Life and Death Goddess Hekate/Kate

(2023, updated December 30, 2024) Akkadian KaTû. Kate is life power class source goddess.  Feminine powers either allocate or direct the raw power generated by their complementary masculine power which in this case is Alu.

While Alu represented the space above the earth plane, Kate/Hekate represents the dark space below the earth plane which partly appears as the night sky. She is the power of the the dark underworld which stored dead invisible life forms until they were ready to be born and revealed to the world. The dark underworld also corresponded to the womb. 

These "forms of life" are the "souls" which include the personality of a person. Souls are not to be confused with the "sparks of life" from the goddess Selu/Selene which animate these life forms. Life forms (souls) are the Druid version of the Egyptian ba which was complemented by the Egyptian ka (spark of life). 

Life forms (souls) were immortal and were recycled back into the underworld. Once a person died on earth that person's form was stored in the underworld to wait for reincarnation. Thus Kate was the goddess who ruled over both life and death. Because of this she was represented by a snake whose shedding of skin corresponded to birth and immortality while its venom represented death. She can use eagle-vultures to cut individual threads of life in the life network in order to return souls to the underworld. The word "Hekate" is "Hu's Kate" to emphasis her role when she is acting as a life giving power.

As a dark underworld goddess Kate was associated with dark places such as caves and the black background of the night sky (but not the stars in the night sky).  Her human figurines always show her with arms folded under her breasts in the shape of the under-dome. She seems to go back to the hunter gatherer period of the paleolithic.

As a gathering power for both Alu's fertility fluids and discarded (dead) life she is the lady of the chalice. The word "Kate" in Akkadian means  "to deplete." In her depleter role she is a succubus. Hekate is associated with subterranean waters and deep pools, anything which was thought to collect water and be a pathway to the underworld.

Torches as a light in the darkness are Kate's main symbol. Kate's death role is symbolized when the torches are lowered. In contrast, her life role as Hekate is symbolized when they are raised.

She sometimes was seen as the enemy of the motion powers (Selene, Thu, both astrology and emotion magic) because their functions somewhat overlapped. The souls of Kate often had to be magically forced to become "involved" with Selene's sparks of life (spirits).   

Kate was first presented to moderns in the writings of the Greek writer Hesiod (500 BCE) as Hekate in his book Theology.  Hekate was not a part of the traditional Greek Pantheon again indicating she was not an Indo-European goddess. He says this about Hekate starting in line 404:

Compared to the gods, the Druid goddess were more likely to be personified around the Mediterranean. 

References

(December 30, 2024) The Codex Runicus describes the middle-ground Druid theology in which life powers can be properly associated with the magical motion/emotion powers. The life powers make the connection changes in the life network and the motion powers push the fertility-fluids through those connected threads/channels. This way dominate in Aegean Islands and mainland Europe. Contrast this way with the life power devotion of the Israelites and the magical motion/emotion power devotion of the Minoans and Phoenicians.

A debate between those devoted to the life powers and those devoted to the magical emotion/motion powers often breaks out during a drought when each side seeks to blame the other's powers for the drought. This has been good for history because these arguments have given us most of our archaeological stone texts because each side wants to write down their viewpoint on stone.

1. Free-up the eagle-vultures for this:  :  Split-off nourishments from the Controllers (Su, Selene, Thu)  :  Free-up the eagle-vultures for the form-manifestations  :  and liberate Kate.  :  Activate the eye-of-fates.  :  The setters will activate the resetting. (page 3, verse 11)
2. Form-manifestations from fertility-fluids  :  are lacking astrological-activity. :  Thu is similar to Kate  :  except for the nourishments  :  (and) except for  :  not having astrology-magic.  :  Change-motion with astrology-magic. (page 5, verse 6)
3. Energy should not be involved with astrological-activity.  :  Form-manifestations can change astrology-magic.  :  Energy can arouse Kate's eagle-vultures.  :  Don't emotionally energize, don't motivate.  :  Constrain the eagle-vulture's nourishments. (page 5, verse 9)
4. Diversions in the sky-shell are activated by astrology-magic  :  Form-manifestations are lacking  :  from constraints on Kate/Hekate.  :  Thu is lacking nourishments  :  from not being activated.  :  (page 8, verse 12)
5. Involve astrology-magic in the setting  :  of emotion-powers (Awen).  :  Thu can lack goodness.  :  Kate/Hekate can authorize pain for weavers (Vates). (page 9, verse 3)
6. Astrology-magic  :  can nourish the similar emotional-authorizations.  :  Kate authorizes the enemy's involvement with motion-powers.  :  Reveal the enemy's motion-powers  :  and the liberation of death-omens. (page 14, verse 10)
7. The priest-parents  :  can activate astrology-magic for Kate.  :  Its winds/spirits can manifest emotional-coercion. (page 17, verse 5)
8. Emotions  :  will reveal emotion-powers (Awen).  :  The winged-ones of Thu (owls)  :  can change astrology-magic.  :  Su's fertility-fluid energy (magic) can reveal  :  the nourishments for opening Kate's activities.  :  Revealing astrology-magic can energize omens. (page 21, verse 12)
9. Without activation (from settings)  :  the diversions (of life powers) are ineffective  :  in constraining the nourishing from Kate.  :  Settings can activate emotion-powers (Awen).  :  Diversions are not due to emotion-powers (Awen).  :  Astrology-magic's nourishments  :  are inhibiting Kate.  :  The Soul-Revealer (Kate)  :  can free-up the eagle-vulture's manifestations (life forms)  :  and the astrology-magic's manifestations (spirits). (page 22, verse 1 and 2)

(January 12, 2025)

1. Hesiod, Theogony 404 ff (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or 7th B.C.) : "Asteria (starry-one) of happy name, whom Perses once led to his great house to be called his dear wife. And she conceived and bore Hekate (Hecate) whom Zeus the son of Kronos (Cronus) honoured above all. He gave her splendid gifts, to have a share of the earth and the unfruitful sea. She received honour also in starry heaven, and is honoured exceedingly by the deathless gods.

2. Homeric Hymn 2 to Demeter 19 ff (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th or 6th B.C.) : "Queenly Deo wandered over the earth with flaming torches in her hands [after the abduction of Persephone] . . . But when the tenth enlightening dawn had come, Hekate, with a torch in her hands, met her . . . [and] sped swiftly with her, holding flaming torches in her hands. So they came to Helios (the Sun), . . . and stood in front of his horses"

3. Sappho or Alcaeus, Fragment 23 (trans. Campbell, Vol. Greek Lyric I) (Greek lyric C6th B.C.) : "[Hekate] the golden-shining attendant of Aphrodite." [N.B. As a goddess of the night Hekate is here associated with Aphrodite, for intercourse is more often than not a nighttime activity.]

4. Bacchylides, Fragment 1B (trans. Campbell, Vol. Greek Lyric IV) (Greek lyric C5th B.C.) "Torch-bearing Hekate holy daughter of great-bosomed Nyx (Night)."

5. Orphic Hymn 1 to Hecate (trans. Taylor) (Greek hymns C3rd B.C. to 2nd A.D.) : "Hekate . . . pleased with dark ghosts that wander through the shade . . . nightly seen."

6. Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 3. 840 ff (trans. Rieu) (Greek epic C3rd B.C.) : "Propitiating the only-begotten Maiden (Koure mounogeneia) [Hekate] with a midnight offering . . . Brimo [Hekate], nurse of youth (kourotrophos), Brimo, night-wanderer of the underworld (nyktipolis khthonie), Queen of the dead (anassa eneroi)."

7. Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 3. 1194 ff : "Hekate Brimo . . . hearing his words from the abyss, came up . . . She was garlanded by fearsome snakes that coiled themselves round twigs of oak; the twinkle of a thousand torches lit the scene; and hounds of the underworld barked shrilly all around her."

8. Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 4. 55 ff : "[Selene the Moon laments :] ‘How many times . . . have you [the witch Medea ] disorbed me with your incantations, making the night moonless so that you might practice your beloved witchcraft undisturbed.’" [N.B. Hekate gave witches with the power to draw the moon down from the sky.]

9. Ovid, Metamorphoses 7. 162 ff (trans. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.) : "In the deep stillness of the midnight hour . . . she [Medea] stretched her arms to the stars . . . ‘O Nox (Night) [Nyx], Mother of Mysteries, and all ye golden Astra (Stars) who with Luna (the Moon) [Selene] succeed the fires of day, and thou, divine three-formed (triceps) Hecate, who knowest all my enterprises and dost fortify the arts of magic.’"

10. Ovid, Metamorphoses 10. 403 ff : "Out of Erebos and Chaos she [the witch] called Nox (Night) [Nyx] and the Gods of Night (Di Nocti) and poured a prayer with long-drawn wailing cries to Hecate."

11. Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica 7. 515 ff (trans. Mozley) (Roman epic C1st A.D.) : "Hecate, queen of the night."

12. Nonnus, Dionysiaca 44. 198 ff (trans. Rouse) (Greek epic C5th A.D.) : "Dionysos waited for darksome night, and appealed in these words to circle Mene (Moon) in heaven : ‘O daughter of Helios (the Sun), Mene (Moon) of many turnings, nurse of all! O Selene, driver of the silver car! If thou art Hekate of many names, if in the night thou doest shake thy mystic torch in brand carrying hand, come night wanderer, nurse of puppies because the nightly sound of the hurrying dogs is thy delight with their mournful whimpering.’"

Reference

Thoi.com at: https://www.theoi.com/Khthonios/HekateGoddess.html

(May 1, 2023, updated December 30, 2024) This previously untranslated Alphabetic Akkadian text was found at Tell es-Safi which was the Philistine city of Gath. This shard is from a bowl with a smooth red slip which is the color of life. It reads (right to left):

Translation in Akkadian (Levant Text 9)

1. A  TaBu  KaTe  |  Ku  Bu  T[1]

In English

1. This emotionally-arouses Kate (Hekate) | Involve nourishments with motion[-changes]

Comment: This text is about the two classes of divine powers working together which is typical of the Aegean islanders but not of the Phoenicians and Minoans.

This text was first reported in 2006 and published in 2008. It is on a type of pottery which belonged to to the time between the late Iron Age I to early Iron IIA. This dates it to about 1000 BCE. Gath was the reported home of Goliath in the Bible (1 Samuel 17). 

This pottery shard was found in an industrial/commercial area as a cast-away on the floor of a heavily used room. Based upon the number of bones on the floor this room seems to have been a food preparation area. The thin red slip allowed the letters to be scratched with little effort.

References

(Feb 26, 2023)  Kate (Hekate) is the famine life source goddess and not involved in the life network although she collects its fertility-fluids.

Translation in Akkadian (Levant Text 27)

1. Lu  TuŠu  GaBu  Nu (Levant Text 27.1)
2. KaTe  Nu  Ya  ESu   (Levant Text 27.2)

In English. 

1.  Lack of anarchy reveals the cistern (of fertility-fluids)
2.  Kate (Hekate) cannot reveal the filtered-fluids.

Previous Hebrew Translation Attempt

The discovery report claims the letters are (letter differences in red):

1. LTAR  BN  
2. MTHYHS  

Which makes the name:

1. "Ikkar Ben 
2. Matanyahu" 

This is a failed translation due to the following:

1. Incorrect letter assignments
2. The last letter "S" is left out of the English translation
3. Names are not a translation because they can be any cluster of letters 

References

(May 1, 2023) A different seal rises to the defense of Hekate

Translation in Akkadian (Levant Text 60.134)

1. Lu  ESu  Du  Ya  ESu (Levant Text 60.134.1) 
2. KaTe  Ku  Ya  ESu (Levant Text 60.134.2) 

In English 

1. A lack  filtered-fluids cannot manifest the filtered-fluids
2. Kate is not getting involved with the filtered-fluids.

Previous Hebrew Translation Attempt

Some Hebrew language scholars claim the text reads as follows: 

1. Belonging to Hoduyahu
2. (son of) Mattanyahu

References

Translation in Akkadian (Celt Text 1.5.6)

1. KaTe Pu
2. EGu

In English

1. Kate (Hekate) is opening
2. neglect

(December 1, 2024) This is traditionally and incorrectly called the "Funerary Stele of Iulia" The text is Druid (Runic) Akkadian.

Top Image

Top image shows the eagle-vulture on the ends which are mentioned in the text below. In the center is the winged goddess Ayu being intimidated by dogs who likely represent the star Sirius (the dog star) who mediates the night sky motion powers with the life powers. Interestingly. The Thracian Ayu has a bow which represents her visible form as the crescent moon.

Top Text Section

1. Reassigning life-threads (with eagle-vultures) is instigating nothing. The neglected-ones (eagle-vultures) are purifying nothing. Emotional-triggering is ineffective in starving those wool-stuffing (life-network) powers.
2. The life-threads activate Yahu (E'). The emanations (light, heat, rain) are activating nothing.  Blockages expel eagle-vultures.  ;  Paralysis can intimidate the pasture (starry night sky).
3. Kate/Hekate is desiring Ayu's nourishments. The shepherds (magic crafters) are pasturing activity. The Revealer (Kate) is resisting form-manifestations.  Nothing is expecting these death-powers.
4. [word] is activating involvement with the layout (life network). Anger at Hu's eagle-vultures is activating Su.  ;   Yahu is being cursed. The layout makes ineffective considerations (focused emotions of emotion magic). Starve Yahu's curse.

Top Center Image

Top Center image shows the goddess Kate/Hekate on the left with 2 attendants on the right. Here Hekate is shown lowering her torches indicating she is representing her death power instead of her life power. Torches are Hekete's main symbol.

Middle Text Section

1. ....   Astrology-magic can paralyze involvement. Openings are the result of attendants (eagle-vultures). Pasture the shepherd's activity. Considerations (focused emotions of emotion magic) can manifest Yahu's (Y') activity.
2.   ... Emotions can nourish the opening of [word].  Emotions are involved with the openings. That change is scarce. Those network-birds can be energized.
3. ....   Ayu does not make that visible. Activate the emanations by enabling the expulsion of those boundary-powers from the reed-mat (life network).
4. ...   Those covered-powers can monitor the confusion. Shout-out the changes in scarcity. Energize the reassignments of the life-threads.
5. ....  is not shedding. Involve those life-channels. Starvation is filtering reassignments (of the channels). Astrology-magic makes that ineffective.

Lower Center Image

Kate is in her chariot holding her torches high.

Bottom Text Section and Wrap-Up

1. Emotion-powers (Awen) are causing chaos with [word].  Astrology-magic is making ineffective the veil (dark underworld home of Kate/Hekate). Those are prodding the life-manifestations overshadowing Ayu.

Bottom Image

 Kate/Hekate's entourage is being prodded by barking dogs.

(July 12, 2022) The two (and only two) "Minoan" snake goddess were found in one of the Knossos palace's trash pits known as the east Knossos Temple repository. It contained various damaged ritual items used during this period. The Minoans, like the later Phoenicians, were primarily devoted to the magical motion/emotion powers and not the life powers. (Sinclair 2013):

1. many fragments of faience figurines 
2. vessels with molded designs
3. beads
4. molded plaques of ‘votive robes’ 
5. suckling goats
6. cattle
7. flowers
8. leaves
9. shells
10. flying fish
11. fruit 
12. a figure of eight shields 

In addition, the repository contained stone libation bowls, a large quantity of colored sea shells, clay administrative sealings, a clay tablet, ivory inlays, bone, burnt maize and stag horns. All of which were placed under a jumble of soil, gold foil and some forty ceramic amphorae and jugs which were used to provide a date for the collection of between 1650 and 1600 BCE.

References