Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

266 F I N G A L, Book IV.
the dream : the grey mofs whiftles in the wind :
fo flood the king. Then flowly he retired to
the rifing heath of Lena. His thoufands pour
around the hero. Darknefs gathers on the hill !
Fingal, like a beam from heaven, fhone in
the midft of his people. His heroes gather
around him. He fends forth the voice of his
power. " Raife my ftandards on high ; fpread
them on Lena's wind, like the flames of an
hundred hills ! Let them found on the winds
of Erin, and remind us of the fight. Ye fons
of the roaring ftreams, that pour from a thou-
fand hills, be near the king of Morven ! attend
to the words of his power ! Gaul ftrongefi:
arm of death ! O Ofcar, of the future fights !
Connal, fon of the blue fhields of Sora ! Der-
mid of the dark- brown hair ! Oflian king of
many fongs, be near your father's arm !" We
reared the fun beam * of battle; the ftandard
of the king ! Each hero exulted with joy, as,
waving, it flew on the wind. It was ftudded
with gold above, as the blue wide fhell of the
nightly fky. Each hero had his flandard too j
and each his gloomy men !
" Behold," faid the king of generous fhells,
" how Lochlin divides on Lena ! They fland
like broken clouds on a hill ; or an half con-
fumed grove of oaks ; when we fee the Iky
through its branches, and the meteor pafling
* Fingal's flandard was diftlnguifhed by the name of
fun-beam : probably on account of its bright colour, and
its being ftudded with gold. To begin a battle is ex-
prefied, in old compofi'tioji, by lifting of the fun-beam.
3 behind !