Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

64 Critical Dissertation
wars and victories ; and at the same time an emi-
nent scalder or poet. It was his misfortime to
fall at last into the hands of one of his enemies, by
whom he was thrown into prison and condemned
to be destroyed by serpents. In this situation he
solaced himself with rehearsing all the exploits of
his life. The poem is divided into twenty-nine
stanzas, of ten lines each ; and every stanza begins
with these words, Pugnavimus ensibus. We have
fought with our swords. Olaus's version is in
many places so obscure as to be hardly intelligible.
I have subjoined the whole below, exactly as he
has published it,* and shall translate as much as
may give the English reader an idea of the spirit
and strain of this kind of poetry.
" We have fought with our swords. I was
young, when, towards the east, in the bay of
Oreon, we made torrents of blood flow, to gorge
the ravenous beasts of prey, and the yellow-footed
bird. There resounded the hard steel upon the
lofty helmets of men. The whole ocean was one
wound. The crow waded in the blood of the slain.
When we had numbered twenty years, we lifted
our spears on high, and everywhere spread our
renown. Eight barons we overcame in the east,
before the port of Diminum ; and plentifully we
feasted the eagle in that slaughter. The warm
stream of wounds ran into the ocean. The army
fell before us. When we steered our ships into
the mouth of the Vistula, we sent the Helsingians
to the hall of Odin. Then did the sword bite.
The waters were all one wound. The earth was
dyed red with the warm stream. The sword rung
upon the coats of mail, and clove the bucklers in
twain. None fled on that day, till among his ships
Heraudus fell. Than him no braver baron cleaves
the sea with ships ; a cheerful heart did he ever
bring to the combat. Then the host threw away
* See Note at the end of the Dissertation.