Ossian Collection > Fingal, an ancient epic poem

A P O E M. 159
CucHULLiN rofe before the bard*, that came
from generous Torlath ; he offered him the fhell
of joy, and honoured the Ton 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 Ton of Cantela f ?
He comes to thy battle, replied the bard, to the
founding ftrife of fpears. — When morning Is gray
on Lego, Torlath will fight on the plain: and
wilt thou meet him, in thine arms, king of the
ifleofmift? Terrible is the fpear of Torlath I it
is a meteor of night. He lifts it, and the people
fall : death fits in the lightning of his fword.
Do I fear, replied Cuchullin, the fpear of car-
borne Torlath ? He is brave as a thoufand heroes ;
but my foul delight* in war. The fword refts not
by the fide of CuchuUin, bard of the times of old !
Morning fhall meet me on the plain, and gleam
on the blue arms of Semo's fon. — But fit thou,
on the heath, O bard ! and let us hear thy voice :
partake of the joyful fiiell ; and hear the fongs of
Temora.
This is no time, replied the bard, t# hear the
fong of joy ; when the mighty are to meet in
battle like the ftrength of the waves of Lego.
* The bards were the heralds of ancient times j and
their perfons were facred on account of their office. In
later times they abufed that privilege ; and as their per-
fons were inviolable, they fatyrifed and lampooned fo
freely thofe who v^ere not liked by their patrons, that
they became a public nuifance. Screened under the cha-
r&tter of heralds, they grofly abufed the enemy when he
would not accept the terms they offered.
f Cean teola', head of a family.
Why