The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám · Chapter
XCII explained
The speaker imagines that even his buried ashes will possess such a potent essence of wine that any true believer passing by will be unexpectedly overcome by its influence.
What happens
The speaker imagines that even his buried ashes will possess such a potent essence of wine that any true believer passing by will be unexpectedly overcome by its influence.
Themes in this chapter
Hedonism and Wine
Wine is portrayed as having a lasting, almost supernatural power that persists even after death, ensnaring the pious.
Mortality and Transience
The speaker contemplates his own death and burial, yet imagines his ashes retaining a vibrant, intoxicating legacy.
Characters to notice
- Omar Khayyám
Speaker of the quatrain, reflecting on the enduring power of wine from beyond the grave.
Key passages
“That ev’n my buried Ashes such a snare Of Vintage shall fling up into the Air As not a True-believer passing by But shall be overtaken unaware.”
Even after I am dead and buried, my ashes will release such a powerful aroma of wine that any devout Muslim who walks past will be unexpectedly intoxicated.
The quatrain emphasizes the enduring, almost magical influence of wine, challenging religious piety with hedonistic abandon.