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The Gods of Ancient Greece:
Hestia Hestia is the goddess of the hearth. In ancient times, all homes had a central hearth which was continually lit. It was a bad omen if your hearth fire went out. Only on occasion of a death in the family was it purposefully extinguished. Temples as well as homes had perpetually burning hearth fires. The hearth fire at Delphi was even seen as the “communal hearth” for all the ancient Greeks. (Burkert, p. 170)
Food was cooked on the hearth, and the meals served in front of it. Offerings of food and libations of wine were also made into the hearth. (The ancient Greeks practiced sacrifice offerings, in which the food was burned in a sacred fire at the temple.) It also was customary for one to swear an oath upon the hearth, as it was that sacred.
Purity and virginity are two characteristics that are ascribed to Hestia. As the goddess of the hearth, she does not leave her “home” of Mt. Olympos. Some have argued that she is not concerned with the affairs of humans due to that, but others say just the opposite; that she remains in the houses of humans as their hearth fire, and presides over the family bond.
There are not many myths about this goddess, nor are there any remains of shrines to her that archeologists have found. Her cult seems to have been centered in the home, with informal worship by the family the main practices.
There are only two epithets of Hestia that we know of: Boulaia, which mean “of the council” and Prytaneia, meaning “of the Prytanis.” (Campbell, p.59)
“Hestia, you who tend the holy house of the lord Apollo, the Far-shooter at goodly Pytho, with soft oil dripping ever from your locks, come now into this house, come, having one mind with Zeus the all-wise -- draw near, and withal bestow grace upon my song.”
from: “The Online Medieval & Classical Library” http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/OMACL/Hesiod/hymns.html
“Daughter of Gaia,
Venerable Guardian of the Unwearying Flame,
The ministers of the sacred rites are Thine, mystics much blessed and holy.
The Gods have fixed their dwelling place in Thee,
Strong, Stable basis of the mortal race,
Many-Formed, eternal, laughing, blessed,
Lovely Queen, ever Scarlet One,
Accept these rites, accord to each of us just desires, gentle health, and
needful goodness.”
From: “Orphic Hymns” http://www.sibyllinewicca.org/sacred_writing/sw_oh_hestia.htm
Unfortunately Hestia is not the subject of many myths, or at least not any that have survived to the present day. Here is one that we do have:
Hestia was a beautiful maiden goddess. Two gods, Apollo and Poseidon, wished to marry her. They courted and pursued her, but she would have nothing to do with them. Finally, she swore upon the head of Zeus that she would never take a husband, and would remain forever a virgin. Thus, she became the goddess of the hearth, as it was customary in ancient times to give the chore of tending to the hearth to the young girls of the family.
Last updated: 09/02/2005