Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

96 FIN GAL. [Book VI.
* To summon Corla from his sounding hills
* To meet in combat : but no answer came. 135
* Then, down the stormy king of LochHn came,
* Upon the roaring shore to hold his feast ;
* And gave to Trenmor the white-bosom'd maid.'
'Twas then Fingal to Lochlin's king begun :
* Within the veins of thy contending foe, 140
* O king of Lochlin, flows thy native blood.
* With mutual ardour fir'd for strife of spears,
* Our fam'Hes met. — But often in the hall
* They feasted, and sent round the joy of shells.
* Let gladness brighten on thy clouded face, 145
* And harps symphonious greet thy ravish'd ears.
* With dreadful force, as rolls thy stormy main,
* Forth rush'd thy valour ; when thy thund'ring voice,
* Loud as the voice of thousands in the fight,
* Gave echoing roar. To-morrow to the wind 150
* O Agandecca's brother, raise thy sails.
* When her I mention, on my mojirnful soul
* Bright as the beam of noon she comes ! Thy tears
* For that fair beauty I beheld, and spar'd
* In Starno's halls thy life; when my bright steel 155
* With slaughter redden'd, and my feeling eye
* Shed tears of pity for the hapless maid !
* Or rather, if to fight thou still incline,
* To thee the choice of combat I propose,
* Free as to Trenmor thy forefathers gave : 160
* That thy departure glorious fame may crown,
* As beams the setting sun upon the west.'
Then said the king of Lochlin's roaring waves:
' Never with thee, O king of Morven's race,
* Who lead'st a thousand heroes in thy train, 163
* Will Swaran fight. In Sturno's sounding halls