Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

Book V. ANEPICPOEM. 255
forth no death. When the haughty appeared, I beheld
them not. They were forgot at my feaits : hke mift they
melted away. A young beam is before you : few are his
paths to war. They are few, but he is valiant : defend
my dark-haired fon. Bring him back with joy : Here-
after he may Hand alone. His form is like his fathers :
his foul is a flame of their lire. Son of car-borne Morni,
move behind the fon ofClatho : let thy voice reach his '
ear, from the Ikirts of war. Not unobferved rolls battle,
before thee, breaker of the Ihields."
• The king rtrode, at once, away to Cormul's lofty rock.
As, How, I lifted my fteps behind ; came forward the
llrength of Gaul. His fhield hung loofe on its thong; he
fpoke, in hafte, to Offian. " Bind*, fon of Fingal, this
fhield, bind it high to the lide of Gaul. The foe may
behold it, and think I left the fpear. If I fhall fall, let
my tomb be hid in the field ; for fall I mull without my
fame : mine arm cannot lift the ftecl. Let not Evir-cho-
ma hear it, to blufh between her locks. Fillan the migh-
ty behold us ; let us not forget the llrife. Why fhould
they come, from their hills, to aid our flying field ?"
He Itrode onward, with the found of his fliield. My
voice purfued him, as he went. " Can the fon of Morni
fall v/ithout his fame in Erin ? But the deeds of the migh-
ty forfake their fouls of fire. They rufii carelefs over the
fields of renown : their words are never heard." I rejoi-
ced over the fl:eps of the chief: I fl:rode to the rock of the
king, where he fat in his wandering locks, amidit the
mountain-wind.
In two dark ridges bend the hofts, towards each other,
at Lubar. Here Foldath rofe a pillar of darknefs : there
brightened the youth of Fillan. Each, with his fpsar in
the fiream, lent forth the voice of war. Gaul ftruck the
fliield of Morven : at once they plunge in battle. Steel
poured its gleam on Heel : like the fall of fireams flione
the field, v/hen they mix their foam together, from two
dard-browed rocks. Behold he comes the fon of fimie :
he lays the people low! Deaths fit on blafts around him I
Warriors ilrew thy paths, O Fillan !
Rothraar
*■ It is neceffary to remember, that Gaul was v.-Minded; which ocxafions his re-
qiiirrng here the a!iillan«ie of Oiuan to bind his Ihield on his lide.