Ossian Collection > Fingal, an ancient epic poem

124 'Hie BATTLE of LORA:
Err AG ON brightened in her prefence as a rock,
before the fudden beams of the fun ; when they
iflue from a broken cloud, divided by the roar-
ing wind.
Son of the diftant Sora, begun the mildly
blufhing maid, come to the feaft of Morven's
king, to Selma's fhaded walls. Take the peace
of heroes, O warrior, and let the dark fword reft
by thy fide. — And if thou chufeft the wealth of
kings, hear the words of the generous Aldo. —
He gives to Erragon an hundred fteeds, the chil-
dren of the rein ; an hundred maids from diftant
lands ; an hundred hawks with fluttering wing,
that fly acrofs the fky. An hundred girdles I fhall
alfo be thine, to bind high-bofomed women ; the
friends of the births of heroes, and the cure of
the fons of toil. — Ten fhells ftudded with gems
Ihall fhine in Sora's towers: the blue water
trembles on their ftars, and feems to be fparkling
wine.' — They gladdened once the kings of the
world *, in the midft of their ecchoing halls.
Thefe, O hero, fhall be thine ; or thy white-
bofomed fpoufe. — Lorma fhall roll her bright eyes
in thy halls ; though Fingal loves the generous
% Sandified girdles, till very lately, were kept in
many families in the north of b'cotland ; they were bound
about women in labour, and were fuppofed to alleviate
their pains, and to accelerate the birth. They were
impreiTed with feveral myftical figures, and the ceremony
of binding them about the won^.an's wairt, was accom-
panied with words and geftures which (hewed thecudora
to have come originally from the drulds.
* The Roman emperors. Thefe (hells were fome of
the fpoik of the province.
Aldo :