#omar khayyam
TheRubaiyat of Omar Khayyam is one of the most famous works of Persian literature. These two editions are from the Peter Pauper Press. The first (1940) is illustrated by Paul McPharlin with border designs by Carl Cobbledick, who was inspired by ancient Persian manuscripts. The other (1949) is illustrated by Vera Bock, a Russian illustrator. These translations were both done by Edward Fitzgerald, but the McPharlin/Cobbledick edition is from Fitzgerald’s first-edition text, while the Bock is from the fourth edition. These are just two of the many beautiful editions of the Rubaiyat!
Newberry call number: Wing ZP 983 .P4534
Newberry call number: Wing ZP 983 .P46255
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“Have you read Omar Khayyam’s poetry? I adore his intelligence and sensuality, his bravery and precision. Reading his beautiful work is like being slapped in the face. It’s a continuous elegy to life in the omnipresence of death, pushing us to consider the human condition at all times.” - Abbas Kiarostami
First edition of Rubaiyat by Omar Khayyam, translated from Persian to English by Edward Fitzgerald.
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Almost 1,000 years ago, the most fearful killing machine had emerged. It made so much noise (in all senses) that, till this day, it is still inconclusively discussable. One of the major debates it created is the etymology of its name, “the Assassins”.
Most historians assert the idea that the word “Assassin” - one of the words that Shakespeare invented - had actually derived from “Hashashin” (Hashish consumers), which is quite supported and hard to contest.
However, there’s also a hypothesis suggesting that Hassan-i Sabbah, the founder, actually called his men “El-Assassiyun”, considering their path “Assassi”; a word derived from “El-Assass” which means the foundation or the base [of religion, as he thought]. Though it lacks support, it, somehow, sounds more relevant to me for if “Hashishiyun” or “Hashishin” was the etymological word for “Assassin”, Shakespeare would have used “Hashishin” or, at least, “Ashishin”.
On top of that, Assassins were known to be almost perfect in operating. It is actually believed that, one day, to exterminate a priest, two Assassins had to pretend being monks for two months to fulfill the mission. It somehow cannot make sense if they were Hashish consumers.
Adding to that, the “drugging them to believing they were in paradise" theory not only does not, but rationally cannot make sense. The drug’s effects have only moments before vanishing. The Assassins would then comprehend the trick.
Thus, Hassan-i had something more efficient for them to accept death and to believe in earning Paradise: rhetoric. It is believed that Hassan-i, while young, attended a school in Egypt specialised in persuasion. Let alone the fact that he nearly had answers for all questions.
Blind faith is the heaviest drug.
A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread—and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness—
Oh, Wilderness were Paradise enow!
Omar Khayyam, trans. Edward Fitzgerald, The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám (5th edn, 1889)
