Mythful Meanings

In the English language, many meanings come from myths. This blog considers many of those words.

Myths are stories people tell to explain the great mysteries of life, such as birth and death, why the sun rises and sets, and why the moon changes in a predictable pattern.

I decided to start over from the end of the alphabet and work toward the beginning. I have a stack of index cards with information typed on them, all in alphabetical order. When I started this blog, I started at A, because I didn't realize that all the entries would be pushed down.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Vesta

Vesta was the ancient Romans' goddess of the hearth, fire, and cookery. The Romans had a temple dedicated to this goddess. It was tended by vestal virgins, who rekindled the sacred fire on March 1 every year, using the method of friction of wood.

English word: Our word vestal comes directly from the Latin. It means "characteristic of or befitting a vestal virgin, hence "chaste" or "pure."
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