J. F. Campbell Collection > Temora, an ancient epic poem, in eight books

An epic POE M. 19
would I have met, like Cuchullin, the car-borne fon of Cantela !
But years may come on, O Ahhan ! and my arm be flrong. — Haft
thou heard of Senio's fon, the chief of high Temora ? He might
have returned with his fame j for he promifed to return to-night.
My bards wait him with fongs j my feaft is fpread in Temora.
I HEARD the king in filence. My tears began to flow. I iiici
them with my aged locks ; but he perceived my grief.
Son of Conachar ! he faid, is the king of Tura* low ? Why burfts
thy figh in fecret ? And why defcends the tear ?— Comes the car-
borne Torlath ? Or the found of the red-haired Cairbar ? They
come !— for I behold thy grief. Mofly Tura's king is low .'—Shall
I not rufh to battle ? — But I cannot lift the fpear !— -O had mine
arm the ilrength of Cuchullin* foon would Cairbar fly ; the fame
of my fathers would be renewed i and the deeds of other times !
He took his bow. The tears flow down, from both his fparkling
eyes. — Grief faddens round : the bards bend forward, from their
hundred harps. The lone blaft touched their trembling firings.
The found -I- is fad and low.
A VOICE is heard at a diftance, as of one in grief; it was Carril
of other times, who came from dark Slimora ;{:. — He told of the
* Cuchullin is called the king of Tura emi;ted be''ore the death of a perfon wor-
froni a caftle of that name on the coaft of thy and renowned. It is here an omen
Ulftcr, where he dwelt, before he under- of the death of Cormac, which, foon af-
took t!ie management of the afFairs of Jre- ter, followed,
land, in the minority of Cormac. j S imora, a hill in Connaught, near
t That prophetic found, mentioned in which Cuchullin was killed,
■other poems, which the harps of the bards
D 2 death