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

12^ T E iM O R A:
Atha. But when the roar of battle role ; when hofl: was rolled on
hoftj when Son-mor burnt, like the fire of heaven in clouds, with
her fpreading hair came Sul-allin ; for fhe trembled for her king.
— He ftopt the rufliing ftrife to fave the love of heroes. — The foe
fled by night; Clunar flept without his bloody the blood which
ought to be poured upon the warrior's tomb.
Nor rofe the rage of Son-mor, but his days were filent and
dark. Sul-allin wandered, by her grey flreams, with her tearful
eyes. Often did (lie look, on the hero, when he was folded in his
thoughts. But flie (lirunk from his eyes, and turned her lone fteps
away. — Battles rofe, like a tempeft, and drove the mill from his
foul. He beheld, with joy, her fteps in the hall, and the white
rifing of her hands on the harp.
* In his arms ftrode the chief of Atha, to where his fliield
hung, high, in night: high on a moffy bough, over Lubar's flreamy
roar. Seven boifes rofe on the fhield; the feven voices of the king.
* The poet returns to his fubjeiS. The
defcription of the (hield of Cathmor is va-
luable, on account of the light it throws
on the prcgrefs of arts in thofe early times.
Thofc who draw their ideas of remote an-
tiquity from their obfervations on the man-
ners of modern favage nations, wi.l have
no high opinion of the workmanship of
Cathmor's fhield. To remove feme part
of their prejudice, I ftiall only obferve,
that the Belgse of Britain, who were the
anceftors of the Firbolg, were a commercial
people; and commerce, we m'ght prove,
from many (hining examples of our own
times, is the proper inlet of arts and
fcienccs, and all that exalts the human
mind. To avoid multiplying notes, I (hall
give here the fignification of the names of
the ftars, engraved on the fhield. Cean-
mathon, head cf the beor. Col-derna,_/7,7«f
and Jharp beam. Ul-oicho, ruler cf night,
Cathlin, beam cf the tcave. Reul-durath,
Jiar cf the Iwilighl. Berthin, fre of the
hill. Tonthena, meteor cf the wavis.
Thefe etymologies, excepting that of Cean-
mathon, are pretty exaft. Of it I am not
fo certain ; for it is not very probable, that
the Firbolg had diftinguifljed a conftella-
tion, fo very early as the days of Larthon,
by the name of the bear.
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