“I call Einodian Hecate, lovely dame,
Of earthly, wat'ry, and celestial frame,
Sepulchral, in a saffron veil array'd,
Leas'd with dark ghosts that wander thro' the shade;
Persian, unconquerable huntress hail!
The world's key-bearer never doom'd to fail;
On the rough rock to wander thee delights,
Leader and nurse be present to our rites
Propitious grant our just desires success,
Accept our homage, and the incense bless.”
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In honor of the New Moon, I share with you this triptych depicting Hecate, goddess of thresholds, she of the dark new moon, holder of the keys and dweller of liminal places; crossroads, borders, doorways, portals, places in-betwixt life and death. In Greek and Roman cultures, statues of Hecate were placed at doorways and crossroads - particularly in crossroads where three roads met. Holding keys to allow entry past these thresholds and torches to guide and protect those who should pass beyond, showing favor to those acting in reverence and seeking virtue.
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She is depicted here with three faces as described in the PGM (Greek Magical Papyri) of a woman, a dog and horse. In her hands she clutches a serpent, keys, a torch and a sword. This trimorphic form is flanked by her sacred animal iconography - black dogs, boar, horse, and owl.
In her later Roman mythos she is given association with lunar power and magicks. The Roman poet Seneca, in the lines of his verse for “Medea”, invokes Hecate as lunar and magickal patron, addressing her as "Moon, orb of the night" and "triple form".
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This is only a brief rundown into centuries of lore, texts, worship, and mythos surrounding this powerful intelligence whose influence reverberates from antiquity to modernity.
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HECATE AENAOS, APTROPAIA BRIMO, ENODIA, KLEIDOUCHOS, TRIODIA STOERIA.
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