This post actually includes an error on my part. When I went through the First Edition and included those quatrains from the Second Edition that had appeared in that Edition, I somehow missed this one. Consequently I will include the relevant quatrain from the First Edition as well as that from the Fifth Edition.
SECOND EDITION: QUATRAIN LXVI
Oh, threats of Hell and Hopes of Paradise!
One thing at least is certain--This Life flies;
One thing is certain and the rest is Lies,
The Flower that once is blown for ever dies.
FIFTH EDITION: QUATRAIN LXIII
Oh, threats of Hell and Hopes of Paradise!
One thing at least is certain--This Life flies;
One thing is certain and the rest is Lies,
The Flower that once has blown for ever dies.
FIRST EDITION: QUATRAIN XXVI
Oh, come with old Khayyam, and leave the Wise
To talk; one thing is certain, that Life flies;
One thing is certain, and the Rest is Lies;
The Flower that once has blown for ever dies.
The most significant differences occur between the First and Second Editions, the first two lines to be exact, while the Fifth Edition is identical to the Second. The quatrain in the First Edition opens with an informal and chatty invitation to join the Poet "and leave the Wise To talk" whereas the tone becomes more serious in the Second Edition when it rejects religious warnings of "threats of Hell and Hopes of Paradise."
One reason for the change may be that the quatrain advises readers to leave the wise to talk and listen to the poet. Then the last two lines refers to lies, which may suggest that the poet thinks the wise are telling lies. The wise would be theologians and philosophers, some of whom might be the poet's friends or possibly some highly regarded and influential people.
Much of the second lines of the three editions are the same, and the third and fourth lines are identical in all three editions.
The three editions of this quatrain posits a common theme found in a number of the quatrains in
which the Poet reminds us that nobody really knows what happens, if
anything, after death. Secondly, there is a clear rejection of the idea of reincarnation here: "The Flower that once has blown for ever dies." While some might argue that he speaks of a flower, I would say that he is generalizing to all life on this planet.
I took "flower" to mean humankind although until I read your comments I hadn't thought really of it as rejecting reincarnation. My immediate thought of the physical death and lurking in the back of my mind was the death of hopes and dreams.
ReplyDeletemadamevauquer,
DeleteYes, that sense of finality, the end of things does come across. I thought of reincarnation because in a number of quatrains, the poet points out that regardless of what the wise say, nobody has ever returned to tell us what really happens after death.
Whatever is said about life after death is only conjecture or perhaps wishful thinking.
interesting that between the first and second, the references to heaven and hell are added; i'm imagining a subeditor fuming to himself as to why the first edition wasn't Christian and deciding to do something about it... shades of Mrs Grundy or a relative...
ReplyDeleteMudpuddle,
DeleteChuckle. . .
I really need to read larger portions of these translations.
ReplyDeleteThis verse expresses such a universal issue and it expresses it so very well.
Brian Joseph,
DeleteWhich is why I'm so fascinated with the Rubaiyat and have spent so much time here posting on it.
Tim,
ReplyDelete"Rest" as the remainder or as repose. Interesting play on words--shall have to play with this. There is neither nothing beyond death nor is there a rest/repose beyond death. . .
hmmmm . . .
Delete