Vesta, Aedes

In Vergilium Commentarius

Maurus (Marius) Servius Honoratus

Quos Romani penitus in cultu habent, quos nisi sacerdoti videre fas nulli sit, qui ideo penates appellantur, quod in penetralibus aedium coli soleant; nam et ipsum penetral penus dicitur, ut hodie quoque penus Vestae claudi vel aperiri dicitur.

Those (gods) which the Romans worship deeply, which it is right for no one except the priest to see, these are thus called the Penates [that is, protectors of the storehouse], because they are worshipped in the inmost parts of temples; for also the storehouse is called the inner sanctum, as today also the storehouse of Vesta is said to be closed or opened.

[Note: It is not possible to capture in English all the play in this passage on the word penus (storehouse) and its derivatives.]

Translation by Jane W. Crawford, © 2001.

Texts

Ab Urbe Condita, 5.40.7-10
T. Livius (Livy)

Ab Urbe Condita, 5.42.1-2
T. Livius (Livy)

Ab Urbe Condita Periochae, 19
T. Livius (Livy)

Ab excessu divid Marci, 1.14.4
Heriodianus

Annales, 15.41
Cornelius Tacitus (Tacitus)

Antiquitates Romanae, 2.66.4
Dionysius Halicarnassensis

Antiquitates Romanae, 6.13.2
Dionysius Halicarnassensis

Antiquitates Romanae, 2.66.1
Dionysius Halicarnassensis

Antiquitates Romanae, 2.66.3-6
Dionysius Halicarnassensis

Camillus, 21.1
Plutarchus (Plutarch)

Camillus, 22.6
Plutarchus (Plutarch)

De Verborum Significatu, 296L
Sextus Pompeius Festus (Festus)

De Verborum Significatu, 152L
Sextus Pompeius Festus (Festus)

De Verborum Significatu, 320L
Sextus Pompeius Festus (Festus)

Epigrammata, 1.70.3
M. Valerius Martialis (Martial)

Facta et Dicta Memorabilia, 1.4.5
Valerius Maximus

Fasti, 6.261-66
P. Ovidius Naso (Ovid)

Fasti, 6.297-98
P. Ovidius Naso (Ovid)

Fasti, 6.257-60
P. Ovidius Naso (Ovid)

Fasti, 6.295-98
P. Ovidius Naso (Ovid)

Historiae, 1.43
Cornelius Tacitus (Tacitus)

Historiae Romanae, 42.31.3
Cassius Dio

Historiae Romanae, 72.24
Cassius Dio

Historiae Romanae, 54.24.2
Cassius Dio

Historiae adversum Paganos, 4.11.9
Paulus Orosius

In Vergilium Commentarius, 7.153
Maurus (Marius) Servius Honoratus

Naturalis Historia, 7.141
C. Plinius Caecilius (Pliny the Elder)

Naturalis Historia, 34.13
C. Plinius Caecilius (Pliny the Elder)

Noctes Atticae, 14.7.7
A. Gellius (Aulus Gellius)

Numa, 11.1
Plutarchus (Plutarch)

Tristia, 3.1.29
P. Ovidius Naso (Ovid)

Vesta Aedes
Richardson, L. jr

Images

Detail of Base Decorations
Detail of Coffering Elements
Detail of External Entablature
Detail of Internal Entablature
Extant Monumental Remains (Heavily Reconstructed)