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

A ror.rj. 81
Kuath ! the death of CuthaPs chief darkens before me '
or Morni's son shall fail. Oithona ! when Gaul is low>
raise my tomb on the oozy rock ; and when tlie dark-
bounding ship shall pass, call the sons of the sea ; call
them and give this sword, that they may carry it to
Morni's hall ; that the grey-haired hero may cea?e to
look towards the desert for the return of his son."
" And shall the daughter of Nuathlive ?" she replied
with a bursting sigh. " Shall I live in Tromathon, and
the son of Morni low ? My heajt is not of that rock ;
nor my soul careless as that sea, which lifts its blue
wares to every wind, and rolls beneath the storm. The
blast which shall lay thee lovv', skill spread the brarxhes^
of Oithona on earth. We ^hall wither together, son of
car-borne Morni ! The narrow house is pleasant to me,
and the grey stone of the dead : for never more will j
leave thy rocks, sea-surrounded Tromathon! Night d
came on with her clouds, after the departure of Lath-
mon, when he went to the v/ars of his fathers, to the
moss-covered rock of Duthormoth ; night came on,
and I sat in the hall, at the beam of the oak. The
%vind was abroad in the trees. I heard the sound of
arms. Joy rose in my face ; for I tliought of thy re-
turn. It v/as the chief of Cuthal, the red-haired strength
T)f Dunrommath. His eyes rolled in fire : the blood of
my people was on his svv'ord. They who defended
Oithona fell by the gloomy chief. What could I do?
My arm was weak ; it could not lift the spear. He
took me in my grief, amidst my tears he raised the sail.
He feared the returning sti-ength of Lathmon, the bro-
ther of unhappy Oithona. But behold, he comes with
his people ! the dark wave is divided before him I
Whither wilt thou turn thy steps, son of Morni ? Ma-
ny are the warriors of Dunrommath !"
" My steps never turned from battle," replied the
hero as he unsheathed his sword ; " and shall I begin to
fear, Oithona, when thy foes are neaj" ? Go to thy cave,
4 Oithona relates hew she was carried away by Dunrommath.