Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

66 FINGAL. [Book IV.
* Shriek howling, and death's meteors have I seen.
* The king of Morven, who in danger smiles,
* Permit me to awake. For he is like 105
* The sun of heaven that rises in the storm.'
Fingal had started from a dream of night.
And lean'd majestic on great Trenmor's shield—
The dark-brown shield by his forefathers worn,
In ancient battles of their stormy race, 110
Our hero in his slumbers had beheld
The mournful Agendecca's shady form ;—
She from the eddying, roaring ocean came.
And over Lena slowly, lonely mov'd.
Pale, as the mist of Cromla, was her face; 115
And dark appear'd the tears upon her cheek.
She from her robe oft' rais'd her lurid hand :
Her robe, which was of desert-clouds compos'd: ,
Her lurid hand she rais'd above Fingal,
And then her silent eyes away she turn'd. 120
* Why weeps fair Starno's daughter,' said Fingal,
With a deep sigh ? * Why is thy face so pale,
* Thou airy daughter of the shadowy clouds ?'
Aloft on Lena's wind she wing'd her way,
And left him in the dusky shades of night. 123
The chiefs, which by Fingal e'er long must fall.
Sons of her people, she distressful mourn'd. —
From rest the hero started and beheld,
In form express, the phantom in his soul.
'Twas then the sound of Oscar's steps drew near ; 130
And on his stately side the dusky shield
The king beheld. For, glimm'ring rays of morn
O'er UUin's rolling waters faintly shone.