[67] C. reads «I am weary.»
[68] The opening lines of FitzGerald's quatrain refer to Omar's
reformation of the calendar, and institution of the Jalali era, which
Gibbon describes as «a computation of time which surpassed the Julian,
and approached the accuracy of the Gregorian style.» («Decline and Fall
of the Roman Empire,» Gibbing's edition, 1890, vol. iv., p. 180.)
[69] C. reads «So long as I live, I will not grieve for two days.»
[70] _i.e._, Wine.
[71] The _Lauh u Kalam_ are the Tablet and Pen whereon and wherewith the
Divine decrees of what should be from all time were written. Compare
Koran, ch. lxviii, 1. «By the Pen and what they write, O Muhammad! thou
art not distracted.»
[72] The river Oxus.
[73] The editor of the «Calcutta Review» appends the following note at
the foot of Prof. Cowell's article (E.C.), «These lanthorns are very
common in Calcutta. They are made of a tall cylinder with figures of men
and animals cut out of paper and pasted on it. The cylinder, which is
very light, is suspended on an axis, round which it easily turns. A hole
is cut near the bottom, and the part cut out is fixed at an angle to the
cylinder so as to form a vane. When a small lamp or candle is placed
inside, a current of air is produced which keeps the cylinder slowly
revolving.»
[74] This refers to the game of Polo. In the First and Second Editions
for «Here or There» we read «Right or Left» as in the original.
[75] C. reads «Upon the Tablet.»
[76] Literally, «For the Pen once gone comes not back.»
[77] See FitzGerald's note on this quatrain.
[78] _i.e._, Of reality as opposed to the dream existence of the
present. (E.B.C.)
[79] The _Mihrab_ is the spot in a Mosque indicating the precise
direction of Mecca towards which all Muhammadans turn in prayer.
[80] This metaphor recurs frequently in the ruba'iyat. Compare W. 261
(N. 221) and W. 275 (L. 428).
[81] _i.e._, «it was quite problematical how I might turn out.»
[82] Here begins the section devoted especially to the talking pots in
the workshop of the potter--it ends at quatrain No. 90. In the first
edition this section was entitled KUZA-NAMA = the «Pot-book» or «Book of
Pots.» It may be observed that the quatrains in this section are not so
closely rendered from recognisable originals as the other quatrains
composing FitzGerald's poem. This may be accounted for by the fact that
the comparison between the human form--the Personal Ego--and a pot made
of earth by the Supreme Potter (if one may be allowed the phrase) is
constantly recurrent in all ruba'iyat attributed to Omar Khayyam. The
section is therefore to a great extent a poetical reflection upon this
phase of the philosophy of the ruba'iyat. The use FitzGerald has made of
O. 103 cannot fail to amaze the student. _Vide_ his own Note to quatrain
89.
[83] Ramazan (or Ramadan) is the ninth month of the Muhammadan year,
which is observed as a month of fasting and penance, during which rigid
Moslems may neither eat, drink, wash, nor caress their wives, excepting
so far as is necessary to support life. Sha'ban is the month immediately
preceding it. Shawwal is the month that follows it, which begins with
the great feast of Bairam, the festival referred to in line 4.
[84] A very obscure distich to translate. The sense is here, however.
[85] Compare Romans ch. ix. v. 21. «Hath not the potter power over the
clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto
dishonour.»
[86] _i.e._, Helping one another to raise their loads. Prof. Denison
Ross suggests that this refers to the cry of the porters and muleteers
in the narrow streets of Persian cities. «_Pusht! Pusht!_» _i.e._, «Mind
your backs!»
[87] _Kah-ruba_ means literally «attracting straws»; hence «amber,» the
elektron of the Greeks. Here it is used in the descriptive sense to mean
«yellow.»
[88] _Wuzu_, the ceremonial Ablution enjoined upon Muhammadans to put
them into a state of grace before prayer.
[89] _Wakt-i-gul_ = the season of roses, a common synonym for Spring.
[90] Literally «has become Dai,» the first winter-month; translated
«December,» _sub_ quatrain No. 9.
[91] _Lit._: «Or from the invisible world increase my daily provision.»
[92] C. reads «this heart full of melancholy (or passion).»
[93] It will be observed that this quatrain in the first edition came a
good deal closer to the original than this.
[94] _Maghanah_ means anything connected with the Maghs or Magians
(_i.e._, the Guebres or Fire-worshippers), and came to be a synonym for
age, superiority, excellence, in which sense it is used here. S.
Rousseau has a very interesting note upon the history of this word at p.
176 of his «Flowers of Persian Literature» (London, 1801).
[95] Meaning FitzGerald's Introduction. See Page 1.
[96] Prof. Cowell says: «I am not sure, but I fancy this hard verse
really is: 'O thou who art burned (in sorrow) for one burnt (in
hell)--thyself being doomed to be burnt.' If this is correct (which is
most probable) the accuracy of FitzGerald's translation is remarkable.»
[97] The phrase _gauhar suftan_ = «to thread pearls» is used in Persian
to mean «to write verses» or «to tell a story.» Omar uses it here
referring to the generally antinomian tendency of his ruba'iyat.
[98] In this line Omar claims consideration on the ground that he has
never questioned the Unity of God. _Tawhid kerdan_ = to acknowledge One
God. Muhammadanism is essentially Unitarian. FitzGerald appears to have
missed the meaning here, reversing the doctrine, unless he means «I
never misread One _as_ Two.»
[99] L. 1. _lit._ «rubbed its side with heaven.» This is the quatrain
that R.B.M. Binning found written upon a stone in the ruins of
Persepolis (A Journal of Two Years' Travel in Persia, Ceylon, etc.,
London, 1857, Vol. ii. p. 20). FitzGerald quotes it in a letter to Prof.
Cowell, under date 13th January, 1859. (Letters and Literary Remains of
Edward FitzGerald, London, 1889. Macmillan, 3 vols., and 1894, 2 vols.)
The word _ku_ in Persian signifies «Where?»
[100] The fifth edition is identical with the fourth.
[101] See Defrémery, «_Recherches sur le règne de Barkiárok_,» p. 51.
[102] Avicenna died in 428 A.H.