Persian mathematician and
poet dates 1048-1122.
Famous mainly for his
Robaiyyat (variously
Rubaiyat) which
seems to be singing the praises of
wine. It was translated to
English by
Edward Fitzgerald.
All for naught in much of that portion of the world, where alcohol has been illegal (while herbs were not) thanks to the same kind of puritanism so vividly present here in our good old merka.