Vesta

a godde , daughter of Rhea and Saturn. When considered as the mother of the gods, she is the mother of Rhea and Saturn; and when considered as the patrone of the vestal virgins and the godde of fire, she is called the daughter of Saturn and Rhea. Under this name she was worshipped by the Romans. /neas first introduced her mysteries into Italy, and Numa built her a temple where no males were permitted to go. A fire,was continually kept lighted in her sanctuary by a certain number of virgins, who had dedicated thémselves to the service of the godde . the fire ever became extinct, the virgin by whose negligence it had happened was severe- Jy punished, and it was kindled again by the rays of the sun. The temple of Vesta was of a round form, and the godde was represented in along flowing robe, with a veil on ah head, holding in one hand a lamp, or a two-eared ve el, and in the other a javelin, or sometimes a palladium. As the Greeks and the Romans were not so much given to the worshipping of stars as the eastern nations, so they adored Vesta and Vulcan, as the terrestrial and elementary fire, distinguishing the fire ef the earth from that of heaven; taking Vesta for the earth, in the centre whereof (according to their opinion) an eternal fire was burning. This is reported by Ovid in his Fasti. And this poet tells us also afterwards, that the perpetual fire was the only image they had of Vesta, being impo ible to have a true image of fire; and that it was a custom formerly to keep a fire at the entry of houses, which therefore has ever since kept the name of vestibulum; and that they sat at Jong tables to take their meals in these entries, _ where the fire represented the gods.