The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam: Quatrain LXX

This quatrain is a classic example of rationalization.  He has promised to give up wine, but now second thoughts appear--a very common occurrence to any of us who has ever made a vow to give up something.



First Edition:  Quatrain LXX

Indeed, indeed, Repentance oft before
I swore--but was I sober when I swore?
    And then and then came Spring, and Rose-in-hand
My thread-bare Penitence apieces tore. 




Second Edition:  Quatrain CII


Indeed, indeed, Repentance oft before
I swore--but was I sober when I swore?
    And then and then came Spring, and Rose-in-hand
My thread-bare Penitence apieces tore.  




 Fifth Edition: Quatrain XCIV

Indeed, indeed, Repentance oft before
I swore--but was I sober when I swore?
    And then and then came Spring, and Rose-in-hand
My thread-bare Penitence apieces tore.  

 

FitzGerald was obviously satisfied with this quatrain, for, as best as I can see, he made no changes in either the second or the final versions--a bit unusual for him. 



The quatrain links back to Quatrain VII (First Edition).

Quatrain VII
Come, fill the Cup, and in the Fire of Spring
The Winter Garment of Repentance fling:
   

Both quatrains refer to garments and repentance and spring. It's intriguing to note that he refers to repentance in both quatrains as garments, something which can be easily donned or thrown off, as the mood fits.  Repentance is not an integral part of him, or so it seems.  

The mood is different in the two quatrains in that in VII it is one of defiance--one should fill the cup and fling the garment of repentance--while in LXX--"but was I sober when I swore?"--he seems not to defying but rationalizing, while he tears up the "contract."


One more curious element here is the repetition of words in the first three lines of the quatrain.  


Indeed, indeed, Repentance oft before
I swore--but was I sober when I swore?
    And then and then came Spring, and Rose-in-hand
My thread-bare Penitence apieces tore.

In the first line "Indeed" begins the line and is immediately repeated.  The second line begins and ends with "I swore" and "I" actually appears three times in that line.    The third line repeats the pattern of the first as it begins with a two word phrase--"And then"--which is immediately duplicated.  Therefore, all three lines begin with a word or phrase which is repeated later in the line.

This is the second of three sequential quatrains that relate to his thoughts about drinking wine.  In the previous quatrain, he laments the harm done to his reputation. In this quatrain, he suggests that he has tried to overcome this transgression, but always fails eventually, which leads inevitably to the following quatrain.