| Hestia,
She of Many Names
(also known as the Roman goddess Vesta) . . .
Hestia, First and Last . . .
Greek Goddess of Architecture . .
and the Center of the World . . .
The goddess who invented the town hall thus creating the foundation for democracy . . .
Hestia, a "forgotten goddess" in contemporary times . . .
How could this be?
We fear that, sadly, it is so.
Hestia was once known as "Chief of the Goddesses" and was the most widely revered of all the Greek goddesses.
It is her characteristics, her traits, and not her actions, by
which we best know her.
Hestia is usually defined by description,
for she is known for these virtues:
calm, secure, stable, welcoming,
mild, gentle, forgiving, serene, and, above all else, centered.
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Hestia (and her counterpart, the Roman Goddess Vesta) were
viewed as the
"complete" goddess, the goddess who was whole, "one complete within
herself". Fittingly, the circle was her symbol.
The Greek Goddess Hestia was seen as not
only psychologically "centered", but also as representing the center, the center
of the home and family, the city, and even the world itself.
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