VESTA,
a Heathen Goddess; Lactantius relates the Words of Ennius or Euhemerus, who makes Vesta to be the Wife of Ʋranus, the Fa∣ther of Saturn, the first that reigned in the World, and after having spoken of the Contest between Titan the eldest Son of Ʋranus and Sa∣turn the younger about the Kingdom, he says, that their Mother Vesta advised Saturn not to ••••it the Sovereignty: This Genealogy is very like unto that of Sanchuniathon, saving that he calls the Earth the Wife of Ʋranus, which we know has been confounded with Vesta. Vesta passed from Phoenicia into Greece, where Diodo∣rus Siculus says, they made her to be the Daugh∣ter of Saturn and Rhea, and the first In∣ventress of Architecture. Nevertheless it's not to be doubted, but Vesta was every-where else rather taken for a Goddess of Nature, un∣der whose Name they worshipped the Earth and Fire, than an historical Goddess. Ovid says, that Vesta being the Daughter of Saturn and Rhea, as well as Juno and Ceres, these last Two were married, but Vesta continued a Virgin and barren, as the Fire is pure and barren: The same Poet adds, that the perpetual Fire was the only Representation they had of Vesta, the true Representation of Fire being not to be given; that formerly it was a Custom to keep a Fire at the Entry of their Houses which from thence retained the Name of Vestibulum.