Understanding Hekate- Part 3: Thre three as sacred number and Triformis

 

Mistress Hekate of the three-ways,

with three forms and three faces,

beguiled with Triglas (a fish- the mullet)…

The text above comes from a ancient fragment of Charikleides. it shows that Hekate is a Goddess that is strongly connected to the number 3. She has in many sources (and depictions) thee forms, three bodies, thee heads, is honoured on three-way crossroads (Y or T form), is connected to three realms (for example earth, sea and sky), was invoked in magic in threefold incantations, is from roman times onwards connected to the moon (and its three phases), in necromancy she (and the spirits) are honoured by threefold offerings of three substances (milk, honey oil, or milk, honey blood), she has power in underworld, on earth and in heaven (Olympus), or in the Chaldean Oracles in the material-, etheric, and empyrean worlds, in late antiquity she has three sacred colours (black, white and red), dogs are barking three times when she arrives- so I think you got the picture that the three is an important number for her.

But why is she so strongly connected to the number three?

And why does she appears in threefold form?

The short and dry answer is: From the historical perspective nobody knows it for sure. But over time scholars came to different theories about this. 

The first connection to the number three in a symbolical way does already appears in Hesiods Theogony (this is the oldest source about Hekate in ancient literature).

There she is connected to the three realms of the cosmos- earth, sea and sky.

She has power in all three of these realms (and I will write a separate article about this- so I will not go so deep into details about it here).

But the Hekate passage of Hesiod doesn’t mention threefold crossroads or that she herself appears in threefold form. She has just power in all three realms.

The first time Hekate was depicted in ancient Greece (in Athens) in threefold form in the 5th century before Christ. A famous sculptor of that time (Alkamenes) created the Hekate Epipyrgidia Statue (Hekate on the Tower). This statue is so far known the oldest depiction of Hekate in threefold form.

Many scholars believed that she was depicted threefold because of her power in the three realms- but none of the figures has attributes that would link them to any of the realms (like clams for the sea as example). The early figures of the Hekateia (the trhee-formed depictions around a central pillar) looked all the same.

Others believed that the crossroads were the source for Hekates threefold images- but in fact: The Hekateia stood not just on the crossroads- but on other liminal places, too.

And the Hekate Epipyrgidia (which was the first known threefold image) itself stood not on the crossroads- but on a tower of the Acropolis. From this tower the Goddess was able to watch over the whole city.

So she was first depicted in threefold form and than- after this image got popular- the Hekateion was seen as perfectly fitting to the threefold crossroads. Hekate was quite early on connected to liminal places (like thresholds, doors, portals,) and the crossroads are such a liminal place, too.

So it is quite possible that the threefold image of Alkamenes got so popular for later depictions of the Goddess- because she was so fitting to guard the liminal place of the crossroads (and I will write an article about the crossroads, too). The triple Goddess which had power in earth, sea and sky and was seen as a guardian of liminal points- was standing on the crossroads- protecting the space and able to see into all three directions of the ways that cross each other. 

So but when the triple Hekate didn’t evolved from the crossroads- why did Alkamenes portrayed her in this threefold form?

Nina Werth has in her book (Hekate Untersuchungen zur dreifachen Göttin) the theory that it has its roots in Hekates great power and her primordial being.

She is an almost almighty Titaness, she comes from primordial times and has a immense power. Her threefold depictions show this power- and the old age of her worship. There are many Triads of female Goddesses in ancient Greece who together shared a great amount of power. Like the Moirae (Goddesses of Fate), the Gorgons (primordial Goddesses), the Horai (Goddesses of the Seasons), the Erinys (Goddesses of Vengeance), the Kharites (Goddesses of Grace and Blessings) or the Hesperides (Guardians of the sacred apples). These Goddesses were triads of thee Goddesses who share together their power. Hekate had for herself a great power too- like usually triads of Goddesses shared them with each other. The three-formed image is a symbol of Hekates great amount of power. And like many of those triads- she is primordial and comes from times that were long gone (even in the 5th century before Christ- so much longer gone for us today).

For me personal this theory makes a lot of sense and fits well to my personal experience of her.

Hekate is one Goddess, but is expressing herself often in a threefold way, she is ancient and powerful. I think her strong connection to the number three- is born from the threefold depiction of her- and from her power in the three realms of earth, sky and sea. From the 5th century before Christ onwards her threefold depiction got popular and shortly after this her connection to the threefold crossroads (as liminal places) grew more to and were weaved together more and more.

The threefold crossroads were the ideal place to worship a Goddess that was viewed as threefold and was already connected to liminal places before her threefold image evolved. And I think after her power in three realms, the threefold image and the connection to the threefold crossroads were fused with each other- her connection to the number three in general was born, and her later connections to other symbols that are connected to this number (like the three moon phases from roman times onwards, the use of three colours in late antiquity or that she fused in her triple form with other Goddesses like Artemis, Selene and Persephone- as different aspects of the triple Hekate).

And from my personal experience the number three is strongly connected to her and is a kind of sacred number for Hekate. Often I use three ingredients in herbal powders as offerings to her, I give her three times offerings (like honey, milk and oil), worship her on the threefold crossroads, use three different herbs/resins to create incense for her, connect myself to the three realms (earth, sea, sky) use the three sacred colours from late antiquity in my rites and spells, I use the method of threefold incantations or to chant her name or epithets over three times (or of variations of three repeatings). In many cultures the number three is a magical number- and for me this fits well to Hekate, too. Because she herself is strongly connected to magic.

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Understanding Hekate- Part 1: Hekate Polymorphos

 Many people have a very general knowledge of the ancient Gods- often the Gods are reduced to one single aspect of their being. For example Aphrodite as the Goddess of love, Ares as the God of war, Hermes- the messenger of the Gods, Artemis the Goddess of hunt, Apollon the God of light, Hera the Goddess of marriage (or just named as the wife of Zeus), Zeus the supreme God etc…

But if you begin to delve deeper into the old Gods you will notice that these Gods are more than just this label. The gods of ancient Greece had many spheres of influence, much more depths and aspects. For example Dionysos was not just the God of wine- sure wine is one of this gifts to humankind. But he is a God of ecstasy, joy, mysteries, dance and music, theatre, a liberator and a God of the growth in nature- and many things more. Artemis was not just the Goddess of the hunt and her brother Apollon not just the Lord of light. All Gods had more depth, character and aspects.

And there was never one true view of the Gods in ancient Greece. The same God/Goddess could be viewed much different in different regions and locations. Even our modern view of THE 12 OLYMPIAN GODS was in antiquity never standardised (like we view it today). In different locations which Gods were part of the great 12 could be different than in other locations (and for example on the islands Crete and Chalke Hekate was part of the great 12 instead of Hera). The Gods were not viewed through one fitting label in the ancient world.

The same is true for Hekate. And today it is not that easy to find one fitting label for her- or not that easy than to the other ancient Gods. She had not one sphere of influence- but many. Many find a solution and label her as Goddess of spirits, necromancy and witchcraft (which she is of course) but if you pin her down to this aspects- you see just the top of the iceberg.

Hekate is a Goddess that has not one fixed form, she has many aspects, many emanations- she is Polymorphos- with many forms.

This is part of her character. She has power in different realms and can appear in these realms in different forms. She is one Goddess- but expresses herself in many forms. There was never one true fixed view of Hekate in antiquity. In art she was first shown as seated on a throne (a small votive statue found in Athens).

Than she appears in art (as depiction or statue) as a maiden with torches- or as maiden with torch and an oinochoe or phiale in her hands (ancient libation bowls). Sometimes standing near a burning hearth/altar.

Than she was portrayed as Hekateia (three formed images of her, depicted around a central pillar). Later on in triple form in reliefs, too. But the single and triple depictions of her stayed alive side by side through the ages.

In late antiquity she was even portrayed in four-formed images.

Hekates appearance in literature can bring headache to the people- in some sources she is described as a Great-Goddess figure- almost almighty (like in Hesiods Theogony, some invocations in the PGM, the “Orphic Hymn to her” or in the Chaldean Oracles). In some sources she is describes as shining young maiden, with good heart, filled with light. In other sources she is a dark and fearful Goddess, with snake hair and mistress of restless spirits and witchcraft. In some sources she is described as having animal heads (but there is not one statue of her who show her like this) and in one description she has even the lower body of a snake instead of legs.

If you accept that Hekate has not one true fixed form, it gets much easier to get a sense through the different views of her. Often it gives even a better sense if you look to the time and location of the source. For example all fearful descriptions of her came after the fifth century before Christ. Before this time she was described as a quite benign Goddess without any fearful attributes. And this view stayed alive over the centuries next to her fearful emanations, too. Often it gives more sense if you look to the realm that gives her these attributes. You will experience the empyrean Hekate (of the divine realm) different than the mistress of Tartaros. Hekate appears in the different realms in different forms and draws her power from these realms- from my experience.

From the sources in antiquity it gets quite clear that Hekate changed and evolved over time. First she was seen as a primordial Titaness- a kind of Great-Goddess figure in the beginning of the archaic time period. In the classical time she was described as a beautiful, shining maiden figure that was connected to thresholds and liminal times and spaces and who was able to guide through these and light the way. In the hellenic time period her darker emanations got more and more popular and she was seen as a sometimes fearful Goddess of night, magic, witchcraft, spirits and necromancy.

In the roman time period she evolved more and more into a lunar deity. And in late antiquity she again was seen as a Great-Goddess figure- as the empyrean Queen from which womb the worlds were born, the cosmic world soul and embodiment of nature and the natural cycles. But even with this evolutions the other aspects stayed alive, too. Even in the hellenic time when her fearful side was popular in literature- we still have sources that describe her as benign, beautiful and shining Goddess. The different views of her were alive side by side through the ages.

Hekate can appear as the gentle maiden Goddess, filled with light and light bringing. Like a star in the darkness. But she can appear as the dark mistress of restless spirits, too. Our you can experience her as a Great-Goddess figure, too- ruling over fate and change. Hekate is all that and more- she is Polymorphos- the Goddess of many forms.

She is not just the Goddess of crossroads, spirits, necromancy and witchcraft- like many believe (but she is that of course) but much more.

And I will delve into her aspects, spheres of influence and realms during the following articles.

Conclusion:

If you want to understand Hekate- accept that there is not one true form of her- or ever was. To express herself in many forms is part of her being. To understand this is the first step to understand her.