batch.motif.sufi-omar-khayyam-sufistic-quatrains-gutenberg-l1923-l2002
---
record_id: batch.motif.sufi-omar-khayyam-sufistic-quatrains-gutenberg-l1923-l2002
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/sufistic-quatrains-omar-khayyam.md
passage_locator:
label: EDWARD FITZGERALD'S TRANSLATION / OF THE / QUATRAINS OF OMAR KHAYYAM / PREFACE;
lines 1923-2002
start: '1923'
end: '2002'
translation: The Sufistic Quatrains of Omar Khayyam
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: The editor explains the manuscript and printed sources used to trace Edward
FitzGerald’s quatrains, summarizes how many are paraphrases, composites, or influenced
by other texts, discusses Nicolas’ edition and later textual variation, states
a preference for literal translation, and records thanks to helpers and rights
holders.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The editor says he has FitzGerald’s material before him and identifies the
Ouseley, Calcutta, and Nicolas texts as relevant source witnesses for FitzGerald’s
first edition.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The editor states that other Oriental poets influenced FitzGerald’s work,
especially Attar’s Mantik ut-tair, and that direct or exclusive influence is marked
in later parallels.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: 'The editor classifies FitzGerald’s quatrains into groups: faithful paraphrases,
composite quatrains, quatrains from Nicolas’ text, quatrains reflecting the general
spirit, quatrains influenced by Attar, quatrains influenced by Hafiz, and suppressed
quatrains not attributable to the original texts.'
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The editor says Nicolas’ 1867 text and translation affected FitzGerald’s interest
and may explain many later variations and additions.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: The editor reports collating 5,235 Persian ruba'iyat and appending references
to texts where matching or varied forms appear.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: The editor states that many ruba'iyat inspiring FitzGerald are represented
across many manuscripts and texts examined.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:7
text: The editor says he intentionally makes his own translations bald and literal
rather than polished or graceful.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:8
text: The editor thanks named individuals, FitzGerald’s literary executor, and Macmillan
for assistance and permission to reproduce the poem.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: The editor-narrator
description: The first-person speaker who collates ruba'iyat, evaluates sources
and influences, prepares translations, and gives thanks.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Edward FitzGerald
description: Translator/paraphraser whose quatrains, editions, variations, and source
materials are being analyzed.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Omar Khayyam
description: Poet to whom quatrains are written by or attributed, and whose ruba'iyat
are treated as source material for FitzGerald.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Ferid ud din Attar
description: Author of the Mantik ut-tair, named as an influence on FitzGerald’s
work.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Hafiz
description: Author of Odes said to have influenced two FitzGerald quatrains primarily
inspired by Omar.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Monsieur J.B. Nicolas
description: Publisher/translator of the 1867 Les Quatrains de Khèyam, whose text
affected FitzGerald’s later editions.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Named helpers and rights holders
description: Mr. A.T. Pringle, Professor E.B. Cowell, Dr. E. Denison Ross, Mr. Aldis
Wright, and Messrs. Macmillan are thanked for assistance or permission.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
roles:
- id: role:1
label: editor-collator
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The speaker reports collating Persian ruba'iyat, assigning references, translating
originals, and preparing the volume.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: role:2
label: translator-paraphraser under study
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: FitzGerald’s quatrains and editions are classified by source, influence,
and variation.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: role:3
label: attributed source poet
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The passage refers to material written by or attributed to Omar and to quatrains
primarily inspired by Omar.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:4
label: literary influence
assigned_to:
- fig:4
- fig:5
basis: Attar and Hafiz are named as influencing specified FitzGerald quatrains.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:5
label: editor-translator of influential printed text
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Nicolas’ 1867 text and translation are said to have affected FitzGerald’s
later variations and additions.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:6
label: assistants and permission-givers
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: The passage thanks these persons and publishers for assistance and permission
to reproduce the poem.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: manuscript witnesses
literal_form: Ouseley MS., Calcutta MS., and other manuscript texts
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: sym:2
label: ruba'iyat / quatrains
literal_form: Persian ruba'iyat and FitzGerald’s quatrains
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: sym:3
label: Mantik ut-tair / Parliament of Birds
literal_form: A work by Ferid ud din Attar named as an influence
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: sym:4
label: literal translation
literal_form: The editor’s intentionally bald, close English rendering
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Statement of source materials and influences
summary: The editor explains that FitzGerald’s first-edition inspiration is traceable
to named manuscript or printed texts, while other Oriental poets, especially Attar,
also influenced the work.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Classification of FitzGerald’s quatrains
summary: The editor summarizes counts and categories of FitzGerald’s quatrains according
to source, composite status, general spirit, outside influence, and suppressed
unattributed pieces.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Nicolas text and later editions
summary: The editor describes Nicolas’ 1867 publication as a stimulus for later
variations and additions, and reports extensive collation of Persian ruba'iyat.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: scene:4
label: Translation method and acknowledgments
summary: The editor states that his translations are deliberately literal and thanks
people and publishers for assistance and permission.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:7
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
candidate_motifs: []
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: The passage supports a cautious textual-influence comparison between FitzGerald’s
quatrains and Attar’s Mantik ut-tair, limited to places where the editor marks
the influence as direct or exclusive.
claim_level: same_function
target: Attar’s Mantik ut-tair / Parliament of Birds as an influence on FitzGerald’s
quatrains
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The passage discusses literary influence and source tracing, not shared
mythic narrative content within the quoted range.
- id: claim:2
claim: The passage supports a cautious textual-influence comparison between two
FitzGerald quatrains and the Odes of Hafiz.
claim_level: same_function
target: Hafiz’s Odes as an influence on FitzGerald quatrains primarily inspired
by Omar
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The passage gives no details of the shared imagery or themes, only
the asserted influence.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 1923-1936
quote_or_summary: The editor says FitzGerald’s material is before him, identifies
source texts for the first edition, and notes influences from other Oriental poets,
especially Attar’s Mantik ut-tair.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/sufistic-quatrains-omar-khayyam.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 1938-1957
quote_or_summary: The editor lists categories and counts of FitzGerald’s quatrains,
including single-source paraphrases, composites, Nicolas-derived pieces, general-spirit
pieces, Attar-influenced pieces, Hafiz-influenced pieces, and suppressed unattributed
pieces.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/sufistic-quatrains-omar-khayyam.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 1959-1976
quote_or_summary: The editor states that Nicolas’ 1867 text and translation stimulated
FitzGerald’s interest and later variations, and reports collating 5,235 Persian
ruba'iyat with references to parallel forms.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/sufistic-quatrains-omar-khayyam.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 1977-1988
quote_or_summary: The editor explains his preference for the Ouseley MS. where lines
appear in both Ouseley and Calcutta, notes FitzGerald’s later tendency to eliminate
merely general suggestions, and recommends comparison with the first edition.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/sufistic-quatrains-omar-khayyam.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 1990-1995
quote_or_summary: The editor says his translations are intentionally bald and literal,
rather than graceful, to present the closest English rendering of the originals.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/sufistic-quatrains-omar-khayyam.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 1996-2002
quote_or_summary: The editor thanks named scholars, FitzGerald’s literary executor,
and Macmillan for assistance and permission to reproduce the poem.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/sufistic-quatrains-omar-khayyam.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: uncertain
comparison_claims: medium
notes: The passage is a literary preface focused on source criticism, influence,
and translation practice rather than mythic narrative. Motif candidates are therefore
left empty.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
No available taxonomy motif or symbol reference is directly supported by the passage.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:sufi-omar-khayyam-sufistic-quatrains-gutenberg__l1923-l2002
passage_sha256=e1e4e3471fac6004cdf1b452823f7bf82ba66bd851cd7e5439e55630a28384f1