ABSTRACT
For the ancient Greeks, the metropolis was a balance of “staying” and “going,” personified by the complementary relationship between the gods Hermes, the restless and clever son of Zeus and the Titan Maia, and Hestia, whose seat on Mount Olympus was in the center, at the hearth. Like the action of a compass, Hermes’ role as traveler and delimiter of space (at doors, crossroads, and the entrances to cities) cannot be understood without a center point: Hestia and her hearth. A “perfect city,” in this paradigm, balances “staying” and “going,” creating an urban habitat in which individuals can explore and exchange ideas amid society, then return home for restoration at the hearth.
