Ossian Collection > Fingal

An epic poem.
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hear die fong ; to-morrow break the fpears. Tell him that I have
raifed the tomb of Cathol *; and that my bards have fung to his
ghoft. — Tell him that Cairbar has heard his fame at the ftream of
diftant Carun -f.
Cathmor J is not here; the generous brother of Cairbar ; he is
not liere with his thoufands, and our arms are weak. Cathmor is a
foe to ftrife at the feaft : his foul is bright as the fun. But Cairbar
fliall fight with Ofcar, chiefs of the high Temora ! His words for
Cathol were many ; and the wrath of Cairbar burns. He fliall fall
on Lena : and my fame fhall rife in blood.
The faces of the heroes brightened. They fpread over Lena's
heath. The feaft of fhells is prepared. Tho fongsofthe 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 o/Inls-t'.ona, where they
coiitrafted a great fricndfhip 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 fecret hatred againft Ofcar,
and had beforehand contrived to kill him at
the feaft, to which he here invites him.
f He alludes to the battle ci' Ofcar againft
Caros, (■:'-s ofj/x'ps; who is fcppofcd to be
the fame with Caraufius the ufurper.
X Caih-mor, £rcat in iMttJe. 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 himfclf, to be violated. The
brothers form a contraft : we do not deteft
the mean foul of Cairbar more, than we
admire the difinterefled and generous mind
of Cathmor.
II Fingal's army heard the joy that was
in Cairbar's camp. The charafler given
of Ca'.hmor is agreeable to the times. Some,
a ihrou;:h