Hecate has many aspects and has gone though many transformations depending on the times, geographic location and by whom she was worshiped. It is understandable as to why if looking over the reference materials that are available, you can see how she evolved as attributes associated to her developed.

This is why there are so many symbols associated with Hecate, some of which may seem out of place with some modern perceptions.

It is believed that her worship originated in Thrace, which she was associated with the wilderness and Thresholds of "between" places (This is not hard to see why she becomes known as the Gate Keeper.) Due to her association with gateways and openings, she also became associated with childbirth, the threshold to "life."  Hecate was the Goddess who was called upon to guide the new soul into this world.

Hecate was originally considered to be a benign Goddess who watched over crops and made them fertile, through gentle rains or destroyed them if displeased by devastating storms. This begins her association with agriculture.

Within Greek mythology Hecate’s attributes begin to take on many aspects that are more inline with popular thinking. It is important to note, that she was incorporated into Greek mythology, with the pantheon of the Olympians already in place.  Within this Pantheon’s cosmology, her "gifts" where granted to her by Zeus. Although it is my opinion that she already had these attributes but in order for those worshiping the Olympic pantheon to accept her, it was necessary to incorporate them into her "birth," of which there are several, Gaia and Uranus, (Earth and Sky) Astara (a Star Goddess) and Perseus, which would make her a Titan descendant, and reference to being the daughter of Rhea.

The most notable work, that describes her aspects and dominion within the Olympic pantheon, are the works of Hesiod. In which he describes Zeus as honoring her above all. Zeus gave her the gifts of the earth, the heaves and the sea. Taking none of her portion away that she had among the Titans.

Within the works of Hesiod, her attributes are many. From a fertility Goddess, a Goddess of the battle who grants victory, as well as granting victory for games. She also was partitioned by fisherman for a plentiful catch, to name a few.

The chthonic and underworld associations seem to have developed in part  by the myth of Persephone, in which Hecate played an intricate roll. Hecate was one of the only people to hear Persephone’s screams when Hades abducted her and took her into the underworld. Hecate aided Demeter (sent by Zeus) in locating Persephone and then chose to become Persephone’s attendant/companion while Persephone resides within the underworld for one half of the year. (I will be adding a page with this myth at a later time.)