| Greek Name |
Transliteration |
Latin Spelling |
Translation |
| DaimoneV Keramikoi |
Daimones Keramikoi |
Daemones Ceramici |
Potter's Demons |
THE DAIMONES KERAMIKOI were five malevolent spirits which plagued the craftsman potter--Suntribos (the Shatterer), Smaragos (the Smasher), Asbetos (Charrer), Sabaktes (Destroyer) and Omodamos (Crudebake).
Homer's Epigrams Fragment 14 (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or C7th B.C.) :
"Potters, if you give me a reward, I will sing for you. Come, then, Athena [goddess of pottery], with hand upraised over the kiln. Let the pots and all the dishes turn out well and be well fired: let them fetch good prices and be sold in plenty in the market. Grant that the potters may get great gain and grant me so to sing to them. But if you turn shameless and make false promises, then I call together the destroyers of kilns, Suntribos (Shatter) and Smaragon (Smash) and Asbetos (Charr) and Sabaktes (Crash) and Omodamos (Crudebake) who can work this craft much mischief. Come all of you and sack the kiln-yard and the buildings: let the whole kiln be shaken up to the potter's loud lament. As a horse's jaw grinds, so let the kiln grind to powder all the pots inside."
| Greek Name |
Transliteration |
Latin Spelling |
Translation |
| SuntriboV |
Syntribos |
Suntribus |
Shatter, Crush
(syntribô) |
| SmaragoV |
Smaragos |
Smaragus |
Smash, Crash
(smarageô) |
| AsbetoV |
Asbetos |
Asbetus |
Char, Scorch
(asbetos) |
| SabakthV |
Sabaktês |
Sabactes |
Shatter, Destroy
(sabaktês, sabazô) |
| WmodamoV |
Ômodamos |
Omodamus |
Crudebake
(ômos) |
Sources:
- Homer, Homer's Epigrams - Greek Epic C8th BC
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