Ossian Collection > Fingal, an ancient epic poem

i8o D A R T H U L A:
And let them lift ten thoufand fvvords, faid
Nathos with a fmile. The fons of car-borne Ufnoth
will never tremble in danger. Why deft thou roll
with all thy foam, thou roaring fea of UUin ? Why
do ye ruftle on your dark wings, ye whirling tem-
pefts of the fky ? — Do ye think, ye ftorms, that ye
keepNathos on the coaft? No : his foul detains him,
children of the night ! — Althos bring my father's
arms : thou feeft them beaming to the ftars. Bring the
fpearof Semo *, it ftands in the dark-bofomed fhip.
He brought the arms. Nathos clothed his
limbs in all the fhining fleel. The (Iride
of ihe chief is lovely : the joy of his eyes terrible.
He looks towards the coming of Cairbar. The
wind is ruftling in his hair. Darthula is filent at his
fide : her look is fixed on the chief. She ftrives to
hide the rifing iigh, and two tears fwell in her eyes..
Althos ! laid the chief of Etha, I fee a cavQ
in that rock. Place Darthula there : aiid let thy
arm he flrong. Ardan ! we meet the foe, and call
to battle gloomy Cairbar. O that he came in his^
ibundino ftecl, to meet the fon of Ufnoth ! — Dar-
thula ! if thou fhalt efcape, look not on the fallea
Nathos. Lift thy faiFs, O. Althos, towards the,
ccchoing groves of Ethav
Tell to the chief f, that his fon fell with fame ;
that my fword did not fnun the battle. Tell him-^
1 fell in the midH: of thoufand-, and let the joy of
his grief be great. Daughter of Col la ! call the
maids to Etha's ecchoing hall. Let their fongs arife
* Serao was grandfather to Nathos by the mother*s
fide. The fpear mentioned here was given to Uraoth,
•n his in?,rriage, it being the cufloin then for the father of
the kdy lO.give his arms to his fon in-law. The ceremony
ukd upon thefe occalions is mentioned in other poems.
t Ulhoih.