Dictionary Of God And Godedesses

340 VerethragnaVerethragnaGod of victories. Persian [Iran]. He is embodiedby the wild boar which possesses iron-shod feet tocrush opponents and is perceived to be present inthe wind.VervactorMinor god of ploughing. Roman. Associated withsacrifices to TELLUS and CERES.VertumnusMinor god of gardens and orchards. Roman. OfEtruscan origin, he is the consort of the goddessPOMONA. Usually represented with gardenimplements and offered fruit and flowers. He wascelebrated annually in the Vertumnalia festival onAugust 13.VESTAORIGIN Roman. Goddess of fire and the hearth.KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP circa 400 BC toAD 400.SYNONYMS HESTIA (Greek).CENTER(S) OF CULT many sanctuaries throughoutItaly, but centered on the circular templein Rome where allegedly the Palladium ofTroy with the sacred flame of the gods waspreserved.ART REFERENCES sculptures and reliefs.LITERARY SOURCES Aeneid (Virgil), etc.Vesta was worshiped with considerable celebrationin the various public Vestalia festivals, but shewas also popular as a household guardian. Sheenjoyed a small sanctuary at the foot of the PalatineHill. She is generally depicted as a woman ofgreat beauty holding a lighted torch and a votivebowl.Her mortal attendants are the Vestal Virgins,selected for office as guardians of the sacred flamefrom the age of six for a minimum of thirty years,during which they were expected to maintainstrict vows of chastity on penalty of burial alive.The Vestals dressed in white gowns edged withpurple and were highly respected members ofRoman society, enjoying many privileges. DuringVestalia festivals, donkeys were decked withwreaths. The worship of Vesta was abolished bythe Emperor Theodosius in AD 380.VetaliGoddess of terrifying appearance. Buddhist-Lamaist [Tibet]. One of a group of gauri. Color:red. Attribute: a chain.VictoriaGoddess of victory. Roman. Known particularlyfrom the second century BC and closely linkedwith JUPITER. Became adopted by the Christianchurch in an angelic capacity.VidarGod of war. Nordic (Icelandic). A little knownAESIR god, described as the silent one. One of thesons of OTHIN. An alternative tradition placeshim as the offspring of a brief liaison betweenTHOR and the giantess Gird. A god of greatstrength and support in times of danger. Theprospective avenger of Othin’s death by the wolfFenrir at Ragnarok, he is said to wear a shoemade of material collected throughout timewhich he will place between Fenrir’s jaws beforehe tears them apart and runs the beast throughwith his sword. One of the survivors of the finalgreat fire and flood, destined to live in Asgard’ssuccessor, Idavoll.