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

Book III. A^i EPIC POEM. IS7
On his spcnr staod the son of Clatho m in the wan-
dering of his locks. Thrice he raised his eyes to Fin-
gid : his voice thrice fidied Jiim, as he spoke. Filka
could not boast of battles ; at once he strode away.
Bent over a distant stream he stood : tlie tear hung in
lii- eye. He struck, at times, the thistle's head, with
his inverted spear.
Nor is he unseen of Fingal. Sidelong he beheld his
son. He beheld him, with bursting joy ; and turned,
amidst his crov/ded soul. In silence turned the king
towards Mora of woods. He hid the big tear with his
locks. _ At iengtli his voic6 is heard.
" First of the sons of Morni ; thou rock that defiest
the storm ! Lead thou my battle, for the rs.ce of low-
laid Cormac. No boy's staff is thy spear : no harm-
less beam of light thy sword. Son of Morni of steeds,
behold the foe ; destroy. Fiilan, observe the chief:
he is not calm in strife : nor burns he, heedless, in bat-
tle : my son, observe the king. He is strong as Lubar'i
stream, but never foams and roars. High on cloudy
Mora, Fingal shall behold the war. Stand, Ossian □,
near thy father, by the falling stream. Raise the voice,
O bards ! Morven, move beneath the sound. It is nay
latter field ; clothe it over with light."
As die sudden rising of winds, or distant rolling of
locks of mist spread on tlie winds? Mixed with the noise of strea;iis, .
ivhy rkes the voice of Gaul ?
Gaul. My foes are around me, Morni ; tUeir dark ships descend
<TOin their waves. Give the sword of Strumon, that beam whitli
H;ou hidestin tiiy night.
Moriii, Take the sword of resounding Strumon j I look on thy
war. my son ; I look, a dim meteor, from my cloud j blue-sliii^ldeil
Gajl, destroy."
m Cla'.ho was the d.-iutriifer of Catliulla, king of Inistore. Fingal,
in one of his expeditiiirs to that island, fell in love with Clatho. and
too< her to wife, after the death of Ros-craua, Uk daughter of Cor-
ing', kijig of Ireland.
Clatho was tlie mother rf Ryno, Filian, and Bosmina, mentioned
in the battle of Lora. Filian is often called the son of Clatho, tt>
distinguish him from those sons which Fingal had by Roscrana.
II Ullin being sent to Moxven with the body of Oscar, Os»ian a*;*
tgndi his fatiicr, in quality of chief bard.
M 3