Blair Collection > Galic antiquities

142 D A R G O:
LocHLiN too liathfeen us, and bends his gathered hofl to meet
us. Armor leads them on, tall above the reft, as the red (lag
that heads the herd of Morven. Againft me he lifts that hand,
from which I loofed the thongs on the fliore of Erin. Let each, my
friends, gird on his fword, and bound afliore on his fpear. Let
each remember the deeds of his former days, and the battles of Mor-
ven's heroes. — Dargo, fpread thy broad fliield : Carril, wave thy
fword of light : Connal, lliake thy fpear, that often ftrewed the
plain with dead ; And, Ullin, raife thou the fong, to fpirit us on
to battle *.
We met the foe. But they ftood, firm, as the oak of Malmor,
that does not bend before the fury of the florm. Innisfail faw,
and ruflied from their walls to help us. Lochlin was then blafled
before us, and its dry branches ftrewed in the courfe of the tem-
peft. Armor met the chief of Innisfail ; but the fpear of the
king fixed his thick fhield to his breaft. Lochlin, Morven, and
Innisfail wept for the early fall of the chief ; and his bard began
the mournful fong in his praife.
*' Tall wert thou, Armor, as the oak on the plain : fwift as the
eagle's wing was thy fpeed ; ftrong, as the blaft of Loda, thy arm;
and deadly, as Lego's mift f , thy blade ! Early art thou gone to
the airy hall : why, thou mighty, art thou fallen in youth ? Who
fliall
* To fing the Brofnacha-catha, or <' the other. Lano, in the mouth of a Scandi-
incitement to war," was part of the of- navian bard, might be more proper; but
fice of the bai;ds. I-'^go feems to fuit better with the verfe,
t The lake of Lego in Ireland, and the and makes the found fmoother.
lake of Lano in Scandinavia, have the Bha t airde mar dharaig "sa ghleann.
fame noxious quality afcribed to their va- ^^ '"^'* >"" '"'='■■ "^"^ >>""" 8'"' «'"=!" :
, . 1 1 T u • /• ^° 'P'"""* """■ ofna' Lodda na f heirg,
pours by the ancient bards. In this Ii- .e j t ^. , - i ■ u
» ' S do unn, mar cheo Lei^e, giin leighcas.
mile, feme repeat the one, and fome the ■ 'j'jj^