Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

T E M R A.
bravest heroes ? Foldath of the heart of pride ! take the strengtli
of the people and let Malthos come. My sword is red with
slaughter, but who has heard my words ?"*
" Sons of green Erin," said Hidalla,-)- " let not Fingal hear
your words. The foe might rejoice, and his arm be strong in the
land. Ye are brave, O warriors, and like the storms of the de-
sert ; they meet the rocks without 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 the
valiant. We see the cloud of death, they will say, while sha-
dows fiy over their face. Fingal will mourn in his age, and see
his flying flame. The steps of his chiefs will cease in Morven :
the moss of years shall grow in Selma."
Cairbar heard their words, in siicnce, like the cloud of a shower :
it stands dark on Cromla, till the lightning bursts its sides : the
valley gleams with red light ; the spirits of the storm rejoice. So
stood the silent king of Temora j at length his words are heard.
*' Spread the feast on Moi-lena : let my hundred bards attend.
Thou, red-haired OUa, take the harp of the king. Go to Oscar
chief of swords, and bid him to our feast. To-day we feast and
hear the song ; to-morrow break the spears. Tell him that I have
raised the tomb of Cathol •, j. that bards have sung to his ghost.
Tell him that Cairbar has heard his fame at the stream of resound-
ing Carun. § Cathmor H is not here, Borbar-duthul's generous
* That Isj vho h;is heard my vaunting? He intended the expression as a rebuke
tft the self-praise of Foldath.
f Hidalla was the chief of Clonra, a small districS on the banks of the lake of
Lego. The beauty of his per-.on, his eloquence, and genius for poetry, are after-
v.ards mentioned.
\ Cathol the son of Maronnan, or Moran, was murdered by Cairbar, for his
attachment to the family of Cormae. He had attended Oscar to the luar of Innh-
thona, where they contraifled a great friendship for one another. Oscar jmmcdi-
ately after the death of Cathol, hud sent a formal challenge to Cairbar, which he
prudently declined, but conceived a secret hatred against Oscar, and had before-
hand contrived to kill him at the feast, to which he here invites him.
§ He alludes to the battle of Oscar against Caros, king of ships ; who is supposed
to be the same with Carausius the usurper.
II Cathmor, great in battle, the son of Borbar-duthul, and brother of Cairbar king
of Ireland, had, before the insurredion of the Firbolg, passed over into Inishuna,
supposed to be a part of South-Britain, to assist Conmor king of that place against
his enemies. Cathmor was successful in the war, but, in the course of it, Conmor
was either killed, or died a natural death. Cairbar, upon intelligence of the design-;