Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

F I N G A L:
AN ANCIENT EPIC POEM.
^h: ghost of Crugal, one of the Irish heroes luho luas killed in hattle, appearing to Con~
nalyforetsls the defat nf CitchulUn in the next battle; and earnestly ad-uises him 1o male
peace ivitb Sivaran. Connal commtinicates the vision ; but Cuchullin is inflexible ; fro/.i
a principle of honour he -would not he the f.rst to sue for peace, and he resolved to con-
tinue the tear. Morning comes; Szuaran proposes dishonourable terms to Cuchullin,
ivhich are rejeBed. The battle begins, and is obstinately fought for some lime, until,
vpon the fight of Crumal, the "whole Irish army gave -way. Cuchullin and Cmnal -co-
•ver their retreat: Carril leads them to a neighbouring hill, ivhither they are soon fol-
loiucd by Cuchullin himself, -who descries the feet of Fingal mating to-wards the coxisti
but, night coming on, he lost sight of it again. Cuchnllin, dejefied after /lis defeat, at-
tributes his ill success to the death of Ferda his friend, -whom he had hilled seme tims
before. Carril, to sheiu that ill success did not alivays attend those ivho innocently /M-
lid their friends, introduces the episode of Comal and Galvjna.
BOOK 11.
V^ONNAL* lay by the sound of the mountain stream, beneath,
the aged tree. A stone, with its moss, supported his head. Shriii
tlu-o'
* The scene of Connal's repose is familiar to those who have been in the High-
lands of Scotland. The poet removes him to a distance from the army, to add
more horror to the description of Crugal's ghost by the loneliness of the place. It
perhaps will not be disr.greeable to the reader, to see how two other ancient poets
handled a similar subje6t.
When lo ! the shade, before his closing eyes,
Of sad Patroclus rose or seem'd to rise,
In the same robe he living wore, he came
In stature, voice, and pleasing look the same.
The form familiar hover'd o'er his head,
And sleeps Achilles thus.' the phantom said. Fcpe-,
When Hedor's ghost before my «ight appears:
A bloody shroud he seem'd, an.d bath'd in tears.
Such as he was, when, by Pelides slain,
T'hessalian coursers drag'd him o'er the plain.
Swoln were his feet, as when the thongs wrte thrusc
Through the bor'd holes, his body black with dust.
Unlike that Heflor, who return'd from toiis
Of war triumphant, in j^acian spoils:
Or him, wlw made the fainting Greeks retire,
Aiid launch'd against their nav}' Phi ygiiui lire.
His hair and beard stood stiffen'd with his gcii;;
And all tlie -kvouuds be for Jiis country Lore, i^-ui.-^,