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Vesta ((:ˈwɛsta)) is the virgin goddess of the hearth, home, and family in Roman religion. Vesta's presence is symbolized by the sacred fire that burned at her hearth and temples. Her closest Greek equivalent is Hestia.〔''Larousse Desk Reference Encyclopedia'', The Book People, Haydock, 1995, p. 215.〕 The importance of Vesta to Roman religion is indicated by the prominence of the priesthood devoted to her, the Vestal Virgins, Rome's only college of full-time priests. ==Etymology== Georges Dumézil (1898–1986), a French comparative philologist, surmised that〔G. Dumézil ''La religion Romaine archaique'' Paris 1974, part 2, chap. 2〕〔E. Benveniste ''Le vocabulaire des institutions indo-europeens'' Paris, 1969 (glottologist Émile Benveniste speaks on Georges Dumézil's theory)〕 the name of the goddess derives from Indoeuropean root '' *h₁eu-'', via the derivative form '' *h₁eu-s-'' which alternates with '' *h₁w-es-''. The former is found in Greek εὕειν ''heuein'', Latin ''urit'', ''ustio'' and Vedic ''osathi'' all conveying 'burning' and the second is found in ''Vesta''. (Greek goddess-name Ἑστία ''Hestia'' is probably unrelated〔Robert Beekes: Etymological Dictionary of Greek, Leiden-Boston, 2010, p. 471-2〕). See also Gallic Celtic ''visc'' "fire." 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Vesta (mythology)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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