[Winter 2021]

By Jeanne Randolph

[Excerpt]
Vain Pillaging
– I told him I was thinking, “Vain Pillaging.”
– As in futile? my friend responded.
– As in gall-darn hubris, I said. Any one of us can do what we want with names, even four-thousand-year old names.
– And, said my friend, who is familiar with my disillusioned mode of psychoanalysis, we live in an era where too many ancient names have been trademarked.
– Well, I continued, it just so happens, for literary purposes, I looked on Google for businesses with the name Olympus: Olympus Fish and Chips;
Olympus Plasmabutton;
Olympus Men’s Briefs Underwear,
“inspired by ancient Olympians, 88% nylon.”
– The Olympians actually inspire CEOs? my friend asked.
– Indirectly, I replied. Anyway, I also searched for ancient Greek personae and place names in the e-marketplace.
– Oh, tell me! Like what?
– I’ll perform another litany, I said:
Delphi Adult Adjustment cap;
Versace Medusa Comforter;
Clotho Faux Mink Eyelashes, “shorter in length, but still full and fluffy;”
Carbon Chorus Crankset;
Prometheus Electric Rifle Gun for Children . . .
and do not say “Shoot me now.”
– Surreal! we both squawked.
– You know what André Breton had said?
And before my friend answered, “Oh yeah” or “No,” I quoted André Breton. “What is admirable about the fantastic is that there is no longer anything fantastic: there is only the real.”
– Do you think he meant that the allusions of mythical names have been replaced by literally material commercial products? my skeptical pal asked with sadness in his voice. Really? So, reading or hearing the word chorus, will I some- day picture a crankset instead of the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides?
I couldn’t resist upsetting my friend a little more.
– I looked for distinct Psyche consumer products on Amazon (satis dictum), I told him.
– Oh god – no. OK. I can take it. What did you find? he asked.
– It proved a tad fruitless. There are three categories: 13 Psyche jewelry, a plethora of mass media products (Kaos, for example), and pop psychology books that sport psyche in their titles. But, I raised my voice cheerfully, there ain’t no Psyche-brand handbags, garden tools, or cosmetics for sale, no Psyche-brand kitchen appliances, no Psyche-brand decor items or pet supplies.
– I told him I was thinking, “Vain Pillaging.”
– As in futile? my friend responded.
– As in gall-darn hubris, I said. Any one of us can do what we want with names, even four-thousand-year old names.
– And, said my friend, who is familiar with my disillusioned mode of psychoanalysis, we live in an era where too many ancient names have been trademarked.
– Well, I continued, it just so happens, for literary purposes, I looked on Google for businesses with the name Olympus: Olympus Fish and Chips;
Olympus Plasmabutton;
Olympus Men’s Briefs Underwear,
“inspired by ancient Olympians, 88% nylon.”
– The Olympians actually inspire CEOs? my friend asked.
– Indirectly, I replied. Anyway, I also searched for ancient Greek personae and place names in the e-marketplace.
– Oh, tell me! Like what?
– I’ll perform another litany, I said:
Delphi Adult Adjustment cap;
Versace Medusa Comforter;
Clotho Faux Mink Eyelashes, “shorter in length, but still full and fluffy;”
Carbon Chorus Crankset;
Prometheus Electric Rifle Gun for Children . . .
and do not say “Shoot me now.”
– Surreal! we both squawked.
– You know what André Breton had said?
And before my friend answered, “Oh yeah” or “No,” I quoted André Breton. “What is admirable about the fantastic is that there is no longer anything fantastic: there is only the real.”
– Do you think he meant that the allusions of mythical names have been replaced by literally material commercial prod- ucts? my skeptical pal asked with sadness in his voice. Really? So, reading or hearing the word chorus, will I some- day picture a crankset instead of the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides?
I couldn’t resist upsetting my friend a little more.
– I looked for distinct Psyche consumer products on Amazon
(satis dictum), I told him.
– Oh god – no. OK. I can take it. What did you find? he asked.
– It proved a tad fruitless. There are three categories: 13 Psyche jewelry, a plethora of mass media products (Kaos, for example), and pop psychology books that sport psyche in their titles. But, I raised my voice cheerfully, there ain’t no Psyche-brand handbags, garden tools, or cosmetics for sale, no Psyche-brand kitchen appliances, no Psyche-brand decor items or pet supplies.

See the magazine for the complete article and more images: Ciel variable 116 – LANDSCAPES AS MIRRORS