vestal

“纯洁的，纯净的，处女的”，起源于1590年代，最初（15世纪早期）指属于或献给罗马神话中的家庭和炉火女神 Vesta 的，源自拉丁语 vestalis。名词记录于1570年代，缩写为 Vestal virgin，是罗马维斯塔神庙中负责神圣火焰的四位（后来六位）女祭司（拉丁语 virgines Vestales）。从1580年代开始，指任何处女或贞洁的女性。

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]

她们在6至10岁时进入女神的服务，服务期为30年。然后她们被允许退休并结婚，但很少有人这样做，因为作为维斯塔女祭司，她们受到极大的尊敬，并享有重要的公共特权。她们的人身是不可侵犯的，对她们的任何冒犯都将受到死刑的惩罚，在所有关系中，她们都受到最高的尊重和崇敬。违反贞洁誓言的维斯塔女祭司将被活埋在地下室中，公众将为此哀悼。这样的情况非常少见； 在多米提安统治时期，其中一位维斯塔女祭司被以虚假指控处死。[世纪词典]