Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

116. THE BATTLE OF LORA;
' When fall'n in war my children (lend sh-ilt lie 115
* And none remain in Selma's halls to dwrll :
* Then, will the' feeble sons of weakness come,
* My silent tomb unable to discern.
* But my renown shall flourish in the sonj^,
' And like the shadowy visions of a dream, 120
* My deeds in war to future times shall be.'
'Round Erragon straight (as round a gliost of night,
The storms collect, when he from Morven's top
Them summons, and upon the stranger's land
Prepares to pour them), all his forces crowd. — 12S
To Cona's shore he came ; and to the king
Dismiss'd his bard, in challenge to demand
The fight of thousands, or, the land of hills.
Encircled by th' associates of his youth
ringal sat in his hall ; whilst distant far 13)
The younger heroes in the desert wastes
The chase pursu'd. The grey-hair'd chiefs discours'd
Of other times, and actions of their youth ;
When aged Narthmor, streamy Lora's king,
Th'' approach of Erragon, loud, announcing came. 135-.
* The songs of other years,' begun the chief,
* This is no time to hear :— upon the coast
' Dark Erragon frowns and lifts ten thousand swords.
* Among his chiefs a gloom pervades the king,
* His countenance is like the darken'd moon, Mfll
* Amidst the meteor's blaze in time of night !'
* Come from thy Irdl,' said the Morvenian chief,
* Thx)U d:iughter of my love: Bosmina, come,
* Thou maid of streamy Morven, from thy hall J
< The stranger's steeds in haste, O Narthmor, tike, 1-1>
* And on the daughter of Fingal attend.