All about history book of myths and legends. ( PDFDrive )

In addition to the great gods who were

related to the Greek Olympians, there were

a number of deities who were much closer

to the Roman people. Many of these were

worshipped at small shrines in people’s

houses. They were guardian spirits who

looked after the members of the household

in return for offerings made at the home

altars. Some of these deities, such as the

goddess Vesta, also had state shrines that

the Romans maintained in the hope that

they would look after the city and the empire.

Guardian Deities

CLASSICAL EUROPEVesta, the goddess of the hearth

Vesta was usually portrayed as a young woman

carrying a sceptre. A festival called the Vestalia

was celebrated in her honour, during which her

temple was opened for offering sacrifices.

THE TEMPLE OF VESTA

Since Vesta was the guardian of both the home

and the state, the Roman people worshipped her

by making sacrifices to her at home as well as by

maintaining her temple. This was a circular

building – its round shape may have been an

imitation of prehistoric houses, conveying the

idea that the temple had been there for many

years. Inside, Vesta was represented by a fire,

which symbolized both immortality and the

well-being of Rome itself. It was never allowed

to go out and was always tended by a group of

priestesses called the vestal virgins.

Vesta’s temple in Rome

THE CHASTE GODDESS

Vesta, the goddess of the domestic hearth and preserver of the flame

of immortality, was the daughter of the primal god Saturn and Ops,

the goddess of the harvest. Unlike her sisters, Juno and Ceres, Vesta

did not want to marry and remained a virgin. Once, when she

went to a feast held by the goddess Cybele, she fell asleep.

Priapus, the god of fertility, saw her and was filled with desire.

But as he approached her, a donkey belonging to the satyr

Silenus brayed loudly in her ear. Vesta awoke at once and all

the other guests came running to see what had made such

a noise. Priapus was foiled and Vesta’s honour was

preserved. Hence, during the feast held in honour of Vesta, donkeys were

crowned with flowers. According to some accounts, the objects sacred to the

cult of Vesta were the hearth fire and pure water in a clay vase. Although the goddess

Hestia is often considered to be the Greek counterpart of Vesta, the Romans

accorded far more importance to the hearth goddess in their religion than the Greeks.

Silenus

Snub-nosed and thick-lipped, Silenus

often got so drunk that he could not

even ride his donkey without falling off.

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