Hestia's Household Hints:
Omens Good and Bad

Being the goddess of the home and hearth has taught me many interesting things along my cobbled road of life. Oh, I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Hestia, Greek Goddess of the Hearth. My friends in Rome call me Vesta but that's a whole other story. This article is my second of, I hope, many articles that I will be sharing with you. My last article focused on creating a tranquil domestic atmosphere in the home and I have had many wonderful responses from all of you. This month, I will share a little about me since most of you have all asked the same question.

First of all, being the eldest of six siblings, I had much of the responsibility thrown at me. The long time period that I spent inside my dad, Cronus, taught me that patience is definitely a virtue. After all, I was in there longer than the others and it was my responsibility to keep things in order. When dad finally let us go (I won't go into the gory details) thanks to my kid brother, Zeus, all my siblings were old enough to fend for themselves.

Soon after my liberation, I had to fend off the amorous affections of both Poseidon and Apollo. I really didn't want to associate with Poseidon because, most of all, I prefer a more tranquil sea and also I prefer fresh water (that salt water can really dry out your hair and scalp - this will be touched on in next month's edition). Secondly, he is my brother, after all - ewwwww! Keeping Apollo away was not as easy. He was such a talented guy in many ways and also not at all unappealing to the eyes, but he had a long list of relationships that just didn't turn out very well and besides, he's also related to me.

I decided to remain single and to tell you the truth, I enjoy being a virgin maiden. Zeus granted me to stay home and home I shall stay. After all, I can do whatever I want whenever I want and I get to stay home all day long by the hearth. That gives me plenty of free time to write this monthly article and share my tips of good, and sometimes bad, fortune with my wonderful readers.

Now, on to my helpful hints. This is a hodge podge of tidbits that I've accumulated over the years and why not share them with you.

When offering sacrifice to a deity, be sure it is free of blemishes otherwise it may be offensive.

Don't forget to wash well prior to sacrifice (this not only will please the gods, but also hygienically smart) This tip was given to me from my good friend, Homer.

Be sure to consume all the sacrifice after it is cooked. Also, be sure to consume it completely before sundown and never, never sacrifice in a temple. Around back will work just fine. Bleach will get those difficult blood stains out, too.

The ass is very sacred to me (I'm talking about donkeys you silly boys). The braying they make keeps away certain intruders. It works well with Priapus who is constantly coming around to visit.

Always, when beginning a sacrificial prayer, be sure to raise your palms upward if praying to an Olympian god. Turning them downward can cause all sorts of problems and could totally ruin a good sacrifice (not unlike rain on a barbeque). Save the downward palm prayers for the Gods of the underworld.

Be wary of chewing laurel leaves of any kind. This could cause some mild dizziness and dementia and you never know what will come out of your mouth.

To ward off those pesky summer insects and weeds, have a young maiden walk around your farm in a circle with a rooster in her hand. This should do the trick. It may require more than one application for those problem areas.

Beware the killing of wild animals. You never know what god may be hiding under that fur (it could be the twins, Artemis and Apollo, who have a habit of transforming into bears or wolves or whatever may suit the moment). My brother, Zeus, likes to turn himself into certain animals at times, too, but the eagle is his favorite.

Also beware the raven. They always seem to bring with them death and pestilence.

Be sure to carry your newborn children to the hearth. What a great way for the infant to warm its little toes.

Well, keep those letters coming and be sure to keep those fires burning (next month I will include a special section on how to help you keep them going longer). Don't forget - "Home is where the Hearth is."

Sources:

Powell, Barry B., Classical Myth, 1998

Internet Sources:

http://hsa.brown.edu/~maicar/Hestia.html

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/9266/index.html

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/5545/goddesses-hestia.html

http://www.sentex.net/~tcc/fgreek.html

http://lycoskids.infoplease.com/ipka/A0768567.html

http://www.britannica.com/seo/o/omen

http://www.greekciv.pdx.edu/religion/rituals/sacrific.htm

http://www.pantheon.org/mythica/articles/v/vesta.html

http://www.neaccess.net/~jbgenest/secretum/myths/festival.html