# Vesta — The City of God character guide

> Vesta in The City of God by Augustine of Hippo.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** Venus, Vesta Venus

**First appearance:** 0002-part-i-book-i

## Who they are

Roman goddess of the hearth, often paired with Venus in discussions of domestic virtue.

## In the story

### [Book III: External Calamities and the Failure of the Pagan Gods](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-i-book-iii)

Goddess of love, mother of Aeneas, involved in adultery with Anchises.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-i-iii)

Goddess who committed adultery with Anchises, mother of Aeneas.

### [Chapter V: The Inconsistency of the Gods' Anger at Adultery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-i-v)

Goddess of love, mother of Aeneas, involved in adultery with Anchises.

### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-i-xiii)

Implied as unable to assist the Romans in obtaining wives equitably.

### [Chapter XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-i-xviii)

Goddess whose temple was destroyed by fire, demonstrating the gods' inability to protect their own shrines.

### [Of the temple of Concord, which was erected by a decree of the senate on the scene of these seditions and massacres.](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-i-xxv)

Implied as the goddess who received the golden apple, leading to the rape of Helen and the destruction of Troy.

### [Chapter X: The Absurdity of Assigning Multiple Gods to Different Parts of the World](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-i-x)

Identified with fire and virginity, yet sometimes called Venus; her worship by virgins is contrasted with the birth of Christ from a virgin.

### [Chapter X: The Absurdity of Assigning Multiple Gods to Different Parts of the World](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-i-x)

Mentioned as being conflated with Vesta, and as having multiple forms (virgin, wife, harlot); her relationship with Vulcan and Mars is referenced.

### [Concerning certain stars which the pagans have called by the names of their gods](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-i-xv)

Associated with the brightest star, Lucifer; also identified with the moon.

### [That All Marvels Are Not of Nature's Production, but That Some Are Due to Human Ingenuity and Others to Diabolic Contrivance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/chapters/part-ii-vi)

Pagan goddess associated with the temple containing the inextinguishable lamp, used as an example of demonic manifestation.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/characters/vesta
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_city_of_god_se/characters