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The Vestal Aemilia's prayer

Vesta
O Vesta, guardian of the Romans' city, if, during the space of nearly thirty years, I have performed the sacred offices to thee in a holy and proper manner, keeping a pure mind and a chaste body, do thou manifest thyself in my defence and assist me and do not suffer thy priestess to die the most miserable of all deaths; but if I have been guilty of any impious deed, let my punishment expiate the guilt of the city.
Commentarius · Commentary

Dionysius of Halicarnassus tells how the sacred fire went out during the watch of the Vestal Aemilia. By Roman reckoning this was itself the evidence: the fire goes out when the priestess is impure. She was accused — and these are her words at the altar.

The prayer is built as a self-curse turned into proof. "If I have performed the rites for you in a holy and righteous manner … appear to me and help me; but if I have done anything impious, let my punishment purge the pollution of the city." With its second half she offers herself up.

That is the point. Roman religion had no way of proving innocence by argument: the accused handed herself to the god and waited for the outcome to speak. According to Dionysius, Aemilia threw a strip of her linen garment onto the cold altar, and the flame blazed up.

One caveat: Dionysius writes in Greek about a Roman rite and calls Vesta by her Greek name, Hestia. He does not date the episode himself.

Fons · Source
AuthorDionysius of Halicarnassus
WorkRoman Antiquities
SectionII.68.3-5
Period1st c. BC (describing an earlier Republican event of uncertain date)
Occasiondefence of the Vestal Aemilia after the extinction of the sacred flame — plea for divine vindication, followed by the miraculous rekindling of the fire through a linen garment cast upon the altar
Classificatio · Taxonomy
CultureRoman
Formpersonal
DeitiesVesta
FunctionsPetition · Oath
SphereCivic