-Hesiod, Theogony 416-420

Statuette of juniper wood from Ptolemaic Egypt, representing the triplicate goddess Hecate. Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Ancient Roman marble statuette of triple-bodied Hecate ringed by the three Graces. Artist unknown; 1st-2nd cent. CE. Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Hecate (The Night of Enitharmon’s Joy), William Blake, 1795

A Traveler's Humble Gift to a Goddess

Anthologia Palatina 6.199 = Antiphilus of Byzantium (Neronian period)

Note: Einodia (“Goddess of the Road”) is an epithet given to a number of different goddesses, chiefly Hecate (who may be meant here) and Persephone. O Goddess of the Road, Antiphilus dedicated to you this cap    From his own dear head- a token of his traveling. For you heeded his prayers, you were propitious toward his journeys.    The gift’s not a large one, but it’s given in piety. Let no greedy wayfarer snatch up my dedication!  It’s a dangerous business    To steal from a deity- even small things. Εἰνοδίη, σοὶ τόνδε φίλης ἀνεθήκατο κόρσης    πῖλον, ὁδοιπορίης σύμβολον, Ἀντίφιλος· ἦσθα γὰρ εὐχωλῇσι κατήκοος, ἦσθα κελεύθοις    ἵλαος· οὐ πολλὴ δ’ ἡ χάρις, ἀλλ’ ὁσίη. μὴ δέ τις ἡμετέρου μάρψῃ χερὶ μάργος ὁδίτης    ἀνθέματος· συλᾶν ἀσφαλὲς οὐδ’ ὀλίγα.

Beggar Looking through his Hat, Jacques Bellange, ca. 1615

An Invocation of the Dark Goddess Hecate

Orphic Hymn 1 (author unknown; date perhaps ca. 200-250 CE) I call upon Hecate of the roads, crossroads-guardian, lovely one,    She who belongs to heaven, earth, and sea, she of the saffron mantle, Tomb-haunter, who shares in Bacchic revels with the souls of the dead,    Perses’ daughter, lover of solitude, she who delights in deer, Nocturnal goddess, fond of dogs, irresistible queen,   Attended by beasts’ roars, ungirded one, she whose appearance no man can withstand, Bull-herder, mistress who holds the key to all the universe,    Leader and nymph, child-rearer and mountain-dweller-- I entreat the maiden to attend our holy rites    With ever-joyful spirit, showing good-will to the oxherd. Εἰνοδίαν Ἑκάτην κλήιζω, τριοδῖτιν, ἐραννήν, οὐρανίαν χθονίαν τε καὶ εἰναλίαν, κροκόπεπλον, τυμβιδίαν, ψυχαῖς νεκύων μέτα βακχεύουσαν, Περσείαν, φιλέρημον, ἀγαλλομένην ἐλάφοισι, νυκτερίαν, σκυλακῖτιν, ἀμαιμάκετον βασίλειαν, θηρόβρομον, ἄζωστον, ἀπρόσμαχον εἶδος ἔχουσαν, ταυροπόλον, παντὸς κόσμου κληιδοῦχον ἄνασσαν, ἡγεμόνην, νύμφην, κουροτρόφον, οὐρεσιφοῖτιν, λισσόμενος κούρην τελεταῖς ὁσίαισι παρεῖναι βουκόλωι εὐμενέουσαν ἀεὶ κεχαρηότι θυμῶι.

Marble statue of three-bodied Hecate, Roman period, after a lost Hellenistic original; now in the Museo Chiaramonti, Vatican City.