Contents
- 1 Who is Hecate
- 2 Is Hecate evil
- 3 What is the gender of Hecate in Macbeth
- 4 What does Hecate say is man’s greatest enemy
- 5 How does Hecate plan to destroy Macbeth
- 6 What are Hecate weaknesses
- 7 What is the story of Hecate
- 8 Is Hecate a strong goddess
- 9 What color eyes does Hecate have
- 10 Why is Hecate angry at the other witches apex
- 11 Who is angry at the three witches
Who is Hecate
Hecate, goddess accepted at an early date into Greek religion but probably derived from the Carians in southwest Asia Minor, In Hesiod she is the daughter of the Titan Perses and the nymph Asteria and has power over heaven, earth, and sea; hence, she bestows wealth and all the blessings of daily life.
Hecate was the chief goddess presiding over magic and spells. She witnessed the abduction of Demeter’s daughter Persephone to the underworld and, torch in hand, assisted in the search for her. Thus, pillars called Hecataea stood at crossroads and doorways, perhaps to keep away evil spirits. Hecate was represented as single-formed, clad in a long robe, holding burning torches; in later representations she was triple-formed, with three bodies standing back-to-back, probably so that she could look in all directions at once from the crossroads.
She was accompanied by packs of barking dogs. Britannica Quiz Gods, Goddesses, and Greek Mythology The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn,
Is Hecate the queen of the witches in Macbeth?
Jennifer Hawk, LLL The beliefs about witches during the Rennaisance were influenced by old legends spread throughout the British Isles by bards and minstrels. These tales tell of a pagan past when it was common for people to practice magic and when many different gods and goddesses were prayed to.
- These ancient deities had both good and evil facets.
- It was not uncommon for a goddess to be destructive as well as creative.
- This duality was unreconcilable to the Christians, who demonized these deities and the people who worshipped them.
- During the time of Shakespeare, witches had become Satan worshippers, subject to deaths usually assigned to heretics.
Shakespeare, as a Renaissance bard and playwright, would have been familiar with these bardic tales, as would have a great majority of the population. Storytelling was, no doubt, one way to pass the time, and a popular means of entertainment. Many of Shakespeare’s plays, including Macbeth, display pagan themes found in the old bardic tales.
- In the play Macbeth, Duncan the King is supplanted by Macbeth, who murders him.
- The sacrifice of a king at the hands of a new king who will take his place is found in the legend of the Holly King and the Oak King.
- The Holly King struggles against the Oak King, eventually killing him, thus bringing about wintertime’s dearth.
It is only when the Oak King returns to take the Holly King’s place that the fertility of Spring is brought back. This simple tale is illustrated in Macbeth. Macbeth plays the part of the Holly King who kills the good Oak King. The world can only be brought to rights by the death of the Holly King and the rebirth of the Oak King, in this case, Malcolm ( Graves 45).
Witches would have re-enacted this resurrection story in their own rituals, as Graves writes in his book, The White Goddess, “The May-eve goat, as is clear from the English witch ceremonies and from the Swedish May-play, Bukkerwise, was mated to the goddess, sacrificed and resurrected: that is to say, the Priestess had public connection with the annual king dressed in goatskins, and either he was then killed and resurrected in the form of his successor, or else a goat was sacrificed in his stead and his reign prolonged (404).” The sacrifice of the King was done to grant fertility to the coming year.
Shakespeare alludes to this ancient myth in the many similes and metaphors of planting. Duncan says to Banquo, “Welcome hither! I have begun to plant thee, and will labor to make thee full of growing(1.4.27)” Banquo replies, “There if I grow, the harvest is your own.” During the final scene of the play, when Malcolm is named king, Malcolm says, “What’s more to do Which could be planted newly with the time,(5.8,66)” With the new king Malcolm will come a renewed fertility.
The Three Witches of Macbeth give us the closest glimpse of witchcraft beliefs in Shakespeare’s time. The significance of three witches is that the number three, was an important symbol of paganism, as it eventually became for the Christian church in the form of the Trinity. The goddess of the witches is the Moon Goddess, which traditionally has been attributed three phases.
“The New Moon is the white goddess of birth and growth; the Full Moon, the red goddess of love and battle; the Old Moon, the black goddess of death and divination ( Graves, 70).” This type of goddess is both good and evil. Shakespeare hints at this pagan duality in Macbeth.
- The witches in the first scene of the play, use the phrase, “When the battle’s lost and won” and “Fair is foul, and foul is fair”.
- Later, Macbeth comments on their prophecy in Scene 1.3, line 131 that “This supernatural soliciting cannot be ill, cannot be good.” The witches could also be a reference to the Three Fates, of which a Renaissance audience would have been familiar.
The Three Witches can tell the future, and thus have learned to manipulate the fate of men. The third witch says to Macbeth, “Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none (1.3,67).” The legends of three hags was also found in the ancient legends of the Celts.
- In the Cuchulain saga three hags spitted a dog, Cuchulain’s sacred animal, on rowan twigs, to procure his death ( Graves, 167).” Cerridwen, a powerful goddess, often appeared as a hag.
- She ate Gwion, who was then reborn as Taliesin, a famous bard.
- In the story of St.
- Samson of Dol, a medieval hero, a “grey-haired, red-garmented hag with a bloody trident in her hand” accosted St.
Samson. She “was one of the nine sisters who lived in those woods with their mother-apparently the Goddess Hecate ( Graves, 400).” Hecate is mentioned in Macbeth, as the leader of the Three Witches. Hecate, the goddess, has been the most affiliated with witcraft,
She is the death aspect of the three phases of the goddess; the hag. Hecate was later known, especially in part of Scotland, as the Queen of Elfin or Faerie ( Graves, 401). Because of these connotations of old women as hags, many witches were depicted as old and even monstrous. Briggs says in his book, ” Pale Hecate’s Team “, “It seems that the witches persecuted in the seventeenth century in England, were generally old, almost invariably poor and ignorant, and usually of an ill life (23).” It may be that old people in general were considered a burden on society and thus easily disposed of, but it may be that the old stories of murderous hags in service of a malignant goddess may be more likely to blame for the victimization of old women at that time.
One very popular myth of the witch alluded to in Macbeth, was the witch’s familiar. Most witch’s depicted in modern day, usually have a black cat at their side. Familiars were often believed to be spirits given to the witch by the Devil. Rebecca Jones, a witch tried in Essex in 1645, confessed that “a ragged man, with such great eyes that she was afraid of him, gave her three imps like moles, which she called Margaret, Annis, and Susan(Briggs, 20).” Familiars were also depicted as animals, rather than spirits, as in the case of the three witches.
- Grimalkin is a cat according to the editor of The Necessary Shakespeare, and Paddock is a toad.
- Summers, author of The History of Witchcraft and Demonology, asserts that all sorts of animals were kept as familiars, including cats, dogs, ferrets, etc.
- He writes, “Frequently the witch did actually keep some small animal which she nourished on a diet of milk and bread and her own blood in order that she might divine by its means (Summers, 101).” Toads were a common familiar.
“They seem to have been associated with sorcerer owing to the repugnance they generally excite(158).” Toads were thought to be poisonous and may even cause “palpitations, spasms, convulsions, and swoons (158).” It is not surprising that toads were also an important part of ancient magic as well.
Familiars may have arisen from the worship of certain animals that were considered sacred to certain gods and goddesses. Toads were associated with the toadstool. “The hundred-headed serpant watching over the jeweled Garden of Hesperides, and the hundred-clawed toad wearing a precious jewel in his headboth belonged to the ancient toadstool mysteries( Graves 45).” Toadstools were well known for their hallucinogenic properties.
Cats were also worshipped by the Celts, in particular the Irish. “In The Proceedings of the Bardic Academy the Knowth burial chamber is said to have been the home of the King-cat Irusan, who was as large as a plough-ox and once bore Seanchan Torpest, the chief- ollave (poet) of Ireland, away on its back in revenge for a satire (Graves 221).” Horses were also considered sacred to the goddess, hence the enduring taboo on eating horseflesh.
- Horses were only eaten in honor of the goddess.
- During the inauguration of a petty king, a symbolic rebirth from a white mare was played out.
- He crawled naked towards her on all fours as if he were her foal; she was then slaughtered, and her pieced boiled in a cauldron.
- He himself entered the cauldron and began sucking up the broth and eating the flesh.
Afterwards, he stood on an inauguration stone, was presented with a straight white wand, and turned three times from left to right, and then three times from right to left (Graves 384).” The witch’s cauldron is also made mention of in Macbeth. In it, the Three Witches concoct their spells.
The cauldron has always been a symbol of the goddess. In the Romance, Mabinogeon, of Welsh origin, Cerridwen, the goddess, has two children; Creirwey, the most beautiful girl, and Afagddu, the ugliest boy. She decides to make the boy very intelligent to off-set his ugliness. So, she creates a cauldron of inspiration and knowledge ( Graves 27).
In the three witches’ brew, Shakespeare includes “the slips of yew, slivered in the moon’s eclipse, a poisonous tree, associated with death(Briggs 80). Their cauldron is not being brewed for contructive purposes, it is being brewed to destroy. Here Shakespeare is making clear that the witch’s are pure evil, as Hecate’s minions would be expected to be.
The adjective Weird is used to describe the witches. This also solidifies their antagonistic nature. The adjective could mean simply strange and outlandish, but weird can also mean rival or other half. “The weird, or rival, often appears in nightmare as the tall, lean, dark-faced bed-side spectre or Prince of the Air, who tried to drag the dreamer out through the window, so that he looks back and sees his body still lying rigid in bed(Graves 24)” The sisters are the pure destructive part of nature, the rival to the constructive force of man.
They are the storms that send sailors to their deaths at sea. They are the ones who give Macbeth the insight that leads him to murder the King. Through them, nature’s destructiveness becomes all to prevelant, It is up to the new king, Malcolm, to set the world to right.
One feature of Shakespeare’s witches that remains noticeable absent it the appearance or mention of Satan. Renaissance beliefs in witches, as evidenced in the witch trials, always included lurid meetings with a Satan figure. Shakespeare ommitts him. It may be that Shakespeare was delving deeper into the past, seeking the root of the beliefs in an ancient bardic past.
The witches are depicted as legends come to life, rather than the mundane witches read about in the witch trials. Rather than merely copying the beliefs about witches prevalent in his time, Shakespeare has successfully brought to light elements of the ancient past.
Is Hecate evil
Hecate Hecate () is a goddess of capable of both good and evil. She was associated with witchcraft, magic, the Moon, doorways, and creatures of the night like hell-hounds and ghosts. Hecate often carries a torch in her connection with the night. She has three faces for her role as the goddess of boundaries and the guardian of crossroads.
What personality type is Hecate?
Hecate was an INTJ personality type. Hecate was the ultimate strategist and she carefully thought about her actions. A natural planner, she liked to be prepared and INTJs always have a backup planor twoor threeor five!
Why does Hecate want to destroy Macbeth?
What Does Hecate Want The Witches To Do What is the role of Hecate in Macbeth? Hecate is the Goddess of the three witches. She directs supernatural happenings and appearances of mystical spirits. Eventually, it is known that Hecate is the one directing the three witches to bring Macbeth to his downfall.
- What does Hecate want the witches to do? Hecate wants the witches to involve her more in the ruining of Macbeth.
- Being the Goddess of the three witches, Hecate wishes to be responsible for their actions and asks that she is aware of what the other witches have done and will do, in order to ruin Macbeth.
Why does Hecate scold the three witches? Hecate scolds the three witches as they had played tricks on Macbeth without her being aware, let alone involved. Hecate wants to be involved in the ruining of Macbeth thus being frustrated that the witches did not involve her.
- Being the Goddess of the witches meant that she holds a higher authority and this was disobeyed as the three witches did not follow commands.
- Why doesn’t Hecate appear in the play until Act III? Hecate does not appear in the play until Act III as up until this scene her presence was represented by the three witches.
Hecate is the Goddess of the witches and she was working behind closed doors until Act III Scene V. The only reason as to why Hecate is seen in Act III is because she is furious with the three witches as they were making and carrying out plans regarding Macbeth without consulting her first.
- Why would Hecate want to bring Macbeth to his downfall? Hecate wishes to bring Macbeth to his demise as it is pleasing and brings satisfaction knowing that she has ruined someone.
- She is the Goddess of the witches and therefore wants to make as many people miserable as possible.
- Hecate even criticizes the three witches for allowing Macbeth to hold information that would make him happy.
Why is Hecate not pleased with the witches torturing Macbeth? It is not that Hecate is not pleased with the witches torturing Macbeth but she is dissatisfied that she was not involved in the torturing herself. Hecate wishes to be involved and witness the pain that Macbeth is put through both physically and mentally.
Is Hecate empowered by greed? Hecate is empowered by greed as she cannot not help but continue to plan Macbeth’s downfall which in itself is greedy. She does not want the witches to have full responsibility for ruining Macbeth but instead herself. By wanting to ruin a human being through torture, Hecate is considered greedy and evil.
What does Hecate predict for Macbeth in Scene V of Act III? Hecate predicts that Macbeth will spurn fate, scorn death and bare his hopes above wisdom, grace and fear. Ultimately his overconfidence will bring him down. Hecate casted a spell on a droplet from the moon.
What was the consequence of this spell being cast? The consequence of this spell being cast did not affect Hecate so to speak but in fact Macbeth. The purpose of Hecate working the droplet with magical spells was to produce magical spirits. These spirits would then be used to trick Macbeth with illusions; consequently he would be fooled into thinking that he is greater than fate, he would mock death and think that he was above wisdom, grace and fear.
Why does Hecate want the witches to meet Macbeth? Hecate wants the witches to meet Macbeth as she is planning for them to cast the spell on Macbeth that she has prepared. This spell would give Macbeth illusions and make him feel invincible thus being over-confident and leading to his downfall.
- In Macbeth it is evident that the witches speak in rhyming couplets.
- Why do you think that the witches do this as opposed to speaking in iambic pentameter along with the other characters? Shakespeare has chosen for the witches to speak in rhyming couplets to distinguish that they are different from the rest of the characters and to highlight that they are unnatural.
In Macbeth the characters that speak in rhyming couplets tend to be different from the rest of the characters. Shakespeare has used descriptive language in order to describe the appearance of the witches. What adjectives are used to describe the appearance of the witches and what is the language technique called? The adjectives used by Shakespeare to describe the witches include beldams, saucy and overbold.
- Shakespeare has used imagery to depict the appearance of the witches.
- In the first line of Act III Scene V Hecate asks a rhetorical question.
- Can you find another example of a rhetorical question in this scene and what is the meaning of it? Another example of a rhetorical question in this scene is, “Was never called to bear my part, or show the glory of our art?”—Act III Scene V,
The purpose of this rhetorical device is to impend that Hecate is furious with the witches for not including her in any of their plans to torture Macbeth. Also it explains that Hecate was not called upon hence not being able to show off her magical skills.
- What does the following line mean and who does it apply to? “.the close contriver of all harms.”—Act III Scene V,
- This line is aimed at Hecate as she is the leader of the witches.
- This line suggests that Hecate is secretly the cause of all harm, hence making the audience aware of her powers and abilities.
Hecate’s monologue foreshadows the fate of Macbeth, which means that it predicts his future. What does Hecate predict that will happen to Macbeth’s attitude towards life? Hecate predicts that Macbeth will reject fate, mock death and as a result of over confidence think that he is above all.
Hecate believes that by building Macbeth’s ambitions, with the help of the witches she can take him down. In Scene V of Act III, Shakespeare readily uses rhyme at the end of each line. Find an instance when Shakespeare has used a rhyming couplet at the end of two lines and explain what effect it has. An example of rhyming couplets in Scene V of Act III is lines three and four.
At the end of the both lines Shakespeare has rhymed Macbeth with death. By rhyming Macbeth with death it suggests that something unfortunate could be leading up to his death. In these two lines Hecate refers to the witches as having played riddles with Macbeth; this suggests that Macbeth may be coming up to his demise.
The use of rhyming couplets creates a clue to the character or situation. Rhyming couplets appear at the end of almost of every line in Act III Scene V. Why do you think Shakespeare has taken an occasional pause from rhyme? Shakespeare uses a pause in order for the audience to be able to reflect upon from what information was just given.
It is used to suggest what could possibly come next and to distinguish a special character being Hecate, The main themes of this scene are fate, nature and the unnatural. What other underlying themes exist in Hecate’s monologue and why? Other underlying themes include greed and ambition.
- Hecate whilst portrayed as being evil still has an extravagant amount of greed that consumes her.
- This greed empowers her to ruin people in order to gain more power but also defines her ambitions to being suited that of an evil nature hence Hecate being a witch.
- Act III Scene V is a monologue.
- Can you find any evidence that suggests that this scene is a one person dialogue and whether it is spoken in first, second or third person? Evidence that suggests that this scene is a one person dialogue is the use of personal pronouns such as me and I.
This dialogue is predominantly spoken in first person as Hecate is expressing her feelings hence being a personal opinion being spoken at characters rather than spoken to. : What Does Hecate Want The Witches To Do
What is the gender of Hecate in Macbeth
The most central female characters in the play are the three witches: Hecate, who is the goddess of witchcraft, and Lady Macbeth. The men, who are obsessed with becoming more powerful, do not seem to realize that it is these women who are the forces behind all of the events that lead to their gain or loss of power.
What does Hecate say is man’s greatest enemy
Hecate: security is mortals’ chiefest enemy (3.5.23-36) #DaggerDrawn #SlowShakespeare
HECATE Upon the corner of the moonThere hangs a vap’rous drop profound.I’ll catch it ere it come to ground;And that, distilled by magic sleights,Shall raise such artificial spritesAs by the strength of their illusionShall draw him on to his confusion.He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bearHis hopes ‘bove wisdom, grace, and fear;And, you all know, securityIs mortals’ chiefest enemy. Music Hark, I am called. My little spirit, see,Sits in a foggy cloud and stays for me.
( Sing within. ‘Come away, come away, etc. ‘) FIRST WITCHCome, let’s make haste; she’ll soon be back again. Exeunt (3.5.23-36) It’s the most vivid line in the scene, Hecate’s imagining of the vap’rous drop profound hanging upon the corner of the moon, like a pendulous dewdrop, suspended from the point of a crescent moon, on the point of splashing down to earth.
- In classical writing about witchcraft, the moon was believed to exude a kind of magical foam, so the drop is vap’rous, foamy, something between liquid and gas.
- And Hecate is going to catch it as it falls, as a powerful ingredient for the charms which they are planning for Macbeth.
- It will be distilled, purified, by magic sleights, tricks and techniques, and it’s this magical substance which will enable the raising of apparitions, artificial sprites, which will be so convincing, so strong in their illusion, that they will confound Macbeth, bewitch him utterly, and draw him on to his confusion, both confusing him, deceiving him, and leading him to his damnation, his utter ruination.
He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear his hopes ‘bove wisdom, grace, and fear, This anticipates the terms of the apparitions, which will give Macbeth a false sense of invincibility, temporarily calming his fears, giving him a reckless confidence and courage, so that he will have no regard for his own safety, his own life.
- And, you all know, security is mortals’ chiefest enemy,
- He’ll think that he’s safe, and it’s that which will be his downfall.
- Despite the lameness of the scene, its psychology is sound, both generally and in relation to Macbeth in particular.
- The scene now gets very Middleton again, with a song from Middleton’s play The Witch sometimes interpolated (I am not going to add it here).
But there’s music heard (oboes, hautboys are often associated with enchantment, so perhaps they’re part of the mix), Hecate’s cue to depart; she gestures at her little spirit —maybe a CAT!—which sits in a foggy cloud and stays for me, And she perhaps flies off, as the additional spirits or witches sing.
- Exeunt other witches: let’s make haste; she’ll soon be back again,
- We’d better do what we’ve been told, go and get ready.
- Shopping to be done, write a list.
- An opportunity for spectacle (staging, effects, song and dance), catering to the tastes of a slightly later audience, and perhaps also allowing even more time for the readying of any effects needed for the next scene but one, with the witches again and potentially elaborate apparitions, and also to give Macbeth plenty of time, if needed, for a costume change.
But almost never performed, probably not by Shakespeare, and no great loss. : Hecate: security is mortals’ chiefest enemy (3.5.23-36) #DaggerDrawn #SlowShakespeare
Who was Hecate in love with?
Hecate and Hermes – Hermes similarly occupied chthonic characteristics, and some ancient sources described Hecate as being the consort of this chthonic Hermes. Both Hecate and Hermes were gods of the dead and could transcend liminal spaces and boundaries between worlds. The connection between these two gods was first offered by the Roman poet Propertius in the first century BCE.
What symbolizes Hecate?
As a goddess of boundaries – Hecate was associated with borders, city walls, doorways, crossroads and, by extension, with realms outside or beyond the world of the living. She appears to have been particularly associated with being ‘between’ and hence is frequently characterized as a ” liminal ” goddess.
“Hecate mediated between regimes— Olympian and Titan —but also between mortal and divine spheres.” This liminal role is reflected in a number of her cult titles: Apotropaia (that turns away/protects); Enodia (on the way); Propulaia / Propylaia (before the gate); Triodia / Trioditis (who frequents crossroads ); Klêidouchos (holding the keys), etc.
As a goddess expected to avert harmful or destructive spirits from the house or city over which she stood guard and to protect the individual as she or he passed through dangerous liminal places, Hecate would naturally become known as a goddess who could also refuse to avert the demons, or even drive them on against unfortunate individuals.
- It was probably her role as guardian of entrances that led to Hecate’s identification by the mid fifth century with Enodia, a Thessalian goddess.
- Enodia’s very name (“In-the-Road”) suggests that she watched over entrances, for it expresses both the possibility that she stood on the main road into a city, keeping an eye on all who entered, and in the road in front of private houses, protecting their inhabitants.
This function would appear to have some relationship with the iconographic association of Hecate with keys, and might also relate to her appearance with two torches, which when positioned on either side of a gate or door illuminated the immediate area and allowed visitors to be identified.
- In Byzantium small temples in her honour were placed close to the gates of the city.
- Hecate’s importance to Byzantium was above all as a deity of protection.
- When Philip of Macedon was about to attack the city, according to the legend she alerted the townspeople with her ever present torches, and with her pack of dogs, which served as her constant companions.” This suggests that Hecate’s close association with dogs derived in part from the use of watchdogs, who, particularly at night, raised an alarm when intruders approached.
Watchdogs were used extensively by Greeks and Romans. Drawing of a Hekataion. Cult images and altars of Hecate in her triplicate or trimorphic form were placed at three-way crossroads (though they also appeared before private homes and in front of city gates). In what appears to be a 7th-century indication of the survival of cult practices of this general sort, Saint Eligius, in his Sermo warns the sick among his recently converted flock in Flanders against putting “devilish charms at springs or trees or crossroads”, and, according to Saint Ouen would urge them “No Christian should make or render any devotion to the deities of the trivium, where three roads meet.”.
Was Hecate a virgin?
Hekate was described as a virgin goddess, similar to Artemis. In art, she was often depicted wearing a maiden’s knee-length dress. Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 3.
Was Hecate added to Macbeth?
The Witches – “They have more in them than mortal knowledge.” (Act 1, Scene 5) While the witches are one of the most striking and memorable aspects of Macbeth, some of the witch scenes in the play were probably not written by Shakespeare at all. They were taken from another play, by Thomas Middleton, and added to Macbeth by Shakespeare’s acting company after he had died.
- They draw heavily on the conventional theatrical stereotypes of Shakespeare’s time, giving us witches that are sometimes scary, sometimes silly.
- Shakespeare’s historical source for the events of the play, Holinshed’s Chronicles, gives a different view of the witches.
- It says that the beings who appeared to Macbeth and Banquo were widely thought to be “the goddesses of destiny.” This is in keeping with the way the witches are referred to in the dialogue: they are always called “the weïrd sisters,” where “weïrd” comes from the Old English term wyrd, meaning fate or destiny.
And the primary power that the witches have in the play is indeed the ability to prophesy about what will happen in the future. This set of ideas links the witches of the play back to the older, pre-Christian mythological traditions of early Europe. They stand in a line of “goddesses of destiny” such as the Norns of Norse mythology and the Greek Fates.
For this production, we’ve been exploring the possibilities of taking this idea literally and treating our witches as goddesses of destiny, powerful supernatural beings that exist on a different level of reality than the human characters and have “more in them than mortal knowledge.” Along these lines, the goddess Hecate appears as a character the published text of the play, but she is probably part of what was added to the play by other writers.
Hecate is invoked at other times in the play, however, and we became intrigued with the possibilities that arose from tracing her back to her roots. In classical mythology, Hecate was a powerful goddess of night, magic, crossroads, etc. An ancient Greek hymn to Hecate goes like this: Hekate of the Path, I invoke Thee, Lovely Lady of the Triple Crossroads, Celestial, Chthonian, and Marine One, Lady of the Saffron Robe.
Sepulchral One, celebrating the Mysteries among the Souls of the Dead, Daughter of Perseus, Lover of Solitude, rejoicing in deer. Nocturnal One, Lady of the Dogs, invincible Queen. She of the Cry of the Beast, Ungirt One, having an irresistible Form. Bullherder, Keeper of the Keys of All the Universe, Mistress, Guide, Bride, Nurturer of Youths, Mountain Wanderer.
I pray Thee, Maiden, to be present at our hallowed rites of initiation, Always bestowing Thy graciousness upon the officiant. Hecate is usually depicted as a triple goddess, with three faces and three bodies, as for example in the carving shown below.
How does Hecate plan to destroy Macbeth
Hecate wants the witches to meet Macbeth as she is planning for them to cast the spell on Macbeth that she has prepared. This spell would give Macbeth illusions and make him feel invincible thus being over-confident and leading to his downfall.
What are Hecate weaknesses
Powers and Abilities – Prior to her imprisonment at the hands of Igor Bromhead, Hecate was easily the most powerful witch in the Hellboy universe, outdoing even the infamous Baba Yaga in power. She was worshiped as a goddess in many cults around the world, most of them being centered around witchcraft; she was also known as the Queen of Witches.
- Her life history predates that of modern man, indicating that she is immortal.
- Ironically, unlike most of the other evil magical forces Hellboy and the BPRD have encountered, Hecate is rarely seen using magic in the conventional manner; in fact, she is shown during her battle with Hellboy to prefer physical force over magical force when it comes to confrontations.
When fighting, Hecate demonstrated great physical strength and speed, possibly on par or even greater then Hellboy’s, using serpentine lower body with equal effect. Hecate’s only weakness is that she is extremely vulnerable to sunlight due to the curse bestowed upon her by Thoth.
- Hecate also has some degree of precognition.
- While her powers in this regard are easily in a league of their own, even going so far as to see the world’s end, they are still not perfect, leaving certain key aspects foggy and unclear.
- She has also demonstrated the ability to speak through animals, namely snakes, many times, though it is not always clear if the snakes she speaks through are actual snakes or avatars she creates through magic.
She has on rare occasions granted portions of her power, even her soul, to human beings, making them something other then human. Edward Grey claims that she had “given birth” to many monsters in her time; her earlier mentioned ability to bestow power might explain this.
A more subtle power at Hecate’s disposal seems to be that of teleportation. Many times she has been shown appearing unexpectedly in places hundreds of miles apart from story to story, occasionally in response to an incantation that requests/demands her presence. It has never been shown how she does this, adding further mystery to the true extent of her power.
After her destruction via sunlight, Hecate was reborn in Ilsa Haupstein’s iron maiden, a change which increased her power dramatically with a reinforced iron body. Hecate can also resume her original form and assume the iron maiden’s form with varying degrees, allowing her to mix-and-match aspects of both shapes as she saw fit.
- She was even able to take on the form of the iron maiden and cause it to grow to colossal size, all while maintaining the ability to move and talk.
- On the flip side, as her soul resides in Ilsa’s body, Hecate could also become completely humanoid.
- This new body also seemed to neutralize Hecate’s vulnerability to sunlight, at least to a certain degree.
However, Hecate later learned that she acquired a new weakness because of metaphysical bond with Ilsa Haupstein, whose name can be used to magically bound and control the goddess. Even after being removed from her iron maiden body, Hecate still possessed the abilities of speech, speaking through snakes, and precognition.
Who defeated Hecate?
In DC’s Dark Multiverse, Wonder Woman gets possessed by the Greek Goddess, Hecate, and the results are devastating for anyone who stands in her way. SPOILER WARNING for Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Wonder Woman: War of the Gods ! Wonder Woman is a fierce warrior and a powerful member of the Justice League, She is pure of heart, fighting for truth and justice, In DC’s Dark Multiverse, however, any hero can be corrupted and the Justice League learns this the hard way in a deadly battle against the Amazon princess.
- The Tales from the Dark Multiverse series takes some of DC’s most well-known stories and alters them into grim nightmares.
- The collection has remixed a handful of classics, like Batman: Knightfall, Blackest Night, and Infinite Crisis, with more still on the way,
- One of the newest releases focuses on George Pérez’s War of the Gods storyline from 1991.
In the original tale, Wonder Woman defeats Circe and her matron goddess, Hecate, using the power of truth. Unfortunately, the fight doesn’t end so easily in the Dark Multiverse. Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Wonder Woman: War of the Gods by Vita Ayala and Ariel Olivetti explores what would happen if Hecate was able to possess Diana’s soul at the end of their battle.
At first Wonder Woman is able to resist the evil witch’s sway, but she is quickly compromised by anger and fear. Posing as a U.S. Air Force general, the Greek god of fear, Phobos, causes the deaths of Queen Hippolyta, Steve Trevor, and Etta Candy, devastating Diana. With Hecate now in control and seeking more power, the possessed hero travels to Mount Olympus and slays the entire Greek pantheon.
Despite the bloodshed, the villain’s thirst for power is unsatisfied and she sets her sights on Earth’s heroes. With the help of her Amazon sisters, Wonder Woman takes over Washington D.C., declaring it the new Amazon nation. The Justice League is quick to respond, and the heroes quickly realize that the Wonder Woman they know is gone. Batman prepares to attack, but Flash stands in his way, hoping that they can still save their former teammate.
Unfortunately, Hecate takes this opportunity to drain the life force from the speedster, killing him. The battle that ensues results in many more casualties as Wonder Woman kills Batman, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter. She is even able to defeat Superman, ripping his heart out of his chest, Several of DC’s mystical heroes arrive on the scene as Superman falls and they use their combined powers to hold the villain in place.
They find a way to strip Hecate of her powers, but doing so costs them their lives. By the end of the feud, only a few heroes remain, including Zatanna, Red Tornado, and Captain Atom. While the heroes technically defeat Hecate, it isn’t a true victory.
The ramifications of the event are massive as fear spreads around the world. At first, people blame the Amazons, arresting them for Wonder Woman’s transgressions. Eventually, this spirals out of control to the point where all women are considered a threat. A panel reminiscent of The Handmaid’s Tale further confirms how intense these prejudices become.
Phobos also takes advantage of everyone’s fears, waging war on Earth’s remaining superhumans. As for Wonder Woman, she remains possessed but powerless, imprisoned for Hecate’s actions. Perhaps the darkest outcome of this story is the loss of Earth’s greatest heroes,
- It serves as one of DC’s most horrific ways of showing why it is a bad idea to mess with Wonder Woman,
- Although she was possessed, Diana is capable of taking down most of these heroes on a regular basis.
- It’s lucky that the Justice League has her on their side because she’s shown the path of destruction she can leave.
Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Wonder Woman: War of the Gods is available now. Next: Wonder Woman Finally Faces The Last Villain Anyone Expected
What is the story of Hecate
The Story of Hecate Hecate was a Greek goddess that was worshiped as the goddess of the moon, the night, dogs, sorcery, and ghosts. Hecate was often depicted as the guardian of doorways or crossroads. The story of Hecate doesn’t begin with the goddess being worshiped by the Greeks, however.
Is Hecate a hero?
Hecate (mythology) Goddess of deathGoddess of the crossroadsGoddess of the nightGoddess of darknessGoddess of mistGoddess of magicGoddess of the moonWitch Goddess Titan of the netherworld (forfeited) Immortality Birth manipulationDoor projectionLunar manipulationNecromancyNature manipulationOcean manipulationSoul manipulationDeath empathyShapeshiftingKnifeman Chariot driving Spending alone time in darkness and the underworld.
Helping others that people and gods fear, dislike or turn thier backs on. To help beings that no one else cares for. Perses (father), Asteria (mother), Primordials, Titans, Olympians, Demigods (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews) Artemis, scary animals, monsters, Lampades (underworld Nymphs) Titans, giants, some monsters Hecate is the Greek goddess of witchcraft, magic, the crossroads, night or darkness.
Hecate is also one of the three moon goddesses the other two are and Selene. She is the daughter of the goddess Asteria and the titan Perses Hecate was a only child. Zeus honored her above all the others as the goddess of the crossroads, magic, witchcraft, the moon and wilderness.
Was Hecate asexual?
Hecate is older than Hades. Hecate is asexual & aromantic, as she has no interest in sexual or romantic relationships.
Is Hecate a strong goddess
Overview – Hecate was a powerful goddess of uncertain origin. She was usually called the daughter of the Titans Asteria and Perses, but there were many alternate versions of her parentage, including some that made her a daughter of Zeus, Though Hecate was most commonly depicted as a sinister goddess of magic, witchcraft, and the Underworld, she was sometimes portrayed as kind and helpful.
What color eyes does Hecate have
Appearance – According to Rick Riordan ‘s website, “Hecate is usually dressed in dark robes, holding twin torches (all the better to see you and burn you with, my dear). She is accompanied by a she-dog and a polecat. In later times, Hecate was pictured as a woman with three heads, or three entirely different forms for the morning, noon, and night.” In The Demigod Diaries, Hecate had green eyes and black hair that barely came down to her shoulders, like her son Alabaster.
Her face was like a Greek statue — pale, beautiful, and ageless. She was surrounded by green light. Hecate dressed in white robes with ornate silver designs, like runes or alchemy symbols. In The House of Hades, Hecate was described as ” beautiful, but deathly pale ” with black eyes. Her blond hair was set in an Ancient Greek style high-set ponytail.
Her dark, sleeveless gown seemed to ripple as if the cloth was ink spilling off and wore sandals. She carried two old-fashioned reed torches. The different descriptions in the novels can be explained that as, a goddess, Hecate can change her appearance at will.
Why is Hecate angry at the other witches apex
Why is Hecate angry at the other witches? They left her out of their plans for Macbeth. What emotion can we assume Macbeth is feeling, based on his vision of Banquo’s ghost? Who becomes the main suspect in King Duncan’s murder?
Who is angry at the three witches
Answer and Explanation: In Macbeth, Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, is angry at the three witches for predicting the future for Macbeth.
What is Hecate passionate about?
Hecate’s Divine Duties -, c.15th century, The Wellington Collection, London. Hecate’s scope of divine duties was extensive in Ancient Greek religion. She was most notably the goddess of, witchcraft, the night, light, ghosts, necromancy, and the moon. Further, she was the goddess and protector of the, and entranceways.
In her form as a triple-goddess, Hecate was strongly associated with the crossroads. She was portrayed as a liminal goddess who can cross from the underworld to the physical world with ease. Her liminality stemmed from her parentage and mythology, where she was able to move between her position as a and a goddess.
This liminality is attested to by her epithets and cult titles such as: Enodia (on the way), Trodia (frequenter of the crossroads) and Propylaia (of the gates). By the first century CE, Hecate’s role as a goddess of magic and witchcraft was well established by Lucan’s,
The witch, Erichtho, in the Pharsalia invokes as the lowest aspect of Hecate. It is in the Pharsalia, that we find the hag-like attributes given to Hecate. Her retinue included the Lampades, or nymphs of the underworld, and ghosts. According to mythology, the Lampades were a gift from after her loyalty to him during the Titanomachy.
The Lampades carry torches and accompany the goddess on her nocturnal travels.