where two roads crossed each other; and it would seem that people
consulted such Hecataea as oracles. (Aristoph. Wasps 816,
Lysistr. 64; Eur. Med. 396; Porphyr. de Abstin. 2.16; Hesych. s. v.Ἑκάταια). At the close of every month dishes with food
were set out for her and other averters of evil at the points where two roads crossed each
other; and this food was consumed by poor people. (Aristoph. Pl.
596 ; Plut. Synmpos. 7.6.) The sacrifices offered to her
consisted of dogs, honey, and black female lambs. (Plut. Quaest. Rom. 49;
Schol. ad Theocrit. 2.12 ; Apollon.
3.1032.)