vestal

“純潔的，純淨的，處女的”，起源於1590年代，最初（15世紀早期）指屬於或獻給羅馬神話中的家庭和爐火女神 Vesta 的，源自拉丁語 vestalis。名詞記錄於1570年代，縮寫爲 Vestal virgin，是羅馬維斯塔神廟中負責神聖火焰的四位（後來六位）女祭司（拉丁語 virgines Vestales）。從1580年代開始，指任何處女或貞潔的女性。

They entered the service of the goddess at from six to ten years of age, their term of service lasting thirty years. They were then permitted to retire and to marry, but few did so, for, as vestals, they were treated with great honor, and had important public privileges. Their persons were inviolable, any offense against them being punished with death, and they were treated in all their relations with the highest distinction and reverence. A vestal who broke her vow of chastity was immured alive in an underground vault amid public mourning. There were very few such instances; in one of them, under Domitian, the chief of the vestals was put to death under a false charge trumped up by the emperor. [Century Dictionary]

她們在6至10歲時進入女神的服務，服務期爲30年。然後她們被允許退休並結婚，但很少有人這樣做，因爲作爲維斯塔女祭司，她們受到極大的尊敬，並享有重要的公共特權。她們的人身是不可侵犯的，對她們的任何冒犯都將受到死刑的懲罰，在所有關係中，她們都受到最高的尊重和崇敬。違反貞潔誓言的維斯塔女祭司將被活埋在地下室中，公衆將爲此哀悼。這樣的情況非常少見； 在多米提安統治時期，其中一位維斯塔女祭司被以虛假指控處死。[世紀詞典]