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.
在神话中,灶神维斯太Vesta是宙斯的姐姐，奥林匹斯山上最年长、最 神圣的女神。她执掌灶火，是家庭的象征，又是磨坊工和面包师傅的保护神。她是位贞洁处女女神，为了守护圣火而拒绝了追求者，将其一生奉献给神殿。古罗马有 她的公祭。神庙中的圣火永不熄灭。她的六名祭司叫Vestal，必须从童年开始连续服务三十年，其间失贞要受到活埋的处罚。
vestal：['vest(ə)l] adj.纯洁的，处女的，女灶神的n.处女，贞女，修女