Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

THE
BATTLE OF LORA
A POEM.
THE ARGUMENT,
f ingal, on his return from Ireland, after he had expelled Swaran from that kingdom, made a feaft
to all his heroes: he forgot to invite Ma-ronnan and Aldo, two chiefs, who had not been along \rith
him on liis exjiedition. Tliey refented his negleil: and went over to Erragoii klngof Sora, a coun-
try of Scandinavia, the declared enemy of Fingal. The valour of Aldo fwn gained him a great ro-
imtation in Sora ; and l.orma the beautiful wife of Erragon fell in love with liim. He fouiid-means
to efcape with her, and to come to Fingal, who refided then in Selma on the weftern coafc. Erra-
gon invaded Scotland, and was flain in battle by Gaul the fon of Morni, after lie had rejei^ed terms
of peace offered him by Fingal. In this war Aldo fell, in a fingle combat, by tht hands of liis rival
Erragon; and the unfortunate Lorma afterwards died of grief.
UON of the diftant knd, wtio dwellell in the fecret cell I
do I hear the founds of thy grove ? or is it the voice of thy
fongs ? The torrent was loud in my ear, but I heard a
tuneful voice ; doit thou praife the chiefs of thy land ;
or the fpirits* of the wind ? But, lonely dweller of the
rocks I look over that heathy plain : thou feed green
tombs, with their rank, whiilling grafs ; with their
ftones of molly heads : thou feeft them, fon of the rock ;
but Offian's eyes have failed.
A mountain ftream comes roaring down and fends its
waters round a green hill : four moify ftones, in the midft
of withered grafs, rear their heads on the top : two trees
which the llorms have bent, fpread their whiltling
branches around. This is thy dwelling, Erragonf; this
thy narrow houfe : the found of thy lliells 4ias been long
forgot in Sora : and thy fliield is become dark in thy hall.
Erragon, kingoffhipsi chief of diftant Sora I how hall
thou fallen on our mountains ? How is the mighty tow ?
Son of the fecret cell I doll: thou dehght in fongs ? Hear
the battle of Lora : the found of its fteel is long iince paft.
So thunder on the darkened hill roars and is no more.
N ij The
* The poet alludes to the religious hymns of the Culdees.
f Erragon, or Ferg-thonn, fignifies the rage of the iva-ves; probably a poetical
name given him by OfTiaii himi'elf ; for he goes 1^ the name of Annir in tradi-
tion.