V is For...

Vestal Virgins

Let's talk about another of my pet peeves… 

     the misspeaking of the term “Vestal Virgin”. 

It’s understandable, really. The term comes from the days of Roman religion, which means there haven’t been any Vestal Virgins around since 394 AD. And in the meantime, Christianity has popularized the view of women as vessels. Plus, not a lot of people are good about enunciation.

So I get the confusion. I really do.

But, still…

it’s Vestal, not Vessel.

Please.

Vesta was the Roman goddess of the hearth. She had a temple on the Roman forum which was attended by six priestesses - the Vestal Virgins. (VV’s for short) They fetched sacred water, prepared food, cared for the temple, and officiated at the Vestalia. (Love that name!)

VV’s were chosen sometime between the ages of 6 to 10 and served for 30 years... Thirty years during which they had to remain virgins. If they were caught falling into fornication, it meant their death - by being buried alive, since the blood of a VV could not be shed. (The logic of the ancients sometimes escapes me...) 

After their obligations to Vesta were fulfilled, VVs were free to marry, but few did. Although their rules of service seem a bit restrictive to our modern sensibilities, a Vestal Virgin enjoyed a lot of privileges rare for women in those days - emancipation from their fathers’ authority and the right to control their own property being chief among those. So it’s not too surprising that they weren't in any hurry to lose that independence. 

So you see, a Vestal Virgin is a very real, distinct (if outmoded) thing. And it’s true that the phrase is so outdated that it really shouldn’t bother me when it’s misused - but it still does.

(Unless, of course, it’s mispronounced by Annie Lennox in a lovely song… then it's ok.
But in my mind, I still insert the "T"...)