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Vesta , ae, f. Sanscr. root vas, to burn; vasaras, day; whence also Gr. Εστία.
I. Another name for Ops, Cybele, Terra, the wife of Cœlus and mother of Saturn, Cic. N. D. 2, 27, 67; Ov. F. 6, 267.—
II. Her granddaughter, daughter of Saturn, the goddess of flocks and herds, and of the household in general, Cic. N. D. 2, 27, 67; id. Leg. 2, 12, 29; id. Div. 1, 45, 101; id. Fam. 14, 2, 2; id. de Or. 3, 3, 10; “in her temple the holy fire burned perpetually, attended by the Vestal virgins,” id. Leg. 2, 8, 20; id. Cat. 4, 9, 18; Liv. 28, 11; 4, 52: Vestae sacerdos, i. e. the Pontifex maximus, of Cœsar, Ov. F. 5, 573; id. M. 15, 778.—
B. Poet., transf.
1. The temple of Vesta: quo tempore Vesta Arsit Ov. F. 6, 437; cf. id. ib. 6, 234; 6, 713.—
2. Fire: “ter liquido ardentem perfudit nectare Vestam,” Verg. G. 4, 384; Sil. 6, 76.— Hence, Vestālis , e, adj., of or belonging to Vesta, Vestal: “festi,” Ov. F. 6, 395: “ara,” Luc. 1, 549: “foci,” id. 1, 199: “virgines,” priestesses of Vesta, Vestal virgins, Vestals, Cic. Leg. 2, 8, 20; id. Rep. 2, 14, 26; 3, 10, 17; Liv. 4, 44 fin.—Sing., Gell. 1, 12, 9: “sacerdos,” id. 1, 12, 14 al.—
B. Substt.
1. Ve-stālis , is, f. (virgo), a priestess of Vesta, a Vestal, Liv. 1, 3 sq.; Plin. 28, 4, 7, § 39; Ov. F. 2, 383 al.—Hence, as adj.: “Vestales oculi,” of the Vestals, Ov. Tr. 2, 311.—
2. Ve-stālĭa , ĭum, n., the festival of Vesta, Varr. L. L. 6, 3, 17.
A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1879.

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hide References (22 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (22):
    • Cicero, Letters to his Friends, 14.2.2
    • Cicero, Against Catiline, 4.9.18
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 1, 3
    • Vergil, Georgics, 4.384
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 15.778
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 3.3
    • Lucan, Civil War, 1.199
    • Lucan, Civil War, 1.549
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 28.39
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 4, 52
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 28, 11
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 4, 44
    • Cicero, De Legibus, 2.12
    • Cicero, De Legibus, 2.8
    • Cicero, De Republica, 2.14
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 2.27
    • Cicero, De Divinatione, 1.45
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 1.12.14
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 1.12.9
    • Ovid, Fasti, 2
    • Ovid, Fasti, 5
    • Ovid, Fasti, 6
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