#even though rick thinks the gods are just bad parents lmao

How did you first become aware of this deity?

My first exposure to Hestia would’ve been in my childhood Greek mythology books. Unfortunately, Hestia doesn’t appear often in myths, so the books often only mentioned her in passing or skipped her completely, and many books replaced her with Dionysos as the twelfth Olympian.

All of this is to say that the first time I properly took notice of Hestia is in fifth grade when I read the Last Olympian by Rick Riordan. This isn’t to say Riordan’s portrayal of the gods is entirely accurate (he is very obviously opposed to the idea of worshipping them because he takes the myths very literally). However, Riordan’s portrayal of Hestia stuck with me for a very long time. Even though she only appears in one or two scenes, or perhaps because of this, I think her portrayal is one of the most beautiful and respectful–even though it hinges on the fake abdication myth.

I’m not going to explain the portrayal here, but if you’re the type of Hellenic Polytheist who can enjoy more problematic portrayals of the gods, I highly recommend reading it if only for Lady Hestia. To be completely honest, this portrayal is what drew me to Her in the first place, and I often imagine her in a very similar way to her description in the book.