Vesta (mythology)

Depicted as a good-mannered deity who never involved herself in the quarreling of other gods, Vesta was ambiguous at times due to her contradictory association with the phallus.^[25] She is considered the embodiment of the "Phallic Mother" by proponents of 20th Century psychoanalysis: she was not only the most virgin and clean of all the gods, but was addressed as mother and granted fertility.^{[clarification needed]} Mythographers tell us that Vesta had no myths save being identified as one of the oldest of the gods who was entitled to preference in veneration and offerings over all other gods. Unlike most gods, Vesta was hardly depicted directly; nonetheless, she was symbolized by her flame, the fire stick, and a ritual phallus (the fascinus).^[2]

While Vesta was the flame itself, the symbol of the phallus might relate to Vesta's function in fertility cults, but it maybe also invoked the goddess herself due to its relation to the fire stick used to light the sacred flame. She was sometimes thought of as a personification of the fire stick which was inserted into a hollow piece of wood and rotated – in a phallic manner – to light her flame.^[26]

Hearth

Concerning the status of Vesta's hearth, Dionysius of Halicarnassus had this to say: "And they regard the fire as consecrated to Vesta, because that goddess, being the Earth and occupying the central position in the universe, kindles the celestial fires from herself."^[27] Ovid agreed, saying: "Vesta is the same as the earth; both have the perennial fire: the Earth and the sacred Fire are both symbolic of home."^[28] The sacred flames of the hearth were believed to be indispensable for the preservation and continuity of the Roman State: Cicero states it explicitly. The purity of the flames symbolised the vital force that is the root of the life of the community. It was also because the virgins' ritual concern extended to the agricultural cycle and ensured a good harvest that Vesta enjoyed the title of Mater ("Mother").^[29]

The fecundating power of sacred fire is testified to in

In Roman belief, Vesta was present in all weddings, and so was Janus: Vesta was the threshold and Janus the doorway. Similarly, Vesta and Janus were invoked in every sacrifice. It has been noted that because they were invoked so often, the evocation of the two came to simply mean, "to pray".^[41] In addition, Vesta was present with Janus in all sacrifices as well.^[42][43] It has also been noted that neither of them were consistently illustrated as human. This has been suggested as evidence of their ancient Italic origin, because neither of them was "fully anthropomorphized"^[44][40]

Agriculture

Counted among the agricultural deities, Vesta has been linked to the deities

Where the majority of temples would have a statue, that of Vesta had a hearth. The fire was a religious center of Roman worship, the common hearth (focus publicus) of the whole Roman people.^[48] The Vestals were obliged to keep the sacred fire alight. If the fire went out, it must be lit from an arbor felix ("auspicious tree", probably an oak).^[49] Water was not allowed into the inner aedes nor could it remain longer than strictly necessary in or on the nearby premises. It was carried by the Vestales in vessels called futiles which had a tiny foot that made them unstable.^[50]

The temple of Vesta held not only the ignes aeternum ("sacred fire"), but the

Despite being one of the most spiritual of Roman Shrines, that of Vesta was not a templum in the Roman sense of the word; that is, it was not a building consecrated by the augurs and so it could not be used for meetings by Roman officials.^[54] It has also been claimed that the shrine of Vesta in Rome was not a templum because of its round shape. However, a templum was not a building, but rather a sacred space that could contain a building of either rectangular or circular shape. In fact, early templa were often altars that were consecrated and later had buildings erected around them.^[55] The temple of Vesta in Rome was an aedes and not a templum most likely because of the character of the cult of Vesta, the exact reason being unknown.^[55]

Vestal Virgins

The Vestales were one of the few full-time

A peculiar duty of the Vestals was the preparation and conservation of the sacred salamoia muries used for the savouring of the mola salsa, a salted flour mixture to be sprinkled on sacrificial victims (hence the Latin verb immolare, "to put on the mola, to sacrifice"). This dough too was prepared by them on fixed days.^[63] Theirs also the task of preparing the suffimen for the Parilia.^[64]

Festivals

Domestic and family life in general were represented by the festival of the goddess of the house and of the spirits of the storechamber – Vesta and the

Mythography

Vesta had no official mythology, and she existed as an abstract goddess of the hearth and of chastity.^[70] Only in the account of Ovid at Cybele's party does Vesta appear directly in a myth.^[71]

Birth of Romulus and Remus

Main article: Romulus and Remus

Plutarch, in his Life of Romulus, told a variation of

Fabius Pictor which he describes in a detailed narrative and lends support to.^[74]

Conception of Servius Tullius

Tarquinius, upon hearing this, was astonished; but Tanaquil, whose knowledge of divination was well-known, told him it was a blessing that a birth by the hearth's phallus and a mortal woman would produce superior offspring. The king then chose Ocresia to have intercourse with it, for she had seen it first. During which either Vulcan, or the tutelary deity of the house, appeared to her. After disappearing, she conceived and delivered Tullius.^[75] This story of his birth could be based on his name as Servius would euphemistically mean "son of servant", because his mother was a handmaiden.^[76]

Impropriety of Priapus

In book 6 of Ovid's Fasti: Cybele invited all the gods, satyrs, rural divinities, and nymphs to a feast, though Silenus came uninvited with his donkey. At some point during the feast, Vesta lay at rest, and Priapus spotted her. As he approached her in order to violate her, the ass brought by Silenus let out a timely bray, whereupon Vesta awoke and Priapus barely escaped the outraged gods.^[77] Mentioned in book 1 of the Fasti is a similar instance of Priapus' impropriety involving Lotis and Priapus. The Vesta-Priapus account is not as well developed as that involving Lotis, and critics suggest the account of Vesta and Priapus only exists to create a cult drama.^[78] Ovid says the donkey was adorned with necklaces of bread-bits in memory of the event. Elsewhere, he says donkeys were honored on 9 June during the Vestalia in thanks for the services they provided in the bakeries.^[77]

Vesta outside Rome

Vesta's cult is attested at

Tibur. The Alban Vestals at Bovillae (Albanae Longanae Bovillenses) were supposedly a continuation of the original Alban Vestals, and Lavinium had the Vestals of the Laurentes Lavinates, both orders rooted in ancient traditions that were thought to predate Rome's foundation. In a later period, Tibur's vestals are attested epigraphically.^[79] Vestals might have been present at the sanctuary of Diana Nemorensis near Aricia.^[80]

See also

• Clerical celibacy
• House of the Vestals
• Temple of Vesta, Tivoli

Citations

1. ^ Dixon-Kennedy 1998, p. 318.
2. ^ ^{a b} Schroeder 1998, pp. 335–336.
3. ^ Williams 2008, p. 11.
4. ^ Geffcken, Dickison & Hallett 2000, pp. 537–538.
5. ^ Frazer 1929, p. 299.
6. ^ Paschalis 1977, p. 78.
7. ^ Dumézil 1974, part 2, chap. 2
8. glottologist Émile Benveniste speaks on Georges Dumézil
   's theory)
9. ^ Beekes 2010, pp. 471–472.
10. ^ Poultney, J.W. "Bronze Tables of Iguvium" 1959 pp. 331, 171 https://archive.org/details/bronzetablesofig00poul/page/n19/mode/2up
11. ^ Ovid Fasti vi. 265
12. ^ Noehden 1817, p. 214.
13. ^ Beard, North & Price 1998a, pp. 189–190 vol. 1, note no. 77: Plutarch, Life of Romulus 22; Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities II.64.5–69
14. ^ Beard, North & Price 1998a, pp. 189–190 vol. 1, note no. 77: Virgil, Aeneid II.296, 597; Ovid, Fasti I.527-8, III.29, VI.227;Metamorphoses XV.730; Propertius IV.4.69; Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities II.65.2
15. ^ ^{a b} Williams 2008, p. 20.
16. ^ William Smith A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities [Retrieved 5/4/2015]
17. ^ ^{a b} Johnston 2004, p. 307.
18. ^ Beard, North & Price 1998a, pp. 189–190 vol. 1
19. ^ Beard, North & Price 1998a, p. 191 vol. 1
20. ^ Degrassi (1963) 66; 133; Ovid, Fasti 4.943-54
21. ^ Herbert-Brown 1994, p. 75.
22. ^ ^{a b c} Salzman 1990, pp. 157–160.
23. ^ Watkin 2009, p. 92.
24. ^ Lefkowitz & Fant 2005, p. 306.
25. ^ ^{a b} Fraschetti 2001, p. 29.
26. ^ Schroeder 1998, p. xiii.
27. ^ Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities II 66, 3
28. ^ Ovid, Fasti VI. 269–270
29. ^ A. Brelich "Vesta" Albae Vigiliae n. s. 7 (Zurich 1949) p. 48-66 as cited by D. P. Harmon "Religion in Latin Elegists" Aufstieg und Niedergang der Römische Welt 1986 p. 1971.
30. ^ Plutarch Romulus 2.1–6.
31. ^ Dionysius of Halicarnassus IV 2, 1–4; Ovid Fasti VI, 633–636.
32. ^ Serv. Ad Aen. VII 678; Angelo Brelich Vesta 1949, pp.70, 97–98.
33. ^ Ovid, Fasti VI 625–626.
34. Servius
    , Ecl. 8.29; 2.469; Aen. 6. 273
35. Servius
    , Ecl. 8.29
36. ^ Ovid, Amores, 1.12.2; Petronius, Satyricon 30
37. ^ Plautus, Casina 816–817
38. ^ Catullus 61.159–161
39. ^ Hersch 2010, p. 181.
40. ^ ^{a b} Hersch 2010, p. 274.
41. ^ Pliny the Elder, Natural History, 28. 135, 28. 142, 29. 30; Plutarch, Q.R. 31
42. ^ Holland (1962; 283, following Wissowa 1912: 103)
43. Servius
    (Ad. Aen. 1.292)
44. ^ Holland (1962; 265)
45. ^ Herbert-Brown 1994, p. 97.
46. ^ Littlewood 2006, p. 90.
47. ^ Ovid VI. 269–270:"Vesta is the same as the earth, both have the perennial fire: the Earth and the sacred Fire are both symbolic of home." Earth being Terra in Latin, a hint to the goddess Terra Littlewood 2006, p. 90); V. 945: "the goddess comes plaited with various garlands and a thousand flowers." Flowers being a hint to Tellus.
48. ^ ^{a b} Middleton 1892, p. 295.
49. ^ Thédenat 1908, pp. 89–90.
50. ^ Dumézil 1974, p. 284.
51. ^ Severy 2003, p. 100.
52. ^ Herbert-Brown 1994, p. 76;sf. Livy, History of Rome, 26. 27. 14
53. ^ Morford & Lenardon 1999, p. 510.
54. ^ Middleton 1886, p. 395.
55. ^ ^{a b} Frothinghom 1914, pp. 303–309.
56. ^ Plut. Numa 10,2
57. ^ Dion. Hal. 2,67,2
58. ^ ^{a b} Gaius 1,145
59. ^ Plut. Numa 10, 4
60. ^ Gell. Noct. Att. 1, 12,9; 7,2
61. ^ Ovid Fas. 2, 21
62. ^ Cicero Font. 48.
63. ^ Fraschetti 2001, pp. 228–229.
64. ^ DiLuzio 2016, p. 197.
65. ^ Mommsen 1894, p. 164.
66. ^ ^{a b} Marouzeau 2006, p. 39.
67. ^ Brulé 1987, p. 112.
68. ^ Chiron Dictionary 1993.
69. ^ Bowerstock, Brown & Grabar 1999, p. 449.
70. ^ Newlands 1995, pp. 129–136.
71. ^ Newlands 1995, pp. 136–138.
72. ^ Plutarch, Life of Romulus, 2.3–6
73. ^ Deroux 2008, p. 41.
74. ^ Wiseman 1995, p. 57.
75. ^ Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities, 2.1–4
76. ^ Deroux 2008, p. 49.
77. ^ ^{a b} Ovid, Fasti VI. 319-48
78. ^ Littlewood 2006, p. 103.
79. ^ Hemelrijk 2015, pp. 64–65.
80. ^ Cecere 2003, pp. 67–80.

Sources

Ancient

• Gaius Valerius Catullus in Carmina
• Marcus Tullius Cicero in Pro Fonteio
• Dionysius of Halicarnassus in Romaike Archaiologia
• Gaius Acilius in Annales Aciliani
• Aulus Gellius in Noctes Atticae
• Maurus Servius Honoratus
  in In Vergilii Aeneidem commentarii
• Maurus Servius Honoratus
  in Eclogues
• Publius Ovidius Naso in Amores
• Publius Ovidius Naso in Fasti
• Gaius Petronius Arbiter in Satyricon
• Titus Maccius Plautus in Casina
• Gaius Plinius Secundus in Naturalis Historia
• Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus in Life of Numa
• Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus in Life of Romulus

Modern

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• Dubourdieu, Annie (1989). Les Origines et le développement du culte des pénates à Rome (in French). École française de Rome.
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• Frothinghom, A. L. (1914). "Circular Templum and Mundus. Was the Templum Only Rectangular?". American Journal of Archaeology. 18.
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• Wiseman, Timothy Peter (1995), Remus: A Roman Myth, Cambridge University Press,
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External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vesta.

• Vesta at Encyclopædia Britannica.
• Ancient texts on Vesta, from Tiresias: The Ancient Mediterranean Religions Source Database.