Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

336 TIGHMOEA. [Duan VIII.
With all their sharp steel was to battle. 205
Erin without fear heard the sound ;
Broad she moved her host to the plain.
Dark Malthos was in the field's wing,
With stern look beneath his black eyebrows ;
And near him, shining in the glen, 210
Was the bright beam of chiefs and bards,
Hidala, who was always calm.
On the hill was Mathronnan's frown ;
His eyes looked askance on the foe.
On his spear was blue-shielded Clonar ; 215
Dark Cormar was there with great locks,
That were bushy in the wind's play.
Slow, from behind the hill of caves,
Moved the king of Atha's tall form,
With two shining spears in his hand ; 220
While half his grey shield rose behind,
Like a firebeam at night ascending
On the dusky hills of cold ghosts.
When he brightened all on the ridge,
The people closed in raging strife ; 225
The red lightning-sparks of their steel,
Striking, floated from either side.
As meet in commotion two seas
With all their waves chilling 'neath blasts,
What time they are roused, under frown 230
Of high hard-battling winds and clouds,
In Lu mon's blue strait of slant rocks ;
On the brows of sounding high hills
Is the pathway of darkling sprites ;
Under blasts there fall upon ocean 235