Ossian Collection > Fingal

56 F I N G A L, Book IV.
But Swaran clofed round Morni's fon, as the ftrength of the tide
of Iniftore. The king half-rofe from his hill at the fight, and half-
afliimed the fpear. Go, Ullin, go, my aged bard, begun the king
of Morven. Remind the mighty Gaul of battle; remind him of
his fathers. Support the yielding fight with fong; for fong enlivens
war. Tall Ullin went, with fteps of age, and fpoke to the king
of fwords.
Son* of the chief of generous fteeds ! high-bounding king of
fpears. Strong arm in every perilous toil. Hard heart that never
yields. Chief of the pointed arms of death. Cut down the foe;
let no white lail bound round dark Iniftore. Be thine arm like
thunder. Thine eyes like fire, tliy heart of folid rock. Whirl round
tliy Iword as a meteor at night, and lift thy fliield like the flame of
death. Son of the chief of generous fteeds, cut down the foe ; deftroy.
The hero's heart beat high. But Swaran came with battle. He
cleft the fliield of Gaul in twain ; and the fons of the defart fled.
Now Fingal arofe in his might, and thrice he reared his voice.
Cromla anfwered around, and the fons of the defart ftood Itill.
They bent their red faces to earth, afliamed at the prefence of Fin-
gal. He came like a cloud of rain in the days of the fun, when
flow it rolls on the hill, and fields expeft the fliower. Swaran be-
held the terrible king of Morven, and fl:opped in the midfl: of his
courfe. Dark he leaned on his fpear, rolling his red eyes around.
Silent and tall he feemed as an oak on the banks of Lubar, which
* The war-fong of Uilin varies from the rhymes, has been carried down almofl to
reft of the poem in the verfification. It runs cur own times. Several of thefe war-fongs
down like a torrent; and confifts almoft are extant, but the mofl of them are only
iitire'y of epithets. The cuftom of en- a group of epithets, without beauty or har-
couragtng men in battle with extempore mony, utterly deftitute of poetical merit.
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