Ossian Collection > Fingal

140 The DEATH of C U C H U L L I N :
like the vapour of death *, flowly borne by fultry winds. The fun
Feddens in its prefence, the people fall around.
Such was the fong of Carril, when a fon of the foe appeared ;
he threw down his pointlefs fpear, and fpoke the w^ords of Torlath :
Torlath the chief of heroes, from Lego's fable furge : he that led
his thoufands to battle, againft car-borne Cormac, Cormac who
was diftant far, in Temora's -j- ccchoing halls : he learned to bend
the bow of his fathers ; and to lift the fpear. Nor long didil thou
lift the fpear, mildly-fhining beam of youth ! death ilands dim be-
hind thee, like the darkened half of the moon behind its growing
Tight.
CuCHULLiN rofe before die bard ;}:, that came from generous
Torlath; he offered him the fliell of joy, and honoured the fon of
fongs. Sweet voice of Lego ! he faid, what are the words of Tor-
lath .'' Comes he to our feaft or battle, the car-borne fon of Cantela |1 ?■
He comes to thy battle, replied the bard, to the founding ftrife
of fpears. When morning is gray on Lego, Torlath will fight
♦ C'l't] <J' ixi/i!ptu\i l^itrnri fu!:£Ta,i dr.o J The bards were the heralds of ancient
Kavf^KTo? f^ ivi^tno Swuiqi; c^ivjxv.oio. times ; and their perfcns were facred on
HoM.Il. 5. account of their ofEce. In later times
As vapours blown by Aufler'sfultry breath, they abufed that privilege; and as their
Pregnant with plagues, and (heding feeds perfcns were inviolable, they fatyrifed and
of death, lampooned fo freely thofe who were not
Beneath the rage of burning Sirius rife, liked by their patrons, that they became a
Choke the parch'd earth, and blacken all public nuifance. Screened, under the cha-
the lki«s. Pope. rafter of heralds, they grofly abufed the
•f- The royal palace of the Irifli kings j enemy when he would not accept the terms
Teamhrath according tg fome of the they offered.
kards, IJ Cear.rteola', hiaiof afami'yx
OS.