The Sufistic Quatrains Of Omar Khayyam Part 14

I think the Vessel, that with fugitive Articulation answer'd, once did live, And drink; and Ah! the pa.s.sive Lip I kiss'd, How many Kisses might it take--and give!

The inspiration for this quatrain occurs in O. 9.

This jug was once a plaintive lover, as I am, And was in pursuit of one of comely face;[50]

This handle that thou seest upon its neck Is an arm that once lay around the neck of a friend.

_Ref._: O. 9, C. 48 and 426, L. 81, B. 77, S.P. 28, P. 108, B. ii. 28, P. v. 142.--W. 32, N. 28, E.C. 5, V. 80.

x.x.xVII.

For I remember stopping by the way To watch a Potter thumping his wet Clay; And with its all-obliterated Tongue It murmur'd--Gently, Brother, gently, pray!

The original of this quatrain is O. 89.

I saw a potter in the bazaar yesterday, He was violently pounding some fresh clay, And that clay said to him in mystic language, I was once like thee--so treat me well.

_Ref._: O. 89, C. 261, L. 411, B. 407, S.P. 210, P. 100, B. ii. 274, P.

iv. 71, P. v. 198.--W. 252, N. 211, V. 434.

x.x.xVIII.*

And has not such a Story from of Old Down Man's successive generations roll'd Of such a clod of saturated Earth Cast by the maker into Human mould?

This quatrain, which is in the nature of a reflection upon the three preceding ones, conveys an idea which is constantly recurrent in the ruba'iyat. Edward FitzGerald himself records, in a note, that, in composing this quatrain, he had in mind a very beautiful story in the Mantik ut-tair of the water of a certain well which, ordinarily sweet, became bitter when drawn in a vessel made from clay which once had been a man. For its inclusion in this poem FitzGerald had the support of two (among many) quatrains from C. 475 and 488.

I pondered over the workshop of a potter; In the shadow of the wheel I saw that the master, with his feet, Made handles and covers for goblets and jars, Out of the skulls of kings and the feet of beggars.

_Ref._: C. 475, L. 698, B. 689, S.P. 426, P. 103, B. ii. 576.--W. 466, N. 431, V. 750.

I made my way into the (abode of the) potters of the age, Every moment shewed some new skill with clay; I saw, though men devoid of vision saw it not, My ancestors' dust on the hands of every potter.

_Ref._: C. 488, L. 721, B. 710, P. 101, B. ii. 543.--W 493, V. 773.

x.x.xIX.*

And not a drop that from our Cups we throw For Earth to Drink of, but may steal below To quench the fire of Anguish in some Eye There hidden--far beneath and long ago.

This quatrain is taken from ll. 1 and 2 of O. 81

Every draught that the Cup-bearer scatters upon the earth Quenches the fire of anguish in some burning eye.

_Ref._: O. 81, C. 180, L. 367, B. 363, S.P. 188, P. 231, B. ii. 241, P.

v. 187.--W. 203, N. 188, V. 366.

XL.*

As then the Tulip for her morning sup Of Heav'nly Vintage from the soil looks up, Do you devoutly do the like, till Heav'n To Earth invert you--like an empty Cup.

The original of this quatrain is C. 37.

Like a tulip in the spring uplift your cup; If you get a (happy) opportunity with a moon-faced one, Drink wine with cheerfulness, for this worn-out sky Will suddenly invert you to the level of the earth.

_Ref._: C. 37, L. 136, B. 133, S.P. 39, B. ii. 84, T. 40 and 311.--W 44, N. 40, V. 135.

XLI.*

Perplext no more with Human or Divine, To-morrow's tangle to the winds resign, And lose your fingers in the tresses of The Cypress-slender Minister of Wine.

The sentiment of this quatrain is very recurrent. I think that FitzGerald's first inspiration comes from O. 73.

Set limits to thy desire for worldly things and live content, Sever the bonds of thy dependence upon the good and bad of life, Take wine in hand and (play with) the curls of a loved one; for quickly All pa.s.seth away--and these few days will not remain.

_Ref._: O. 73, C. 179, L. 256, B. 253, S.P. 176.--W. 191, N. 176, V.

262.

Ll. 3 and 4 of O. 118 suggest the quatrain also.

Let us cease to strive after our long delaying hope[51]

And play with long ringlets and the handle of the lute.

_Ref._: O. 118, L. 571, B. 564, S.P. 293, B. ii. 391.--W. 332, N. 294, V. 611.

Ll. 1 and 2 of O. 131 are also in point:

Flee from the study of all sciences--'tis better thus, And twine thy fingers in the curly locks of a loved one--'tis better thus.

_Ref._: O. 131, C. 443, L. 670, B. 662, S.P. 356, P. 296, B. ii. 480, T.

276, P. v. 158.--W. 426, N. 359, V. 719.

FitzGerald was probably reminded of these by Nicolas whose quatrains 48, 155, and 359 (C. 443) convey the same idea.

XLII.

And if the Wine you drink, the Lip you press, End in what All begins and ends in--Yes; Think then you are TO-DAY what YESTERDAY You were--TO-MORROW you shall not be less.

The inspiration for this quatrain is contained in the following, O. 102 and C. 412.

Khayyam, if thou art drunk with wine,[52] be happy, If thou reposest with one tulip-cheeked, be happy, Since the end of all things is that thou wilt be naught, Whilst thou art, imagine that thou art not--be happy!

_Ref._: O. 102, C. 291, L. 454, B. 450, S.P. 241, P. 202, B. ii. 322, T.

192 and 296, P. iv. 26, P. v. 5.--W. 282, N. 242, V. 493.

Remember not the day that has pa.s.sed away from thee, Be not hard upon the morrow that has not come, Think not about thine own coming or departure, Drink wine _now_, and fling not thy life to the winds.