Hecate is magically _induced_, yet her coming is feared. The clash of the bronze gong is apotropaic. The scholiast says that ‘they sound the bronze at eclipses of the moon ... because it has power to purify and to drive off pollutions. Hence, as Apollodorus states in his treatise _Concerning the Gods_, bronze was used for all purposes of consecration and purgation.’ Apollodorus also stated that ‘at Athens, the Hierophant of her who had the title of Kore sounded what was called a gong.’ It was also the custom ‘to beat on a cauldron when the king of the Spartans died.’ All the ceremonies noted, relating to eclipses, to Kore and to the death of the Spartan king, are on _public_ occasions, and all are apotropaic, directed against ghosts and sprites. Metal in early days, when it is a novelty, is apt to be magical. The _din_ (κρότος) made by the women when they took down the _sacra_, whether it was a clapping of hands or of metal, is of the same order. The snakes are feared as hostile demons. These apotropaic rites are not practised against the Olympians, against Zeus and Apollo, but against sprites and ghosts and the divinities of the underworld, against Kore and Hecate. These underworld beings were at first dreaded and exorcised, then as a gentler theology prevailed, men thought better of their gods, and ceased to exorcise them as demons, and erected them into a class of ‘spiritual beings who preside over curses.’ Pollux[360] has a brief notice of such divinities. He says ‘those who resolve curses are called “Protectors from evil spirits,” Who-send-away, Averters, Loosers, Putters-to-flight; those who impose curses are called gods or goddesses of Vengeance, Gods of Appeal, Exactors.’ The many adjectival titles are but so many descriptive names for the ghost that cries for vengeance.