History

The first Orphic Hymn is dedicated to the Goddess Hekate and it starts with the epithet Enodia. In hellenic Ἐννοδία or Ἐνοδία, means of the roads. Let’s explore it’s history! As you will notice, Hekate and Enodia have many things in common.

Enodia was the city protector Goddess of Ferai in Magnesia. Ferai was the second bigest town in Thessaly. She appeared before geometric period (1100 – 750 b.C.). Her cult was spread from Ferai/Feres/Pherae to the north (Macedonia) and to the south (Athens and Oreus of Euboea). She was known in Athens at 5th century b.C. The town of Thessaly which was worshiped in Pagasai, Larissa, Kranon, Atraga, Pharsalo, Phakio, Thebes, Olooson, Phalanna, Gonnoi and Pythio. In Macedonia it was worshiped in Pella, Veroia, Aghia Paraskevi, Persies, Lete.

The oldest epigraph for her, have been found in Larissa (450-425 b.C.). Sophocles in Antigone is reffering to Enodia. Also, Euripides in Ion is reffering to Enodia and in Helen, Enodia and Hekate are the Goddesses who control phantasms. Polyainos in Strategemata describes how the priestess Chrysami, of Enodia, managed to conquer Erythrai of Asia Minor in 10th century b.C. The citizens of Ferai built a temple in 300 b.C. to honour their Goddess. It consisted to 6 pillars width and 12 pillars length (16 x 30 meters). Many epigraphs and jewels have been found today in Ferai.

Enodia was a chtonic Goddess, a Goddess of the earth, who was close to her people. She was promoting communication, she was found in the streets –especially at the crossroads, in the underworld (hades). She was responsible for the ghosts, or night wandering spirits. She knew how to use herbs, how to cleanse, how to raise children. She was guarding the entrance, she was averting the evil, the bad spirits, diseases… so she was protecting her followers.

She was representing with a myrtle garland, with dogs and horses close to her feet. She liked also the rose. Her priestesses were virgin and knew very well herbalism. The dogs were very sacred to her.

Identifications

In Thessaly many Hekataia were found in the three ways. In hellenistic period, Enodia was represented with three heads, like Hekate. In Ferai Artemis became very famous, so we had Enodia Artemis, Feraia Artemis. Outside Ferai, especially in Athens, Argos, Aegina, Kolophon, Ephesus, Rhodes, Byzantium and later in Rome, there was the worship of Enodia Hekate. Until 640 a.C. Enodia was a self inclusive Goddess in Ferai and Macedonia but not in other towns, which was identified with Brimo, Hekate and Artemis.

The village Velestino of Ferai was the birthplace of the great scholar of Hellas, Rhegas Ferraios Velestinlis, the man who participated in neohellenic englightenment, before the revolution of 1821 Moreover, in that village the Hellenes fought the Turk intruders in 1897

Epithets

1. Feraia= the one from Feres
2. Patroa = from the same land
3. Astiki = of the town
4. Osia = saint, is associated with cleansing miasma, negative energy and honouring the deads
5. Mykaiki = the one who makes great sounds
6. Stathmia = guardian of the entrance
7. Korilos = virgin
8. Alekseatis = the one who protects by averting