HECATE

Also known as HEKATE

Moon Goddess of Hidden Wisdom, Change and Darkness

She's also the Queen of Witches. But HECATE is not the evil hag that popular legend suggests. In fact she seems to have started out as HEKET, the Egyptian Goddess of Childbirth.

Her role and attributes are hard to sum up in a few words. She is Goddess of Crossroads and thus can point you in the right direction if you don't know which way to turn. ("You have now reached your destination.") She also offers advice if you are stuck at a symbolic crossroads of your journey through life. Which is certainly better value than most other navigational aids.

She has the power of change, whether for good or evil, and is the one invoked when spells are cast. A good lunar calendar is essential as the power she gives is related to the phases of the moon. That's why it's best to start new projects when there's a full moon. (If nothing else, at least you'll be able to see what you're doing.)

HECATE is often seen with three heads: dog, horse and lion (or snake). These symbolize the attributes of SELENE, ARTEMIS and PERSEPHONE (but not necessarily in that order), as HECATE is something of a three-in-one Goddess in the attribute department.

Over the centuries, her esoteric nature has led to a lot of misunderstandings and bad press. The modern conception of a wicked cackling witch with broomstick and warts is more or less the result of early Christian anti- HECATE propaganda. (After all, any decent witch could cure warts in a jiffy.)

Trivia: HECATE was known by the Romans as TRIVIA.