GRECIAN MYTHOLOGY. 99 
the origin of the coin. /%g.11ab exhibits the bust of Athene and her 
sacred bird, the owl. 
6. Hestra (Vesta). This goddess, the eldest daughter of Cronos and 
Rhea, taught men the use of fire and the benefits of social union; she also 
represented domestic happiness, and presided over the social hearth. In 
comparison with the other Olympic deities, her history is exceedingly obscure 
and limited, fewer monuments being found of her than of any other goddess. 
She is often regarded as Cybele the younger, the same as Ignis (fire). 
The artists represented her with a noble form like that of Hera and Deme- 
ter, differing mainly in having a less robust appearance. Her principal 
characteristics were a striking simplicity of manner, and a tranquil, placid 
earnestness of mien, attitude, and dress. A statue expressive of these traits 
is copied in pl. 15, fig. 8, though some authors improperly interpret it asa 
Vestal virgin, one of her priestesses. Every part of the figure confirms our 
view of it. The general fashion of the dress, the veil, the sceptre-shaped 
staff, the intelligence and ideality of the head, the womanly rather than 
the maiden-like form, all express the goddess rather than the priestess. 
But few temples were erected in honor of Hestia, for every dwelling was 
her temple. In the middle of the house stood her altar, and the ante- 
chamber of every family residence was regarded as sacred to her. 
7. Hepxzstos (Vulcan), son of Hera, who had given him birth out of spite 
to Zeus, when he had caused Athene to spring full grown from his head, 
was the god of fire, and the inventor and patron of all such arts and manu- 
factures as require heat in conducting them. He also symbolized the sub- 
terranean fires which sometimes revealed themselves in eruptions. He is 
represented in various forms. By ancient artists he is described as youth- 
fal and beardless. Later, however, he appears in a manly form, holding a 
middle position between the older and more youthful gods. The principal 
marks characterizing his statues are the Phrygian cap (pl. 24, jig. 20), or a 
conical hat, and as attributes the hammer, tongs, and anvil. As a compen- 
sation for his want of beauty and grace (for he was lame, and the only mis- 
shapen deity in Olympos), he possessed in its highest degree the inventive 
genius, particularly in its application to the working of metals. By the 
exertion of this faculty, he secured the respect and favor of all the gods. 
He built their palaces, forged thunderbolts for Zeus and arrows for Eyos, 
and prepared the silver armor of Aves, the shield of Achilles, and other 
similar works. Volcanoes served him as workshops, and here he plied his 
profession with his fellow workmen the Cyclopes (pl. 25, jig. 20). 
The mythological fictions give different reasons for his lameness. One 
relates that his mother, so soon as she saw that his beauty did not equal her 
own, petulantly cast him from Olympos, and crippled him by the fall. He 
subsequently avenged this unnatural cruelty. At the command of Zeus he 
constructed for his mother a golden throne-chair, and the moment she occu- 
pied it she felt invisible chains confining her firmly to the seat, until at 
length Ares procured her liberation. Another legend states that Zeus him- 
self hurled him from Olympos, first when Hera was endeavoring to hide 
the new born god from his sight; and again when Hepheestos dared to 
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