First published in English by Edward Fitzgerald in 1859 from its original Farsi, “The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam” is a collection of quatrains attributed to Omar Khayyam, a Persian astronomer and mathematician born in the later part of the 11th century. Omar Khayyam’s poetry, which received very little international notoriety in its own day, achieved classic status when it was discovered and rendered into English verse by Edward Fitzgerald over seven hundred years later. Omar Khayyam was famous in his time for his important contributions to geometry and the creation of a highly accurate solar calendar, yet it is the beautiful and captivating verses of his poetry that have withstood the test of time and continue to inspire readers and writers to this day. Omar Khayyam celebrated life in all its humor, pleasure, and beauty, while also capturing its frailty and impermanence. Romantic, clever, funny, passionate and bittersweet, this collection is a must-read for all who love language and poetry. Presented here are the beloved and traditionally collected first and fifth editions with the original notes and introduction by Edward Fitzgerald.
