Ossian Collection > Fingal, an ancient epic poem

114 The WAR of INIS-THONA:
Three days they feafied together; on the
fourth Annir heard the name of Ofcap. — They
rejoiced in the Ihell * ; and purfued the boars of
Runa.
Beside the fount of moiTy flones, the weary
heroes reft. The tear fteals In fecret from Annir :
and he broke the rifing figh. — Here darkly reft,
the hero faid, the children of my youth. — This
ftone is the tomb of Ruro : that tree founds over
the grave of Argon. Do ye hear my voice, O
my fons, within your narrow houfe } Or do ye
fpeak in thefe ruftling leaves, when the winds of
the defart rife ?
King of Inis-thona, faid Ofcar, how fell the
children of youth ? The wild boar often ruftiea o-
ver their tombs, but he does not difturb the hun-
ters. They purfue deer f formed of clouds, and
bend their airy bow. — They ftill love the fport of
their youth ; and mount the wind with joy.
CORMALO,
* To re'oice in the fJ.^ell is a phrafe for feafting fump-
tuouflv and drinking freely. I have obferved in a preced-
ing note, that the ancient Scots drank in ftiells.
f The notion of Olfian concerning the ftate of the
deceafed, was the fame with that of the ancient Greeks
and Romans. They imagined that the fouls purfued, in
their feparate ftate, the employments and pleafures of
their former life.
Art?ia procuU currufque 'virum miratiir inanes.
Staut terra dejixa- baftce, pnjfimque foluti
Per cavipum pafcuntur equi, quae gratia curruum
Armorumque fuit "ji'vis ; quce cum nitentes
Pajcere equos, endem fequitur tellure repofios.
Virgil.
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