Vesta

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈwɛs.ta]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈvɛs.ta]^[1]

Forms

Vesta f (genitive Vestae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

Its origin is uncertain.^[2][1] Its closest match is Ancient Greek ἑστία (hestía, “hearth”), Ionic ἱστίη (histíē), whose initial *w- is shown by the name ϝιστιαυ (wistiau) at Mantinea and Hesychius' γιστία (gistía).^[2][3] De Vaan points out that these cannot come from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wes- (“to spend the night, dwell”), since *h₂- would have given Greek /a/, and suggests a loanword.^[2] Köbler and Pokorny still give that root.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Ennius, and the archaic Pocula Deorum have the dative Vestai.^[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

Vesta was the Roman goddess of the domestic hearth.^[5] Her name also meant her temple or shrine, as Ovid's time when Vesta burned and Seneca's Metellus who put out the fire of Vesta, and her sacred fire on any hearth, as Virgil's burning Vesta drenched with wine.^[5] Some identified her with Ops, Cybele or the Earth.^[3]

In Medieval Latin her name was still used of the hearth and of fire, and John of Salisbury speaks of the hearth of Vesta consecrated to virgins.^[6]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius names Vesta.^[2][4]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of the sacred fire.^[5][4]
• 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid tells how the temple of Vesta burned.^[5][4]

Meanings

Proper noun

1. Vesta, goddess of the hearth.^[5]
2. Her temple or shrine.^[5]
3. The sacred fire; the hearth, fire.^[5][6]

Related words

• Vestālis
• English vestal

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
6. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press