Hecates

Hecate, also spelled Hekate, is a Greek goddess associated with magic, the night and Moon, the dead, and liminal spaces such as crossroads and doorways. She is often depicted in a triple form—three figures or faces coexisting—which expresses her presence in multiple realms or aspects. Her cult spanned the Greek world and continued into Hellenistic and Roman times.

In Hesiod's Theogony, Hecate is described as the daughter of Perses and Asteria. Zeus grants her power over the night and over every place, and she is honored by gods and mortals as a guardian of borders, travelers, and households. In later Greek tradition she becomes closely associated with magic and chthonic powers, sometimes linked to the underworld through ritual texts and hymns.

Iconography and cult practices emphasize her role as guardian of liminal spaces. She was worshiped at crossroads and in homes, often with nocturnal rites and offerings. Common symbols include torches, keys, dogs, and serpents, all evoking protection, passage, and the otherworldly. In classical and late antique sources she is connected to lunar and chthonic powers, and the Latin name Trivia reflects a crossroad association.

Legacy: Hecate remains a prominent figure in literature and art, and she influenced Roman adaptations and late antique religious ideas. In modern neopagan and witchcraft traditions, she is often invoked as a goddess of magic, liminality, and protection. Her enduring presence across centuries makes her one of the most versatile and influential figures in Greek myth.