30 Days of Devotion to Hekate: Day 6

6. Other related deities and entities associated with this deity.

The Restless Dead - Hekate rules over the dead and the underworld. Specifically the restless dead, those who died before their time, who suffered extreme violence at their time of death, those denied proper burial. Every month on the dark moon, Hekate’s worshipers celebrate the Deipna and leave out offerings to Her and the Restless Dead.

Persephone - Περσεφόνη Also known as Kore (the maiden), daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She is the Goddess of the Underworld, springtime, vegetation and maidenhood. Consort of Hades. Her symbols are the pomegranate, pomegranate seeds, bats, seeds of grain, flowers, etc. Hekate accompanies Persephone on Her journey to and from Her home with Hades in the Underworld each spring and autumn.

Aphrodite - Ἀφροδίτη Goddess of love, beauty and sexuality. Her symbols are the dolphin, rose, scallop shell, dove, sparrow, girdle, swan, etc. It was the poet Sappho (630 BC) who described Hekate as Handmaiden to Aphrodite.

Gorgons - Γοργών daughters of Echidna Ἔχιδνα and Typhon Τυφῶν, the mother and father of all monsters, they are also attributed to Phorkys Φόρκυς. Their names were Stheno Σθεννώ, Euryale Εὐρυάλη, who were immortal, and the most notable, Medusa Μέδουσα, who was not immortal and was slain by the Demigod Perseus. Many used the depictions of the face of a Gorgon as a popular protective motif. Many modern day followers connect the Gorgons with Hekate.

Kerberos - Κέρβερος Cerberus, the Hound of Hades. The multi-headed guard dog of the underworld who prevents the dead from leaving. Another offspring of Echidna and Typhon, Cerberus is usually described as having three heads, a serpent tail, snakes protruding from various parts of his body and lion claws. Some stories say that Cerberus was Hekate’s, not Hades as he was often in her presence, such as in the picture ca 330 - 310 BC "Detail of Kerberos and Hekate from a scene showing the journey of Orpheus to the Underworld. Hekate is shown dressed as a huntress, and wielding a pair of Eleusinian torches. Herakles (not shown) is dragging Kerberos away on a lead."

Kharites - Χάριτες (Charites) were also called Graces, three goddesses of grace, beauty, adornment, mirth, festivity, dance and song. They were attendants of goddesses Aphrodite and Hera. One Kharis, was the wife of Hephaistos and another, Pasithea, was married to Hypnos (sleep). They were also seen in the company of Hekate, as depicted by surviving statuettes but no explanation is known. While 3 is the most common number attributed to their rank, that figure as well as their names vary widely

Erinyes - Ἐρῑνύες Also known as Furies, the Erinyes were female chthonic deities of vengeance. Sometimes referred to as "infernal goddesses" of the netherworld. They avenged crimes against the natural order, particularly focusing on homicide, unfilial conduct, crimes against the gods and perjury. Most powerful was their curse from a parent murdered by a child as that was the crime of which the Erinyes were borne, being sprung from the blood of Ouranos, when he was castrated by his son Kronos. They have been connected to Hekate, at least one depiction of a witch calling on Hekate and placing Her opposite Tisiphone, one of the Erinyes.

Hekate’s Hounds - one legend depicts these hounds as once having been mortal women who called on Hekate and she transformed them and so they remain at her side. The hounds howl during the 'between times', at sunrise and sunset, howling at Hekate as She passes.