Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

TEMOUA. 43T
his locks. He beholds the wide rolling of Erin.
Does not Carril behold that tomb, beside the
roaring stream ? Three stones lift their gray
heads, beneath a bending oak. A king is lowly
laid ! Give thou his soul to the wind. He is
the brother of Cathmor ! Open his airy hall !
Let thy song be a stream of joy to Cairbar's
darkened ghost !'
BOOK HI.
ARGUMENT.
Morning coming on, Fingal, after a speech to his people,
devolves the command on Gaul, the son of Morni ; k
being the custom of the times, that the king should not
engage, till the necessity of affairs required his superior
valour and conduct. The king and Os&iau retire to the
hiil of Cormul, which overlooked the field of battle.
The bards sing the war-song. The general conflict is
described. Gaul, the son of Morni, distinguishes him-
self; kills Tur-lathon, chief of Moruth, and other chiefs
oflessername. On the other hand, Foldath, who com-
manded the Irish army (for Cathmor, after the examp.'e
of Fingal, kept liinistlf from tattle), fights gallantly; kills
Conna'l, chief of Dun-ior.i, and advances to engage Gaul
himself. Gaul, in ti'.e mean time, being wounded in
the hand, by a random arrow, is covered by Fillan the
son of Fingal, who performs prodigies of valour. Night
comes on. The horn of Fingal recals his army. The
bards meet them, with a congratulatory song, in which the
praises of Gaul and Fillan are particularly celebrated.
The chiefs sit down at a feast ; Fingal misses Connal.
The episode of Connal and Duth-caron is introduced ;
which throws farther light on the ancient history of Ire-
land. Carril is dispatched to raise the tomb of Connal.
The action of this book takes up the second day from
the opening of the poem.
' Who is that at blue-strearaing Lubar ? Who,
by the bending hill of roes ? Tall he leans on
an oak torn from high, by nightly \\inds.
Who but Comhal's son, brightening in the last
of his fields ? His gray hair is on the breeze.
He half-in-.sheaths the sword of Luno. His
eyes are tinned to Moiiena, to the daik movii>s