Hekate - Keeper of the Crossroads

Well hello strange creature, and welcome back to the Conservatory. Pour yourself something warm, sugar, because this month we are sitting down with a lady who has been keeping the lamps lit for nearly three thousand years: Hekate.

Who is Hekate?

Hekate is one of the oldest and most mysterious goddesses of ancient Greece. The poet Hesiod, writing around 700 BC, tells us that even Zeus honored her above many others and let her keep her share of the earth, the sea and the starry sky. That is quite a pedigree, and I do declare she wears it well.

The torchbearer

In the old Hymn to Demeter, when young Persephone is carried off to the Underworld, it is Hekate who hears her cry. She meets the grieving Demeter, torch in hand, and goes with her to find out what became of the girl. Ever since, she has been pictured holding two torches: a light for anyone who has lost their way.

Lady of the crossroads

The Greeks set up images of Hekate where three roads met, often carved with three faces so she could watch every path at once. At the dark of the moon, households left a small supper for her there, a tradition called Hekate's Deipnon. Crossroads are places of choice and change, and she was the one you hoped was watching over them.

Keys, dogs and the dark of the year

Hekate carries keys, the keys to doorways, thresholds and hidden things. Dogs are her companions, and her howling hounds were said to announce her coming on moonless nights. Many people today honor her on November 16, often called the Night of Hekate, which makes November her month on our calendar.

Find her in the shoppe

If Hekate has caught your eye, come visit us in Floyd. We keep candles, keys and charms, books and decks on our shelves, and if there is something special you are hunting for, just ask Cora at the bottom of any page and Pavel will help with a special order.

Until next month, keep a light in the window.

Cora, librarian about town