Hekate (Hecate)
Hekate was the Greek goddess of sorcery and black magick. She was often called the goddess of Shades (ghosts), and has been called the mistress of "everything dark and uncanny." Although Hekate was best known as a divinity of the underworld, she was originally a Thracian moon goddess. In some ways she resembled, and was sometimes merged with, Artemis. Her title was the feminine form of one of Apollo's - the far darter. Hekate was usually considered to be the third member of the triple Moon goddess unit where she represented the crone, Artemis was the maiden, and Demeter was the mother (or Aphrodite was the nubile woman).
Hekate was powerful both in the sky and on earth: she bestowed riches, victory and wisdom; she watched over the prosperity of flocks and presided over navigation.
In the infernal regions, Hekate's authority was considerable: she was called Prytania of the dead or the Invincible Queen. Her areas of magick expertise were purifications, expiations, enchantments and magickal charms. She sent demons to the earth who tormented men.
At night, especially during the new moon, Hekate would appear with her retinue of infernal hounds. She most frequently haunted crossroads, tombs, or scenes of crimes, and her arrival was heralded by the sound of howling dogs. She was honoured at crossroads every month at the time of the rising of the new moon, with offerings left before her images which were erected there, either columns or statues of the triple Hekate - the goddess with three faces who could look in all directions at the same time.
Sorceresses such as Medea would often invoke Hekate's name to make their spells more powerful. Hekate's cult outlived those of all the other Greek gods. She was later adopted by medieval witch covens as their patroness.
