Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal > Volume 1

Kl A CTlITICAL DISSF.RTATION
rit^inal. A more curious monmntnt of the true Go-
thic poetry is preferved by Olaus Wormius in his book
de Literatura Punica. It Is an Epicediuni, or funeral
fcng, compofed by Rcgner Lodbrog ; and tranflated by
Glaus, word for word, from the original. This Lod-
brog was a king of De.nmark, M'ho lived in the eighth
renti7ry, fsmous for his wars and vi<5lories ; and at the
fame time an eminent Scalder or poet. It was his mis-
fortune to fall at lail into the hands of one of his ene-
mies, by whom he was throv/n into prifon, and con-
demned to be deftroyed by ferpents. In this fituation
he folaced liimfelf with rehearfing all the exploits of
his life. The poem is divided into twenty-nine flanzas,
of ten lines each ; and every ftanza begins v/itlt thefe
words, Pugnavimus Enfibus, " We have fought with,
oiu* fwords." Olaus's verfion is In many places fo ob-
fcure as to be hardly intelligible. I have Subjoined the
\\ hole below, exactly as he lias published It ; arid fhall
tranflate as ranch as may give the Engliih reader an i-
dea of tlie fpirit and llraln of this kind of poetry |.
rugmavimn? Enfibus PiiKUSe faifla copia
liauii poftloaguir. tt nipus Cum ilsifinpianos pollulavimus
Cuiiiii) i;olU]ifii:i acccffimu* AC ai;lam Odini
Ad ferpentis itrmenri necem Naves direxinius in oftiuni Viflulse
Tunc icipctravir.iLiThoram \!ucri> potuit tiim moidere
Ex hoc vjicarunt nu- viruA Omiiiserat vulnus iinda
Q^Kid »"crpen«em tiansfoiH T cna ruL'Ct'aiflaCalido
Hirfutan. tiractain <.b i'lum cedcm Frerd'hat pladiiis in loricas
Cufpide irtnm intuli in nilubrum Cladius findcbat Clypcos.
Ferro luciUorum ftupendici'um. S.
?,. fmns Mcniina ncminem tunc fugifl*
Kultvi". ■ !. ;^ ; • - io arQuiiivi- I'riufquani iu navibi'S
rriiiM ;i . ! 1 fielo Keraudua in belio caderet
Vulner ,• . i^..; Nun fini'iit navibus
Kt Ha' :; Alius baro pracllaiitior
Acccpin- I .r ' 1 ■. ^n.iit Marc ad portnm
Ad f«hi;i'U-w jra:< :.s In navibus longis poft ilUim
nura fe-ra tr.arnanvercBm Sic attulit princcps paflini
Omuls cratoccanus vulnus Alacre in belium ccr.
Vadavit oirvus in fanh'uine Cxfbrum. 6.
3. Exerchus abjocit Clypeos
Alte fuliinustune t inceas Cum haftn vulavit
<> lanrio vifiinti aniu.s ;Kinieravinnu« Aidua ad vii-oium i>eftor»
F.t celebrem Uudcin tumparavinius pnf- Jtivmordit SiMilorum cauiti
Vicimus fiPo bariincs tftm Oladiiis in puRiia
In orientc ante Diinini porfum Sii.Ruincus crat Clypcuf
c rufricicntem Antoquam Rafiio rtx cai!'r«-
CiUiuu&in luiica^(u4ur.