Ossian Collection > Temora, an ancient epic poem, in eight books

An epic poem. 29
Why fliould the foe come, by night ; and the dark-haired warrior
fail ? Diftant, fallen murmurs rife : like the noife of the lake of
Lego, when its waters fhrink, in the days of froft, and all its burft-
ing ice refounds. The people of Lara look to heaven, and forfec
the ftorm. — My fteps are forward on the heath: the fpear of Ofcar
in my hand. Red ftars looked from high. I gleamed, along the
night. — I faw Fillan filent before me, bending forward from Mora's
rock. He heard the fliout of the foe ; and the joy of his foul
arofe. He heard my founding tread, and turned his lifted fpear.
Co ME ST thou, fon of night, in peace ? Or doft thou meet my
wrath ? The foes of Fingal are mine. Speak, or fear my Heel. —
I fland not, in vain, the fliield of Morven's race.
Never mayft thou Hand in vain, fon of blue eyed Clatho.
Fingal begins to be alone ; darknefs gathers on the laft of his days.
Yet he has two * fons who ought to fliine in war. Who ought to
be two beams of light, near the fteps of his departure.
the youngeft of the fons of Fingal, then mon]y C3.]\ed Fcgus ihe /ccsnd in the Scotch
living. He and Bofmina, mentioned in the hiftories. The beginning of the reign of
battle cf Lora, were the only children of Fergus, over the Scot?, is placed, by the
the king, by Clatho the daughter of Cathul- moft approved annals of Scotland, in the
)a king of Inis-tore, whom he had taken fourth year of the. fifth age : a full century
to wife, after the death of Ros-crana, the after the death of Ofllan. The genealogy-
daughter of Cormac Mac-Conar king of of his family is recorded thus by the high-
Irehnd. land Senachies ; Fergus Mac-Arcath Mac-
* That is, two fons in Ireland. Fergus, Chongael, Ma:-Fergu!, Mac-Ficn-gciel na
the fecond fon of Fingal, was, at that time, buai' : i. e. Fergus the fon of Arcath, the
on an expedition, which is mentioned in fon of Congal, the fon of Fergus, the fon
one of the lefler poems of Oflian. He, ac- of Fingal the vi£forious. This fubjeft is
cording to fome traditions, was the anceftor treated more at large, in the difl'ertation pre-
cf Fergus, the fon of Ere or Arcath, com- fixed to the poem.
Son