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

Book I. AN EPIC POEM. 107
glitters as he moves. I fled from his terrible evcs»
king of high Temora."
.' "Then fly, thou feeble man," said Foldath in gloo.-
my wrath. " Fly to tlie grey streams of thy land, son
of the little soul ? Have not I seen that Oscar ? I l-veheI4
the chief in war. Ke is of the mighty in danger; but
tliere are others who lift the spear. Erin has many sons
as brave, king of Temora of Groves ! Let Fuldath
raect him in the strength of his course, and stop this
mighty streaip. My spear is covered with the blood of
the valiant ; my shield is like the wall of Tura.
" Shall Foldath = alone meet the foe r" replied the
dark-browed Malthos. " Are they not nunierous on
our coast, like the waters of many streams ? Are not
these die chiels who vanquished S\\ aran, when tlie sons
of Erin fled ? And shall Foldath meet their bravest he-
roes ? Foldath of the heart of pride ! take the strength
of the people ; and let Malthos come. My sword is
red with slaughter, but who has heard my uordsf?"
" Sons of green Erin," said Flidailag, "' let not Fin-
gal hear your words. The foe might rejoice, and his
arm be strong in die land. Ye are brave, O v/arriors 1
and Uke the stqrms of the desert ; they meet the rocks
.widiout fear, and overturn the woods. But let us move
in our strength, slow as a gathered cloud. Then shall
the mighty tremble ; the spear shall fall from the hand
of die valiant. We see the cloud of death, they will
gay, while shadows fly over their face. Fingal will
mourn in his age, and see his fl^nng fame. The steps
of his chiefs will cease in jNIorven ; die moss of years
ghall grow in Sclma."
e The oppoMte Characters of Foldath and Malthos are strongly
marked in sub.-.equ<;nt parts of tht puem. Tliey appear always in
cpposuion. The feuds between their farrHlies, which were the
iourte of their hatred to une another, are mentioned in other poems.
f That is, Who has he^.rd niy vaunting? He incciuls the expres-
sion jK a rebuke to the self-praise of Foliiath.
g Hidailaw.-stliechief of Cioiua, aimalldistrictonthebanksof
the lake of Lego, The btauty of his peraen,lsi, clj^iicace, afd "e-
piui fcr po;:r/ are 3/'.e;r/ardo u\zr:U'jTX'^