Hestia

Hestia was a very important Greek Goddess. She was the virgin goddess of the hearth and
home. She was the goddess of the sacrificial flame and received a share of every sacrifice to the
gods. Hestia had 5 siblings, Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Hera, and Demeter. Hestia was the first born
child of Kronos and Rhea. She was swallowed at birth by her father because he was afraid that
one of his children would overthrow him. When Zeus was born Rhea hid him and gave Kronos a
rock instead. Later when Zeus was grown he tricked Kronos into throwing up his siblings by
feeding him a mixture of mustard and wine. All children survived because they were immortal.
Hestia was named the oldest and youngest because she was the first to be born and last to be
disgorged. When Apollo and Poseidon asked for her hand in marriage, she refused and asked
Zeus to let her remain a virgin forever. Hestia was a kind and forgiving goddess. She is on of the
three virgin goddesses alongside Athena and Artemis. She never left Olympus and never
participated in any wars. Since she never participated all Olympian gods respected and loved her.

Hestia had a quiet character ad was focused on her inner, spiritual world. She was known
to be mild mannered, upstanding, charitable, and a protector. She was the least known of the
Olympian goddesses mostly because she never took part in any wars. She minds her own

business though coming from a family of gods and goddesses who take part in high drama. The
Greeks that believed in her really respected her. Their houses always had an altar to her. They
cared about building suitable temples for the gods and putting up statues. According to
library.thinkquest.org The Greeks believed that the gods would offer protection and guide their
city states. The Greeks worshipped many gods which they admired and feared. The Greeks
heavily depended on their gods to support their society. The Greeks would complete a series of
rituals, ceremonies, sacrifices and offerings to show their appreciation for the gods. They also
did this to unite the people and merge them into the city. The Greeks would go to the right god
when they were going to try something to bring good luck by pleasing the god or goddess. The
Greeks believed there was an afterlife which was very important to them. They believed that they
had to be buried with the gods and their wealth in order to pass on to the next life.

Hestia was the goddess of the home and the hearth. She represents interiority, community, and
family values. She received the first offering at every sacrifice made by the family members.
Hestia was the customary recipient of a preliminary, usually cheap sacrifice. Her own sacrificial
animal was a domestic pig. The hearth was looked upon as the sacred centre of domestic life.

Hestia was the goddess of domestic life and the giver of all domestic happiness and blessings.
She was believed to dwell in the inner part of every house and to have invented the art of
building houses. She was what kept the family together. People sacrificed to her so she could
keep them safe. She provided heat, food, and a safe place to live. Sacrifices were usually made to
Hestia at each meal. At large feast wine was poured in her name to start and finish the meal. The
hearth served as a single tool for cooking, heating, and light. It serves the same purpose as a
fireplace and an electric and gas furnace.

Hestia had fewer temples than any other god in Olympus but she was worshipped the
most. Since she was the goddess of the hearth, she had a part in all worship of the Greek home.
According to the Greeks Hestia was the first to teach men how to build houses. Back then, the
Greeks didnt care much of what kind of house they lived in. The Greeks cared more about
building suitable temples for the gods and putting up statues in the city. Their houses were small
and plain and instead of having their yards in front or at the sides of the house, they had it in the
middle with the house built around it. They called this yard the court-yard. There were porches
around the sides of the court-yard. Opening off on all sides of the porches, were the rooms of the
house. In the largest room there was an altar to the goddess Hestia. This altar was a block of
stone, which always had a fire that kept burning. Since they had no chimneys, they would leave a
square hole in the roof over the altar to let the smoke out. Also since they had no stoves, all the
food was usually cooked over the fire. They offered sacrifices to Hestia when there was a change
in the family, such as a baby being born, a wedding, or if someone died. They also made a
sacrifice when someone went on a journey, returned from one, or if a new slave was brought into
the family. They believed Hestia had to be worshipped or else some evil will come upon their
home. The Greeks thought every city and house must have an altar to Hestia. There was an altar
to Hestia in the town hall where the men who ruled the city would meet. If the fire ever went out
they were not allowed to start it again from another fire or to start it by striking a bit of flint and a
piece of steel together. They had to start it by rubbing two dry sticks together or by burning glass
otherwise Hestia would be displeased. If someone decided to leave their home and move
somewhere else they would always take some of the sacred fire from the altar of Hestia. They
would light the altar fire in their new home. This helped the Greeks feel that they were all
members of one great family and to not forget the city they came from.

In conclusion Hestia was an important goddess and had an important job. She was the
goddess of the home and the hearth. She really meant a lot to the Greeks. They believed
worshipping her was very important. She always received a sacrifice from them every time there
was a change in family. The Greeks cared about her so much they took her altar with them
whenever they moved. The Greeks had a great relationship with Hestia. Hestia was highly
respected. Though she was the least known and hardly mentioned in any of the myths she was
important. She was a symbol of both the home and the community. She was one of the three
virgin goddesses but she stands out. She was mild mannered, honest, generous, and a protector.
She also was kind, forgiving, and she had a discrete character.

Bibliography

www.theoi.com

www.goddess.power.com

www.allaboutturkey.com

www.mainlesson.com

www.greek-gods.info

www.pantheon.org