Marcia Selsor on mon 14 jul 97
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The following poem was part of a report by Janet Gansen from a summer
class in the '70's. . Her source was:
Noble, Joseph V., The Technique of Painted Attic Pottery, (translated by
Marjorie J. Milne) New York: Watson-Guptill Publications, 1965
THE KILN
If you will pay me for my song, O potters.
Then come, Athena, and hold thy hand above the kiln=21
May the Kotyloi and all the Kanastra turn a good black,
May they be well fired and fetch the price asked,
Many being sold in the marketplace and many on the roads,
And bring in much money, and may my song be pleasing.
But if you (potters) turn shameless and deceitful,
Then do I summon the ravagers of kilns,
Both Syntrips (Smasher) and Smaragos (Crasher) and Asbetos
(Unquenchable) too, and Sabaktes (Shake-to-Pieces) and Omodamos
(Conquerer of the Unbaked), who makes much trouble for this craft.
Stamp on stoking tunnel and chambers, and may the whole kiln be thrown
into confusion, while the potters loudly wail.
As grinds a horse=92s jaw so may the kiln grind to powder all the pots
within it.
(Come, too, daughter of the Sun, Circe of many spells,
Cast cruel spells, do evil to them and their handiwork.
Here too let Cheiron lead many Centaurs,
Both those that escaped the hands of Herakles and those that perished.
May they hit these pots hard, and may the kiln collapse.
And may the potters wail as they see the mischief.
But I shall rejoice at the sight of their luckless craft.)
And if anyone bends over to look into the spy-hole, may his whole face
be scorched so that all may learn to deal justly.
Marcia in Montana
--
Marcia Selsor
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