Ossian Collection > Fingal

viii ADISSERTATION concerning the
In the year 2 10 the emperor Severus, after returning from his ex-
peditions againft the Caledonians, at York fell into the tedious ill-
iiefs of wliicli he afterwards died. The Caledonians and Maiata?,
refuming courage from his indifpofition, took arms in order to re-
cover the polfeffions they had loll. The enraged emperor com-
manded his army to march into their country, and to deftroy it with
fire and fword. His orders were but ill executed, for his fon, Ca-
racalla, was at the head of the army, and his thoughts were entirely
taken up with the hopes of his father's death, and with fchemes to
fupplant his brother Geta. — He fcarcely had entered the enemy's
country, when news was brought him that Severus was dead. — A
fudden peace is patched up with the Caledonians, and, as it appears
from Dion Caffius, the country they had loll: to Severus was re-
fiiored to them.
The Caracul of Fingal is no other than Caracalla, who, as the
fon of Severus, the Emperor of Rome, whofe dominions were ex-
tended almoft over the known world, was not without reafon called
in the poems of Offian, the Son of the King of the World. The
fpace of time between 211, the year Severus died, and the begin-
ning of the fourth century, is not fo great, but OfTian the fon of
Fingal, might have feen the Chrirtians whom the perfe; "tion under
Dioclefian had driven beyond the pale of the Roman e-:pire.
OssiANjinone of his many lamentations on thedc.uh of his beloved
fon Ofcar, mentions among his great adions, a batde which he fought
Car-avon, againft Caros, king of fliips, on the banko of' the winding Carun.
wr "^ '^'" ^^ ^^ more than probable, that the Caros mentioned here, is the fime
with the noted ufurper Caraufius, who alTumed the purple in the
year 287, and feizing on Britain, defeated the emperor M;ximian
Herculius, in feveral naval engagenaents, which gives propriety to
his