batch.motif.sufi-omar-khayyam-sufistic-quatrains-gutenberg-l4015-l4029
---
record_id: batch.motif.sufi-omar-khayyam-sufistic-quatrains-gutenberg-l4015-l4029
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/sufistic-quatrains-omar-khayyam.md
passage_locator:
label: LXXVII. / LXXX. / LXXXI. / LXXXIV.; lines 4015-4029
start: '4015'
end: '4029'
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: "“My substance of the common Earth was ta'en / And to this Figure moulded,
to be broke”"
summary: An unnamed speaker says that its substance was taken from common earth
and shaped into a figure, only to be broken or returned to shapeless earth. An
editorial note links the sentiment to a parallel quatrain in which a beautiful
cup, praised by wisdom, is made by the Potter of the World and then shattered
on the ground.
language: English
quote_policy: quoted
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: An unnamed speaker says its substance was taken from common Earth.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The speaker says that substance was moulded into a figure.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The speaker says the figure may be broken or trampled back into shapeless
Earth.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:4
text: An editorial note says the sentiment of the quatrain is traceable in C. 293.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: The cited parallel describes a cup praised by wisdom for its beauty.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:6
text: The cited parallel says the Potter of the World makes the cup and then shatters
it on the ground.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: unnamed speaker among them
description: An unnamed speaker who speaks of its own substance being taken from
common Earth and moulded into a figure.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Potter of the World
description: The maker in the cited parallel who makes a sweet cup and shatters
it upon the ground.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: wisdom
description: Wisdom is described as loudly acclaiming the cup and giving it kisses
for its beauty.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
roles:
- id: role:1
label: formed being reflecting on its making and breaking
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The speaker says its substance was taken from Earth, moulded into a figure,
and may be broken or returned to shapeless Earth.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: maker and shatterer
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The Potter of the World is said to make the cup and then shatter it on the
ground.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:3
label: praiser of the cup
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Wisdom is said to acclaim the cup and kiss it for its beauty.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: common Earth
literal_form: Earth from which substance is taken and to which the figure may return
shapeless
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: moulded figure
literal_form: a figure moulded from the speaker's substance
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: cup
literal_form: a sweet and beautiful cup praised by wisdom
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:4
label: shattering on the ground
literal_form: the cup is shattered upon the ground; the figure may be broken or
trampled back to Earth
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: formed substance anticipates return to shapeless Earth
summary: An unnamed speaker says its substance came from common Earth, was moulded
into a figure, and may be broken or trampled back into shapeless Earth.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: parallel cup made and shattered
summary: The cited parallel presents a beautiful cup praised by wisdom; the Potter
of the World makes it and then shatters it upon the ground.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: formed thing made from earth and returned to earth
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The quatrain describes substance taken from common Earth, moulded into a
figure, and then broken or trampled back into shapeless Earth.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: high
cautions: The passage frames the image poetically; no explicit doctrinal meaning
should be inferred from this excerpt alone.
- id: motif:2
label: maker creates and destroys a beautiful vessel
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The cited parallel says the Potter of the World makes a beautiful cup and
then shatters it on the ground.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: This motif is drawn from the editorially supplied parallel within the
passage, not from the main quatrain alone.
- id: motif:3
label: wisdom praises a beautiful vessel
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The cited parallel says wisdom loudly acclaims the cup and gives it kisses
for its beauty.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: The available taxonomy contains 'wisdom,' but the passage personifies
wisdom only briefly.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: The passage itself links the main quatrain's formed-and-broken figure to
a parallel in C. 293 where a cup is made by the Potter of the World and shattered.
claim_level: same_motif
target: C. 293 parallel quatrain cited in the note
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The comparison is based on the editor's statement that the sentiment
is traceable in C. 293 and on the shared imagery of making and breaking; no historical
transmission claim is established by this excerpt.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: quote
locator: lines 4015-4020
quote_or_summary: "“My substance of the common Earth was ta'en / And to this Figure
moulded, to be broke, / Or trampled back to shapeless Earth again.”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/sufistic-quatrains-omar-khayyam.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt used for evidence.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 4022-4028
quote_or_summary: The note says the sentiment is traceable in C. 293, where a cup
praised by wisdom is made by the Potter of the World and then shattered upon the
ground.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/sufistic-quatrains-omar-khayyam.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for evidence.
- id: ev:3
type: citation
locator: line 4029
quote_or_summary: 'Reference list: C. 293, L. 456, B. 452, B. ii. 321, T. 194; W.
290, V. 495.'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/sufistic-quatrains-omar-khayyam.md
rights_note: Public domain source; bibliographic citation summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: medium
notes: Literal extraction is straightforward. Motif labeling is limited to images
explicitly present in the passage and its cited parallel; broader Sufi interpretations
are not inferred.
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: |-
Only the supplied passage and metadata were used. Available taxonomy refs were applied only where directly supported.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:sufi-omar-khayyam-sufistic-quatrains-gutenberg__l4015-l4029
passage_sha256=76d79cb3bb077dcd488d1ff4340c94a455a5f5fe74822ffb766b9ee933be0f1b