Hestia)Hestia)

By Jannie AdamsBy Jannie Adams

NamesNames

• Hestia means “hearth, fireside” in Greek.

--Greek name• Her name in Roman

mythology is Vesta

Sphere of InfluenceSphere of Influence

• Goddess of the hearth, the Altar, and the Home.

• In contrast to her importance to everyday Greek life, Hestia had few dedicated temples, but she was instead seen as the center of each home and community (prytaneium). She did have a temple at Hermione, but it contained only an altar to her and no images.

• She was the giver of domestic peace and happiness.

Attributes in artAttributes in art

• Athenian vase --Hestia as a woman

• She is sometimes holding a flowered branch, with a modest veil

• She is also seen veiled in classical sculpture

• attribute was a kettle

MythsMyths• As the firstborn of

Kronos and Rhea, she was the first of five children eaten by Kronos.

• When Zeus, her youngest brother, overthrew his father and forced him to release his siblings, she was the last released.

Myths (con’t)Myths (con’t)• When Hestia was pursued by

both Apollo and Poseidon, she begged Zeus to allow her to remain a virgin forever

• He agreed, and she went to her place at the hearth of Mount Olympus

Myths (con’t)Myths (con’t)

• In the Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite, Hestia, Athena, and Artemis are the only goddesses not affected by the passion that Aphrodite and her beauty aroused

GenealogyGenealogy

• Parents: Kronos and Rhea• Siblings: Demeter, Hera, Haides,

Poseidon, and Zeus• Hestia was one of the virgin

goddesses and had no children

Greek/ Roman Greek/ Roman differencesdifferences

• In Roman mythology, she is sometimes depicted with a donkey, her sacred animal, because its braying kept away Priapus

• She holds a scepter instead of a flowered branch and her head is usually covered

• She is not only the goddess of the hearth and home, but also of the family

New JobNew Job

• A modern day job that would suit Hestia is:– A nanny/house keeperBecause:• She would always keep the house warm• Nannies don’t typically marry or have

children• She gives love and peace to the family• She always keeps her kettle– with tea, of

course-- nearby

Homeric Hymn to Homeric Hymn to HestiaHestia

“Hestia, you who tend the sacred dwellingof the far-shooting lord, Apollo, at holy Pytho,from your tresses flowing oil ever drips down.

Come to this house! Come in gentle spiritwith resourceful Zeus and grant grace to my

song!"

BibliographyBibliography

• http://www.behindthename.com/name/hestia

• http://www.theoi.com/Ouranios/Hestia.html

• http://www.pantheon.org/articles/v/vesta.html

Images fromImages from

• http://mythagora.com/bios/images/kronos1.jpg

• http://media.photobucket.com/image/mary%20poppins/uh_huh_/poppins4.jpg

• http://z.about.com/d/ancienthistory/1/0/p/d/2/Mercurybyhendrickgoltzius.jpeg

• http://bitsnbytesoflife.wordpress.com/2008/12/18/when-dreams-do-the-talking/

• www.theoi.com