Omar Khayyam wrote some extraordinarily beautiful poetry way back in the 12th century. His Rubaiyat can be said to be Philosophy structured in a song.What were the themes in the Rubaiyat-Hedonism? or Agnosticism ? or Theism ? Some examples will indicate what I mean. Two first stanzas apply particularly to RHP Spirituality Forum.
Firstly:
Myself when young did eagerly frequent
Doctor and Saint, and heard great Argument
About it and About: but evermore
came out by the same door wherein I went.
And the second one:
With them the seed of Wisdom did I sow
and with mine own hand wrought to make it grow
And this was all the harvest that I reaped
" I came like water and like wind I go"
And a particularly moving one but involving God also:
Ah Love ! Could you and I with Him conspire
To grasp this sorry scheme of things entire
Would we not shatter it to bits--and then
remould it nearer to the heart's desire
Or an agnostic thought:
There was the door to which I found no key
There was the veil through which I might not see
Some little talk awhile of me and thee
there was --- and then no more of thee and me
Comments please.
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Originally posted by rvsakhadeoOne of the first and most accessible philosophically-themed works (if not philosophy per se) that I discovered.
Omar Khayyam wrote some extraordinarily beautiful poetry way back in the 12th century. His Rubaiyat can be said to be Philosophy structured in a song.What were the themes in the Rubaiyat-Hedonism? or Agnosticism ? or Theism ? Some examples will indicate what I mean. Two first stanzas apply particularly to RHP Spirituality Forum.
Firstly:
Myself when yo e talk awhile of me and thee
there was --- and then no more of thee and me
Comments please.
The following is relevant:
#49
But helpless pieces in the game He plays
Upon this chequer-board of Nights and Days
He hither and thither moves, and checks ... and slays
Then one by one, back in the Closet lays
A different edition has it:
'Tis all a Chequer-board of Nights and Days
Where Destiny with Men for Pieces plays:
Hither and thither moves, and mates, and slays,
And one by one back in the Closet lays.
Here is a nice illustrated first version with a preface on Khayyam:
http://www.archive.org/stream/TheRubaiyatOfOmarKhayyam-FirstVersion-Illustrated#page/n0/mode/2up
Of course the Edward Fitzgerald versions and most likely all others, are not literal translations.
Originally posted by JS357Accessible philosophy can form a thread by itself.
One of the first and most accessible philosophically-themed works (if not philosophy per se) that I discovered.
The following is relevant:
#49
But helpless pieces in the game He plays
Upon this chequer-board of Nights and Days
He hither and thither moves, and checks ... and slays
Then one by one, back in the Closet lays
A different edition has ...[text shortened]... course the Edward Fitzgerald versions and most likely all others, are not literal translations.
I want to quote Walt Whitman here. An agnostic and pessimistic quote.
" Logic and sermons never convince; The damp of the night drives deeper into my soul...Now I re-examine philosophies and religions. They may prove well in lecture rooms,
yet not prove at all under the spacious clouds, and along the landscape and flowing currents. " Omar's disenchantment with philosophies is appearing to me as more robust. More of that later.