Ossian Collection > Fingal

An epic POE M.
77
hear the fong ; to-morrow break the fpcars. Tell him that I have
raifcd the tomb of Cathol * j and that my bards have Tung to his
ghoft. — Tell him that Cairbar has heard his fame at the ftream of
diftant Cariia-j-.
Cathmor :{: is not here; the generous brother of Cairbar ; he is
not here with his thoufands, and our arms are weak. Cathmor is a
foe to llrife at the feaft : his foul is bright as the fun. But Cairbar
fhall fight with Ofcar, chiefs of the high Temora ! His words for
Catl:ol were many ; and the wrath of Cairbar burns. He fliall fall
on Lena . and my fame fliall rife in blood.
The faces of the heroes brightened. They fpread over Lena's
heath. The feaft of fliclls is prepared. The fongs of the bards
arofe.
We heard ]] the voice of joy on the coaft, and we thought that the
mighty Cathmor came. Cathmor the friend of ftrangers ! the
brother
* Cathol the fon of Maronnan, or Moran,
was murdered by Cairbar, for his attachment
to the family of Cormac. He had attended
Ofcar to the war of Inis-thona, where they
contrafled a great friendfhip for one an-
other. Ofcar, immediately after the death
of Cathol, had fent a formal challenge to
Cairbar, which he prudently declined, but
conceived a fscret hatred againft Ofcar,
and had beforehand contrived to kill him at
the feaft, to which he here invites him.
t He alludes to the battle of Ofcar againft
Caros, kh^ ofJh:pi; who is fuppofed to be
the fame with Caraufius the ufurpcr.
A
X Ci\h-m6r,grtat In battle. Cairbar takes
advantage of his brother's abfence, to per-
petrate his ungenerous defigns againft Of-
car ; for the noble fpirit of Cathmor, had
he been prefent, would not have permitted
the laws of that hofpitality, for which he was
fo renowned himfelf, to be violated. The
brothers form a contraft: we do not deleft
the mean foul of Cairbar more, than we
admire the difinttrerted and generous mind
of Catlimor.
II Fingal's army heard the joy that was
in Cairbar's camp. The charader given
of Caihmor is agreeable to the times. Some,
a throu'h