Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

298 The Poems of Ossian.
ship, far from the love of Corlo. For he, like the
thunder of the desert, is terrible to Inibaca. He
loves me in the gloom of pride. He shakes ten
thousand spears I' — 'Rest thou in peace,' said the
mighty Trenmor, * rest behind the shield of my
fathers. I will not fly from the chief, though he
shakes ten thousand spears.' Three days he waited
on the shore. He sent his horn abroad. He called
Corlo to battle, from all his echoing hills. But
Corlo came not to battle. The king of Lochlin
descends from his hall. He feasted on the roaring
shore. He gave the maid to Trenmior !"
"King of Lochlin," said Fingal, "thy blood
flows in the veins of thy foe. Our fathers met in
battle, because they loved the strife of spears. But
often did they feast in the hall ; and send round
the joy of the shell. Let thy face brighten with
gladness, and tliine ear delight in the harp. Dread-
ful as the storm of tliine ocean, thou hast poured
thy valour forth ; thy voice has been like the voice
of thousands when they engage in war. Raise, to-
morrow, raise thy white sails to the wind, thou
brother of Agandecca ! Bright as the beam of
noon, she comes on my mournful soul. I have
seen thy tears for the fair one. I spared thee in
the halls of Starno ; when my sword was red with
slaughter; when my eye was full of tears for the
maid. Or dost thou choose the fight ? The combat
which thy fathers gave to Trenmor is thine ; that
thou mayest depart renowned, like the sun setting in
the west !"
" King of the race of Morven 1" said the chief of
resounding Lochlin, " never will Swaran fight with
thee, first of a thousand heroes ! I have seen thee
in the halls of Starno : few were thy years beyond
my own. When shall I, I said to my soul, lift the
spear like the noble Fingal? We have fought
heretofore, O warrior, on the side of the shaggy
Malmor ; after my waves had carried me to thy