Hestia | Ἑστία | Vesta

I am very drawn to Hestia. Every sense I came to Hellenismos, I have felt a close connection to her. In my studies of the Gods, I have come to see her as an extremely important Goddess who has much influence in the day to day lives of both the individual and the family. Who does everyone view her?

holden1610 wrote:I am very drawn to Hestia. Every sense I came to Hellenismos, I have felt a close connection to her. In my studies of the Gods, I have come to see her as an extremely important Goddess who has much influence in the day to day lives of both the individual and the family. Who does everyone view her?

I'm sure I'll be swiftly corrected if I am wrong, but she is a very important Goddess. I believe it's in Plato's Cratylus that she is called the essence of all things, and this is why all ritual begins with her. To use a metaphor, I think it'd be appropriate to say she is the great hearth flame of the cosmos, around which all the other Gods set their thrones. She is the foundation, as it were, upon which everything else is set. And this is really just the tip of an iceberg!

(and now I wait for a correction, as I'm sure I missed something )

(and now I wait for a correction, as I'm sure I missed something   )

All good in my book — and well said too.

Ἑστία represents the foundational evolution of Rhea-Earth. First, it is by her that the Twelve Powers are brought back to dominion over the world. Second, mundanely, it is her security, sanctity and stability of the home that permits actions of piety at all, it is her fire that joins humanity with God, and it is her supreme form, in Δήμητρα, that crowns the series of the encosmic gods of the primary Twelve Laws. For this she is called "both the first and the last", as well as the "oldest and the youngest", and both Ἑστία Παρθένος [the virginal] and Ῥεία-Μήτηρ Θεών [the mother of gods].

1. Æstia (Hestia; Gr.  Ἑστία, ΕΣΤΙΑ)  [Roman: Vesta]  
Pronounced: æs-TEE'-ah, there is no h-sound except perhaps in very ancient times (as can be seen by the mark just before the first letter of her name: Ἑ)

Being one of the Dohthækathæon (Dodecatheon = The Twelve Olympian Gods; Gr. Δωδεκάθεον), Æstia (Hestia) is one of the most important deities of all Hellenismos, a goddess most high.  She is the first-born child of Kronos (Cronus; Gr. Κρόνος) and Ræa (Rhea; Gr. Ῥέα), and is a virgin Goddess, signifying a purity which has nothing to do with mortal sex.  She rules the hearth of home and city and her dominion is the Law of Movement.  

In every ritual, Æstia is honored first...always... with the recitation of her hymn as found in the Hymns of Orphefs (Orpheus; Gr. Ὀρφεύς). [3]  In addition, it is traditional to offer a libation before and after meals to Æstia.  All this is in deference to the mythology that represents Æstia as the first-born and the last-born of the Kronithai (Cronidae; Gr. Κρονιδαι), the progeny of Kronos and Ræa.  Kronos was afraid that one of his children would usurp him, so he swallowed each in turn as they were born.  When Ræa bore Zefs (Zeus; Gr. Ζεύς), she hid the child away and deceived her husband by giving him a rock wrapped in swaddling cloth, which he immediately consumed, thinking it to be the newborn infant.  Now, when Zefs grew in strength, he and Ræa tricked Kronos into drinking an emetic and disgorging the Kronithai, emitting them in the reverse order in which he had swallowed them.  Since Æstia was the last to be disgorged, she is called the last-born.  It is for this same reason that Æstia is called both the youngest as well as the eldest of the Kronithai, the children of Kronos.  The rock which was used to trick Kronos is known as the Omphalos (Gr. Ὀμφαλός); it was placed by Zefs at Dælphi (Delphi; Gr. Δελφοί, ΔΕΛΦΟΙ).

Thomas Taylor comments on the majesty Æstia of in a note to her hymn:
" Vesta (ed. Æstia) is celebrated in this hymn (ed. the Orphic hymn to Æstia) as the earth, and is the same with the Mother of the Gods [4] (ed. Mitir Thæohn; Gr. Μήτηρ Θεῶν); as is evident from the Hymn to that divinity, in which she is expressly called Vesta.  Now this perfectly agrees with the fragment of Philolaus (ed. Philolaos; Gr. Φιλόλαος) the Pythagorean, preserved by Stobæus (ed. Stobaios; Gr. Στοβαῖος) in Eclog. Phys. p. 51. 'Philolaus (says he) places fire in the middle at the centre, which he calls Vesta of the universe, the house of Jupiter (ed. Zefs, i.e. Zeus), the Mother of the Gods, and the basis, coherence, and measure of nature.'  From whence it appears, that they are greatly mistaken who suppose the Pythagoreans meant the sun, by the fire at the centre: and this is still more evident, from the following words of Simplicius (ed. Simplikios; Gr. Σιμπλίκιος) de Cælo, lib. ii.... 'But those who more clearly perceive these affairs, call the fire in the middle a demiurgic (ed. creative) power, nourishing the whole earth from the midst, and exciting and enlivening whatever it contains of a frigid nature: on which account some call it the tower of Jupiter (ed. Zefs), as he (i.e. Aristotælis = Aristotle; Gr. Ἀριστοτέλης) relates in his Pythagorics.  But others, the keeper or guardian of Jove (ed. Zefs); as he relates in these (i.e. his book de Cælo).  But according to others, it is the throne of Jupiter.  But they called the earth a centre, as being itself an organ or instrument of time: for it is the cause of day and night.' " [5]

In iconography, Æstia is depicted as mature and veiled holding a flowered branch.  A kettle may be in her proximity.

"The ruling principle of the power of earth is called Hestia, of whom a statue representing her as a virgin is usually set up on the hearth; but inasmuch as the power is productive, they symbolize her by the form of a woman with prominent breasts." [6]

In the Roman religion, Æstia is called Vesta.  There was strong veneration to her in that city.  In 394 CE Theodosius I ordered the fire at her principle temple in Rome to be extinguished.  The Sacred Fire of Vesta was symbolic of the Divine Fire of Æstia, which is ever-burning, and no emperor, regardless of how absolute his mortal power, can interfere with the actual, genuine Fire of the Goddess Æstia.

It can be found in some literature that Æstia gave up her seat among the Olympians to Dionysos, but this is absolutely incorrect.  Dionysos is absolutely critical in the cosmogony, but he is not an Olympian.


Æstia rules the first Orphic House, the month of Libra (Zygos; Gr. Ζυγός) from September 21 to October 20, and her dominion is the Natural Law of Movement. The Divine Consort of the Goddess Æstia is Iphaistos (Hephaestus).  The Orphic Hymns indicate the offering of aromatic herbs for Æstia.



Hymn to Æstia
Daughter of Saturn, venerable dame,
Who dwell'st amidst great fire's eternal flame;
In sacred rites these ministers are thine,
Mystics much-blessed, holy and divine.
In thee, the Gods have fix'd their dwelling place,
Strong, stable basis of the mortal race.
Eternal, much-form'd ever-florid queen,
Laughing and blessed, and of lovely mien;
Accept these rites, accord each just desire,
And gentle health, and needful good inspire.



ÆSTIA, IRA (HERA), AND DIMITIR (Demeter) from Proklos [7]

"That Saturn (ed. Kronos) in conjunction with Rhea (ed. Rhæa) produced Vesta (ed. Æstia = Hestia) and Juno (ed. Ira = Hera) who are co-ordinate to the demiurgic causes.  For Vesta (ed. Æstia) imparts from herself to the Gods an uninclining permanency, and seat in themselves, and an indissoluble essence.  But Juno (ed. Ira) imparts progression, and a multiplication into things secondary.  She is also the vivifying fountain of wholes, and the mother of prolific powers; and on this account she is said to have proceeded together with Jupiter (ed. Zefs) the Demiurgus; and through this communion she generates maternally, such things as Jupiter generates paternally.  But Vesta abides in herself, possessing an undefiled virginity, and being the cause of sameness to all things.  Each of these divinities however together with her own proper perfection, possesses according to participation the power of the other.  Hence some say that Vesta is denominated from essence (απο της εστιας; ed. apo tis æstias) looking to her proper hyparxis (ed. approx. essential being).  But others looking to her vivific (ed. life-giving) and motive power which she derives from Juno say that she is thus denominated ως ωσεως ουσαν αιτιαν (ed. ohs ohsæohs ousan aitian) as being the cause of impulsion.  For all divine natures are in all, and particularly such as are co-ordinate with each other, participate of, and subsist in each other.  Each therefore of the demiurgic and vivific orders, participates the form by which it is characterised, from Vesta. The orbs of the planets likewise possess the sameness of their revolutions from her; and the poles and centres are always allotted from her their rest.

That Vesta (ed. Æstia) does not manifest essence, but the abiding and firm establishment of essence in itself; and hence this Goddess proceeds into light after the mighty Saturn (ed. Kronos).  For the divinities prior to Saturn have not a subsistence in themselves and in another, but this originates from Saturn.  And a subsistence in self is the peculiarity of Vesta, but in another of Juno (ed. Ira).

That the theology of Hesiod (ed. Isiothos) from the monad Rhea (ed. Rhæa) produces according to things which are more excellent in the co-ordination, Vesta, but according to those which are subordinate Juno (ed. Ira); and according to those which subsist between, Ceres (ed. Dimitir = Demeter = Demetra). But according to Orpheus (ed. Orphefs), Ceres is in a certain respect the same with the whole of vivification, and in a certain respect is not the same. For on high she is Rhea, but below in conjunction with Jupiter (ed. Zefs), she is Ceres: but here the things begotten are similar to the begetters, and are nearly the same.

That we ought to receive with caution what is now said concerning effluxions and motions. For Socrates (ed. Sohkratis) does not descend to the material flowing of Heraclitus (ed. Irakleitos; Gr. Ἡράκλειτος); for this is false, and unworthy (ed. of) the dianoetic conceptions of Plato (ed. Platohn). But since it is lawful to interpret things divine analogously, through appropriate images, Socrates very properly assimilates fontal and Saturnian (ed. Kronian) deities to streams; in so doing jesting and at the same time acting seriously, because good is always derived as it were in streams from on high, to things below. Hence, according to the image of rivers, after the fontal deities, who eternally devolve streams of good, the deities who subsist as principles are celebrated. For after the fountain of a river the place where it begins to flow is surveyed.

That those divinities who are peculiarly denominated total intellectual Gods, of whom the great Saturn (ed. Kronos) is the father, are properly called fontal. For "from him lead forth the implacable thunders," says the oracle concerning Saturn. But concerning the vivific fountain Rhea (ed. Rhæa) from which all life, divine, intellectual, psychical and mundane is generated, the Chaldean oracles thus speak,

Ρειη τοι νοερων πηγη τε ροη τε.
Παντων γαρ πρωτη δυναμεις κολποισιν αϕραστοις
Δεξαμενη, γενεην επι παν προχεει τροχαουσαν.

i.e. "Rhea (ed. Rhæa) [26] is the fountain and river of the blessed intellectual Gods. For first receiving the powers of all things in her ineffable bosoms, she pours running generation into every thing."

For this divinity gives subsistence to the infinite diffusion of all life, and to all never-failing powers.  She likewise moves all things according to the measures of divine motions, and converts them to herself; establishing all things in herself, as being co-ordinate to Saturn.  Rhea (ed. Rhæa) therefore is so called from causing a perpetual influx of good, and through being the cause of divine facility, since the life of the Gods is attended with ease (θεοι ρεια ζωντες).
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Are there any myths of Hestia except for theogony where she's mentioned briefly once or twice?
It frustrates me that she's so important yet I can't find anything on her. Did she even have any temples erected in her name?

Momos wrote:Are there any myths of Hestia except for theogony where she's mentioned briefly once or twice?
It frustrates me that she's so important yet I can't find anything on her. Did she even have any temples erected in her name?

Theoi.com is a wonderful resource for questions such as these [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Aktaion wrote:Theoi.com is a wonderful resource for questions such as these [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Believe it or not but I'm not a big fan of that site, it's too formal/literal for me, I like to keep things somewhat simplified but thanks anyway.

Believe it or not but I'm not a big fan of that site, it's too formal/literal for me, I like to keep things somewhat simplified but thanks anyway. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I'm not sure how much simpler you could ask for than Theoi.com – though they do seem to have some issues with completing their outlines and pages (some sections seem to have been 'under construction' for years now), I've not seen any other anthology as well organized and navigable as theirs.

That said, however, regardless of where you look, you will not find much of any mythology about Ἑστία/Vesta, other than stories of her 'first and last birth', and a few varied tales of unsuccessful attempts by various divinities to wed her, unless you count her identification with Rhea and Δημήτηρ/Ceres, and the respective mythologies of each. 


Her specific mythology is very, very small.