I Hekate

And thou, great Hecate, friend to my design; Songs, mutt'ring spells, your magick forces join
Ovid, Metamorphoses, ca. 1 CE

Hekate, the goddess of magic, was invoked at all sacrifices, for she could give or withhold her blessing in all matters of daily life. She was the threshold between the mortal and the divine, the instrument through which the gods expressed their will, and human supplications were delivered. As time went on, her ability to pass to and from the underworld transformed her into a deity of ghosts and witches. She lent powerful aid to all magical workings.

Image source: Apulian Red Figure Vase, ca. 400 – 300 BCE