Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

206 THE POEMS OF OSSIAN.
the chiefs led by turns, in war, till mighty danger
rose : then was the hour of the king to conquer
in the field.
' Not unknown,' said Cronama-glas of shields
' are the deeds of our fathers. But who shall
now lead the war before the race of kings ?
Mist settles on these four dark hills : within it
let each warrior strike his shield. Spirits may
descend in darkness, and mark us for the war.'
They went each to his hill of mist. Bards
marked the sounds of the shields. Loudest
rung thy boss, Duth-maruno. Thou must lead
in war !
Like the murmurs of waters the race of U-
thorno came down. Starno led the battle, and
Swaran of stormy isles. They looked forward
from iron shields, like Cruth-loda, fiery eyed,
when he looks from behind the darkened moon,
and strews his signs on night. The foes met
by Turthor's stream. They heaved like ridgy
waves. Their echoing strokes are mixed. Sha-
dowy death flies over the hosts. They were
clouds of hail with squally winds in their skirts.
Their showers are roaring together. Below
them swells the dark-rolling deep.
Strife of gloomy U-thorno, why should I
mark thy wounds ? Thou art with the years
that are gone ; thou fadest on my soul !
Starno brought forward his skirt of war, and
Swaran his own dark wing. Nor a harmless
fire is Duthmaruno's sword. Lochlin is rolled
over her streams. The wrathful kings are lost
in thought. They roll their silent eyes over the
flight of their land. The horn of Fingal was
heard ; the sons of woody Albion returned.
But many lay, by Turthor's stream, silent in
their blood.
' Chief of Crathmo,' said the king, * Duth-
maruno, hunter of boars ! not harmless returns