Sunday, May 11, 2008

Hestia: the Goddess of Peace and Tranquility

This may come as an interesting fun-fact, but our own Tera Lynn Childs worked for a time as a teacher. And while it’s been a while since she taught (and even longer since I was in school), I happily accepted her assignment this week to write about my favorite goddess.

Hestia was greatly respected by the Greeks. They saw her as the deity who best exemplified tranquility, peace, gentleness, and kindness, and strong family life. Her symbol is a hearth and the tamed fire that burns there. Greek colonists would kindle fire from her hearth in the prytaneion and keep it lit until they reached the hearths of new towns and cities. There is one of these at Olympia and at Delphi.

However, she only rarely appears in any works of art and temples, and it's not even certain if any examples of Greek statues of Hestia still exist. But here is the Giustiniani Vesta portrait that is believed to be of her.


I am drawn to Hestia because of the very characteristics for which the Greeks admired her. Especially tranquility, which continues to allude my always-on-overdrive writer’s brain. I could definitely stand to do more smell-the-roses stuff!

Of Hestia’s qualities (tranquility, peace, gentleness, and kindness), is there one you could go for in a bigger dose?

And speaking of this Greek earth mom type, Happy Mother’s Day to all. And if you’re still looking for a gift for mom (or yourself), I wholeheartedly recommend Tera Lynn Child’s first release, Oh.My.Gods!


Tina

Tina Ferraro
How to Hook a Hottie - Book Sense Top Teen Pick
Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress - Finalist, National Reader’s Choice Award
www.tinaferraro.com

4 comments:

Me said...

Great choice, T! You'll be happy to know that Hestia gets some play in Oh. My. Gods.

And yes, I think we writers need as much Zen tranquility as we can get. =)

TinaFerraro said...

Hestia gets play time? Cool! Even more reason to get cracking on your book!

Anonymous said...

Hi Tina,
I wish everyone a very Happy Mother's Day full of everything that Hestia represents. A tranquil, peaceful day full of gentleness, kindness and maybe even breakfast in bed. As for the Gods and Goddesses...I think every mother is a Goddess in her own way.

Janie

Anonymous said...

I love that book! I just finished reading Oh. My. Gods. and thaought it was amazing! Do you have any more books Tera?