Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal > Volume 2

6 carthon:
and the blue face of ocean smiled. The white wave
is seen tumbling round the distant rock ; the grey mist
rises slowly from the lake. It came, in the figure of
an aged man, along the silent plain. Its large limbs
did not move in steps, for a gliost supported it in mid
air. It came towards Selma's hail, and dissolved in a
shower of blood.
The king alone beheld the terrible sight, and he fore-
saw the death of the people. He came in silence, to
his hall ; and took his father's spear. The mail rattled
on his breast. The heroes rose around. They looked
in silence on each other, marking the eyes of Fingal.
They saw the battle in his face, the death of armies
on his spear. A thousand shields, at once, are placed
on their arms : and they drew a thousand swords. The
hall of Selma brightened around. The clang of arms
ascends. The grey dogs howl in their place. No
word is among the mighty chiefs. Each marked the
eyes of the king ; and half-assumed his spear.
" Sons of Morven," begun the king, " this is no
time to fill the shell. The battle darkens near us; and
death hovers over the land. Some ghost, the friend of
Fingal, has forewarned us of the foe. The sons of the
stranger come from the dark rolling sea. For, from
the water, came the sign of Morven's gloomy danger.
Let each assume his heavy spear, and gird on his fa-
ther's sword. Let the dark helmet rise on every head;
and the mail pour its lightning from every side. The
battle gathers like a tempest, and soon shall ye hear
the roar of death."
The hero moved on before his host, like a cloud be-
fore a ridge of heaven's fire ; when it pours on the
sky of night, and mariners foresee a storm. On Cona's
rising heath they stood : the white-bosomed maids be-
held them above like a grove, and foresaw the death
of their youths, and looked towai'd the sea with fear.
The white v/ave deceived tiiem lor distant sails, and
the tear is on their cheek. The sun rose on the sea, and
we beheld a distant fleet. LiJ:e the mist of ocean they