Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian > Volume 3

A POEM. 1J7
" And let them lift ten thousand swords," said
Nathos with a smile. " The sons of car-borne
Usnoth will never tremble in danger ! Why dost
thou roll with all thy foam, thou roaring sea of
Erin ? Why do ye rustic, on your dark wings,
ye whistling storms of the sky ? Do ye think, ye
storms, that ye keep Nathos on the coast ? No :
his soul detains him, children of the night ! Al-
thos ! bi'ing my father's arms : thou seest them
beaming to the stars. Bring the spear of Serao *.
It stands in the dark-bosomed ship !"
He brought the arms. Nathos covered his
limbs, in all their shining steel. The stride of
the chief is lovely. The joy of his eyes was ter-
rible. He looks towards the coming of Cairbar.
The wind is rustling in his hair. Dar-thula is
silent at his side. Her look i-s fixed on the chief.
She strives to hide the rising sigh. Two tears
swell in her radiant eyes 1
" Althos ! " said the chief of Etha, " I see
a cave in that rock. Place Dar-thula there.
Let thy arm, my broliicr, be strong. Ardan !
* Semo was grand-father to Nathos by the mollier's
side. The spear mentioned here was given to Usnotti
on his marriage, it being the custom then for the father
of the lady to give his arms to his sou-in-luw.