Hekate Liminal Rites: A historical study of the rituals, spells and magic of the Torch-bearing Triple Goddess of the Crossroads / David Rankine, Sorita d'Este

At the crossroads of life, death and rebirth stands the Goddess Hekate. Honoured by men, women and gods alike, traces of her ancient provenance reach back through the millennia providing clues about her nature and origins along the way. Depictions of her as three formed facing in three ways, sometimes with the heads of animals such as the horse, dog and snake hint at her liminal nature, as well as the powers she holds over the triple realms of earth, sea and sky.

The sorcery of Medea and Circe, the witchcraft of the women of Thessaly, the writings of philosophers such as Hesiod and Porphyry all provide glimpses into the world of those who honoured her. Her magical powers were considered so great that even King Solomon became associated with her, she was incorporated into Jewish magic, and merged with other goddesses including Artemis, Selene, Bendis and the Egyptian Isis. Whilst for some she was the Witch Goddess, for others she was the ruler of angels and daimons, who made predictions about Jesus and Christianity.

Wherever you look, be it in the texts of Ancient Greece and Rome, Byzantium or the Renaissance, the Greek Magical Papyri or the Chaldean Oracles, you will find Hekate. The magical whir of the strophalos and the barbarous words of the voces magicae carry her message; the defixiones, love spells and charms all provides us with examples of the magic done in her name. She was also associated with the magic of death, including necromancy and reanimation; as well as prophetic dreams, nightmares, healing herbs and poisons. The temples dedicated to her and the important role she played in the mysteries of Eleusis, Samothrace and Aigina all provide us with clues to her majesty. The popular shrines at the doorways of ordinary people, offerings left at the crossroads and guardian statues of her at the entrance ways to cities and temples all attest to her status in the hearts and minds of those who knew her mysteries.

In this book the authors draw from a wide range of sources, bringing together historical research which provides insights into the magical and religious practices associated with this remarkable Goddess. In doing so they provide an indispensable guide for those wishing to explore the mysteries of Hekate today.

Table of Contents
Foreword
1. From the Three-Ways
Literary Sources
2. In Her Service
Hesiod
Empedocles
Porphy
Circe
Medea
The Witches of Thessaly
Lampads
Hekate’s Vegetarian Followers
3. Sacred Eleusis
4. Images of Hekate
5. Voces Magicae
6. Charms from the PGM
List of Charms in the Greek Magical Papyri
Symbols from the PGM
Bear Charm
Charm of Hekate Ereschigal
7. Charms for Love
8. Defixiones
9. The Armour of Hekate
10. Glimpses of Initiation
11. Herbs & Poisons
Aconite
Ebony
Garlic
Mandrake
Oak
Saffron
Yew
Unspecified Herbs
Herb Gathering
12. Sacred Bronze
13. Iron Nails & Rings
14. Hekate & The Angels
15. Coins
16. From Sleep
17. Oracles of Hekate
18. Offerings
19. Hekate Suppers
20. Invocation
21. Hymns
Proclus Hymn to Hekate and Janus
Prayer to Selene for any operation
22. Animal Formed
Cow-Headed/Bull-Headed
Dog-Headed
Dragon-Headed
Goat-Headed
Horse-Headed
Serpent-Headed
23. Necromancy & Reanimation
24. Death Magic
25. Underworld
26. Black Dogs
27. Serpents
28. The Strophalos
29. King Solomon
30. Fusions
Artemis-Hekate
Bendis
Bona Dea
Brimo
Despoina
Ereschigal-Hekate
Isis-Hekate
Physis
Selene-Hekate
Bibliography
Index
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