Hekate's Origin

While her earthly birth place may never be known, Hekate’s origin story tells of her creation and powers. Written by Hesiod almost three thousand years ago, he enthusiastically details her governance over land, sea and sky while gushing about her ability to provide bounty. The veracity of Hesiod’s claims has often been debated. Some authors posit that his story didn’t reflect the common understanding of the times. Even that his family was somehow different in their understanding of Hekate. I like to think that they were. Then there are those academics who claim that it may not have even been Hesiod that wrote Hekate’s origin story into his Theogony; that it is an early example of copying and pasting by a different writer.

The academics, with their picks and pens, never seem to tire in their attempts to figure out Hekate. She remains mysterious in spite of their efforts to place her neatly into one of their scholarly piles. This type of goddess goes here. Of course, Hekate doesn’t comply. I’m working on a novel telling her story from her perspective. I thought to share her origin story as told by Hesiod along with a bit of my version of it.

I am an only child.

My mother was the stars. My father, the darkness.

I was born of their great love.

The World Soul.

My childhood was a solitary one. Noticing my loneliness, Mother had Father change one of her stars from fire to earth.