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

ARGUMENT.
This book opens with a fpeech of Fingal, who fees Ca'hmor dcfceiiJing to the alEft-
ance of his flying army. The king difpatches OiTian to the relief of Fillan.
He himfelf retiies behind the rock of Cormul, to avoid the fight of the engage-
ment between his fon and Cathrnor, Offian advances. The defcent of Cathmor
defcribed. He rallies the army, renews the battle, and, before OfTian could arrive,
engages Fillan himfelf. Upon the approach cf Oflian, the combat between the two
heroes ceafes. Oflian and Cathmor prepare to fight, but night coming on prevents
them. Oflian returns to the place where Cathmor and Fillan fought. He finds
Fillan mortally wounded, and leaning againft a rock. Their difcourfe. Fillan dies :
his body is laid, by OlTun, in a neighbouring cave. — The Caledonian army retura
to Fingal. He queftions them about his fon, and, underftanding that he was killed,
retires, in filence, to the rock of Cormul. — Upon the retreat of the army of Fingal,
the Fir-boig advance. Cathmor finds Bran, one of the dogs of Fingal, lying on the
fhield of Fillan, before the entrance of the cave, where the body of that hero lay.
His reflexions thereupon. He returns, in a melancholy mood, to his army. Mal-
thos endeavours to comfort him, by the example of his father Borbar-duthul. Cath-
mor retires to reft. The fong of Sul-malla concludes the book, which ends about
the middle of the third night, from the opening of the poem.