Ossian Collection > Sean dana

DAN AM DEIRG.
II
Choiniiich firm Lochlann 's cha B' àgll dhuinn :
Sheas iad romhainn gu daingean làidir,
Mar an darag air ugIuI Mheall-mhoir,
Nach Inb air ailghios na garbh-ghaoith.
Chunnaic Innfe-fàil linn gar sàruch',
Bhrùchd iad gun dàil gur coghna' ;
Sgapadh an fin Lochlann o cheile ;
Shearg gach geiig a bha beo dheth.
Choinnich Armor 's righ Innfe-fàile,
'S ma. choiimich bu ghàbhaidh an iomairt ;
Sleagh an righ chaidh 'n uchd a mhor-f hir,
Cha'n fhoghnadh a fgiath da tiughad.
Ghnil Lochlann is Innfe-fàil,
Is ghuil na bha lath'r do'n Fheinn' :
Is llieinn a bliard gu ro-thuii-feach,
Tra chunn' c gun deo cheann-feadhna.
Cumhadh an Fhir mboir; no Tuireadb Ar-
vihoir.
occafion. Some idea may be formed of die nature of thoie
compofitions from the account which Tacitus gives of the
fame cuftom, as it pi-evailed among the Germans, whofe man-
ners, in many refpefts, bear the neareft refemblance to thofc
of the ancient Caledonians. — " The Germans, fays he,
have poems which are rehearfed in the field, and kindle the
foul into a flame. The fpirit with which thefe fongs are
fimg, prediAs the fortune of the approaching fight. In the
compofition they ftudy a roughnefs of found, and a certain
broken murmur. They lift their fhields to their mouths, that
tlie voice, being rendered full and deep, may fweU by rcper-
cuffion." Tacit, de mor. Germ. c. 3.
Sueh as are aquainted with the poems of Tyrtaeus, which
kindled a fort of warlike phrenzy in the breafts of the Lace-
demonians, when engaged in war with the Meffenians, may
form from them a pretty juft idea of the Profnacha catha.
Slia- 1 airde mar dharaig fa ghleann f .
Do luas roar iolair nam beann, gun gheilt ;
Do fpionna mar ofunn Lodda \ na fheirg,
'S do lann mar chco Lèige gun leigheas.
O!
* Under this title the following epifode is often repeated
byitfeif.
f His height was as the height of cedars,
His ftrength was as the ilrength of oaks. Amos ii. 9.
X The Loda, or Lodda of OlTian is fuppofed to have been
the fame with the Odin or Woden of the Scandinavians. Odin,
according to the Danifh chronolagies, was more ancient than
Homer. His many warlike exploits procured him divine
honours after his death. From him one of the days of. the
week ftill retains its name of Woden's day, or Wednefday.