Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

THE POEMS OF OSSIAN
BOOK V.
ARGl'MENT.
The poet, after a short address to the harp of Cona, de-
scribes the arrangement of both armies on either side of
the river Lubar. Fingal gives the command to Fillan ;
but, at the same time, orders Gaul, the son of Morni.
who had been wounded in the hand in the preceding
battle, to assist him with his (•oun^el. The arm of the
Fir-bol2r is commanded bv Foldarh. The general onset
is described. Tlie great actions of Fillan. He kills
Rothmar and Cuhnin. But when Fillan conqu«rs in
one wing, Foldath, presses hard on the otl-.er. He
wounds Dermid, the sim of Duthno, and puts the whol«
wing to flight. Dermid d.->lib(;ratfs with himself, and.
at last, resolves to jmt a stop to the progress of Foldath.
by engaging him in single combat. When the tw,»
chiefs were approaching towards one another, Fillan
came suddenly to the relief of Dermid ; engatred Fol-
dath, and killed him. The behaviour of MaUhos to-
wards the fallen Foldath. Fillan puts the whole army
of the Fir-bolg to flit^ht. 7 he book .-loses with an adar<>8b
to Clatl.o, the mother of that hero.
Thoit dweller between the shields that hang
on high, in Ossian's hall ! Desceiid from thy
place, O harp, and let me hear thy voice ! Son
of Alpin, strike the string. Thou must awake
the soul of the bard. The murmur of Lora's
stream has rolled the tale away. I stand in the
cloud of years. Few are its openings toward the
past ; and when the vision comes, it is but dim
und dark. 1 hear thee, harp of Selma! my souJ
returns, like a breeze, which the sun brings back
to the vale, where dwelt the lazy mist.
Lubar is bright before me in the windings of
its vale. On either side, on their hills, arise the
tall forms of the kings. Their people are poured
around them, bending forward to their words .
as if their fathers spoke, descending from the
winds. But they themselves are like two rocks
in the midst ; each with its dark head of pines,
when they are seen in the desert, above low-saii-