THE STORY OF GREEK GODDESS HESTIA

GODDESS OF HEARTH
In the Greek myth, we can find Hestia, goddes of home and hearth. Hestia
is least told in Greek myth, but I really like her stories and personalities. So, why
wait so long? Lets get started with the story.
Hestia was the daughter of Titan Rhea and her not-so-good husband,
Kronos. When Hestia was born, Kronos swallowed her. Why? Because he had a
prophecy which was a bad prophecy. The prophecy was any babies of Rhea will
take over Kronos place for ruling the universe. So, when it came Hestia to born,
Kronos was acting immediately. He swallowed Hestia and the baby never got
out from Kronoss gut. The end of the story? Nope.
Luckily, Hestia was a goddess that made her immortal so she couldnt die.
Hestia grew in her daddys stomach but she didnt grew into her normal size. But
very-compressed size that was very uncomfortable. Hestia was lonely in the
stomach, but Kronos gave her a new friend. A baby came down from the throat,
landing on Hestia.
Hestia knew it was her siblings, named Hades, because she could hear her
mother Rhea said his name and could hear Rheas shout after Kronos swallowed
Hades. By the time, the baby came over and over. It was a five gods and
goddesses, living in Kronoss gut. Their names are in order based on their
coming: Hestia, Hades, Demeter, Poseidon, and Hera. Five? Wheres Zeus the
big guy?
Zeus wasnt swallowed by Kronos because Rhea had an idea to hide Zeus
in Island of Crete, and changed the baby with a rock. Without any other thoughts
in Kronoss brain (which he didnt have) Kronos swallowed the rock. Silly, isnt
it? Why the great ruler of cosmos couldnt see what rock and what a baby was.
Zeus grew into a strong god and he was told by Rhea to get his siblings out
of the stomach. So, Zeus traveled to Mount Othyrs, Kronoss palace, as a drink
server. Kronos didnt know that Zeus was his son, which made Zeus safer. Zeus
mixed the Kronoss drink with a potion Rheas made, a potion that would make
the babies came out. So, Zeus served the drink to Kronos, and what happened?
The babies came out from Kronoss gut with the form of adult gods and
goddesses.

They ran away from Mount Othyrs to Crete to met their mother, Rhea.
Kronos sent his best leutnant, warrior, and his most beloved general, Atlas to
took the gods and presented it to Kronos. Kronos then realized that the
prophecy couldnt be played. It would happen no matter what the way was.
At the Crete, Zeus also had a plan to revenge over Kronos. Rhea agreed
and in order to made Zeus and his siblings suceeded, Rhea suggested the gods
to visit the Cyclopes and Hecatonchieres, a race of giant with one eye and a
hundred hands (litterally they was Rheas siblings, a long story to be told) in the
depth of Tartarus, a botomless abbyss (their fathers work) to get them a
weapon.
You know what? Im tired to tell the revenge story fully. Lets skip the story
and focusing on Hestias story after the revenge over Kronos.
So, after the victory over Kronos and the other Titans, Zeus divided the
world into three parts. The Sky, Sea, and the Underworld. Other gods, Hades
and Poseidon, agreed. And the goddesses? Since they wasnt helpful during the
revenge, they didnt have a chance to rule the world.
As the result, Zeus got the sky, Poseidon got the sea, and Hades got the
worst, the underworld. To made them happy, Zeus came up with an idea of the
council of the gods. So other goddesses could be happy. Olympians council,
because the new throne was in the Mount Olympus, was so lonely. Only Zeus,
Rhea, Demeter, and Hestia was at the place.
A new age of gods begun. Other gods had married and had childrens. But,
Hestia, the warm-carrying woman, pretty much alike her mother, who also
always wore veil to cover her dark hair, didnt want to get married. She was
happy with her part as the goddess of hearth, who always kept the council
rooms hearth warm. She often left her throne in council and prefer with the
hearth.
Many gods, like Poseidon and Apollo, offered to take Hestia as his wife.
Wait, a family marriage? That was the worst thing ever! But, the gods werent
see the family bloodline as we did. So they could marry other gods or goddesses,
no matter if they were family.
What did Hestia react? She rejected them with a large scale of screaming.
She said that she wanted to be maiden forever. She just didnt want to get
married. Nobody would never know the reason. Nobody would understand, she
said. The gods reported to Zeus, and Zeus had an agreement with the gods. Zeus
and the gods from now would protect the maidenness of Hestia.
I just dont want to get married. I have nothing to do with other gods

problems. I want to be single forever. A single aunt to my nephew or niece. My

family makes me happy enough. Im happy with all I have. Im happy enough
without the husband on my side. Besides those gods arent faithful husbands.
Theyre nothing but jerk. Look at Zeus, he has Hera as a wife, but look at his
thousand girlfriends. Same way other gods do, Hestia thought.
Many stories claimed that Hestia was the member of the council. But the
truth was, Hestia never wanted to has a throne. She was too modest for such a
thing. Anyway, she would be the important goddess. She was the goddess of
hearth, and everyone in Greek had a hearth. If the mortals (human) made
sacrifice for the gods, Hestia would always have the first part because sacrifice
was made in the hearth.
Another story of Hestia was in Rheas party. A party to celebrate victory
of the gods over Kronos. Rhea invited her childrens, many of gods and
goddesses, the good Titans, and thousand of nymphs (the spirits of nature).
Hestia, which didnt like party, left the party behind and tried to have some
sleep. On the way to the bedroom, Hestia met a donkey. She said to the donkey
to watch over her while she was sleeping. The Donkey didnt know what that
was, but it remained quiet.
So Hestia fell asleep. But a dangerous thing came. It was god Priapus, god
of vegetables, son of Zeus and lovely Aphrodite. Priapus bored of the party ladies
and tried to search a woman he could cuddle and kissing with. Priapus sneaked
up into Hestias bed and tried to touch Hestia. But he failed because The Donkey
was screaming and shouting with a loud. Hestia awoken, and she also screamed,
and so was Priapus. The god ran away and disappeared in the nights darkness.
The gods in party heard the screaming. They came into the source of
scream and found Hestia. Zeus asked why she was screaming, and Hestia said
that Priapus tried to did something awful to me. Hestia thanked to the Donkey,
and made donkey one of her sacred animals. From now on, the gods would be
more careful to keep Hestias maidenness.
Whats the moral of the story? Well, theres a lot of things to be told.
Okay, I dont know if youre agree with me but I would say the moral is: First,
you can emulate Hestia as an example. Just because she was a goddess, she was
modest, warm, nice, and kind. You dont have to be pride for what you have, but
you can hide them and create your kind personality. Another moral is, it is okay
to be single forever, it is your choice, as long as you dont disturb other
relationships because thatd be awful. For the last, dont marry with your own

family! It is the most nasty thing in the world. Okay, Im a little bit tired. So, see
ya next time! Bye!