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Revered in eleventh-century Persia as an astronomer, mathematician and philosopher, Omar Khayyam is now known first and foremost for his Ruba'iyat. The short epigrammatic stanza form allowed poets of his day to express personal feelings, beliefs and doubts with wit and clarity, and Khayyam became one of its most accomplished masters with his touching meditations on the transience of human life and of the natural world. One of the supreme achievements of medieval literature, the reckless romanticism and the pragmatic fatalism in the face of death means these verses continue to hold the imagination of modern readers.… (more)
Mostly typical Eastern stuff--flies wittily past, leaving the dull tang of aphorisms in the air. A few interesting bits, but one suspects any charm is stricly Fitzgerald’s. I wonder why he bothered?
12/22/12 - A second reading much improved my appreciation for this work. I'm not sure what it is that's changed, but it's obviously me and not the poem. ( )
“Rubairat”, është një nga veprat poetike më të bukura të botës. Ato kanë lindur në tokën persiane, kanë jetuar në zemër të Azisë dhe kanë vdekur 800 vjet më parë. Një Rubai është sa një tog vëllimesh, aq modern nga mendimet dhe ndjenjat sa duket sikur autori i tyre ka jetuar në zemër të Evropës. Janë të qarta, të thella nga kuptimi dhe mund të merren vesh lehtësisht nga çdo lexues.
Wake! For the Sun, who scatter'd into flight The Stars before him from the Field of Night, Drives Night along with them from Heav'n, and strikes, The Sultan's turret with a Shaft of Light.
Quotations
The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on;
And when like her, oh Saki, you shall pass Among the Guests Star-scatter'd on the Grass, And in your joyous errand reach the spot Where I made One - turn down an empty Glass! Tamam
This is a listing of versions of the Rubaiyat other than those of English poet Edward FitzGerald. FitzGerald's free rendering of the rubaiyat is famous as English poetry in its own right; it is more "inspired by" than "translated from" Khayyám's work. Please do not combine any of the numerous FitzGerald editions with this work, unless the book in question also contains more literal translations by other authors.
Revered in eleventh-century Persia as an astronomer, mathematician and philosopher, Omar Khayyam is now known first and foremost for his Ruba'iyat. The short epigrammatic stanza form allowed poets of his day to express personal feelings, beliefs and doubts with wit and clarity, and Khayyam became one of its most accomplished masters with his touching meditations on the transience of human life and of the natural world. One of the supreme achievements of medieval literature, the reckless romanticism and the pragmatic fatalism in the face of death means these verses continue to hold the imagination of modern readers.
12/22/12 - A second reading much improved my appreciation for this work. I'm not sure what it is that's changed, but it's obviously me and not the poem. (