Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

BOOK I. r E M O R A. 217
He spoke of mighty men. He told of the deeds of my fathers ;
and I felt my joy. feut sit thou at the feast, O bard, I have of-
ten heard thy voice. Sing in the praise of CuchuUin ; and of tliat
mighty stranger." *
Day rose on vi^oody Temora, vi'ith all the beams of the east.
Trathin came to the hall, the son of old Gellama.f " I behold,"
he said, " a dark cloud in the desert, king of Innis-fail ! a cloiid
it seemed at first, but novi^ a crowd of men. One strides before
them in his strength ; his red hair flies in wind. His shield glit-
ters to the beam of the east. His spear is in his hand."
*' Call him to the feast of Temora," replied tlie king of Erin.
** My hall is the house of strangers, son of the generous Gellama !
Perhaps it is the chief of Etha, coming in the sound of his renown.
Hail, mighty:}: stranger, art thou of the friends of Cormac ? B«t
Carril, he is dark, and unlovely ; and he draws his sword. Is that
the son of Usnoth, bard of the times of old ?"
*' It is not the son of Usnoth," said Carril, ** but the chief of
Atha. Why comest thou in thy arms to Temora, Cairbar of the
glodmy brow ? Let not thy sword rise against Cormac 1 Wliither
dost thou turn thy speed ?" He passed on in his darkness, and
seized the hand of the king. Cormac foresaw his death, and the
rage of his eyes arose. ** Retire, thou gloomy chief of Atha : Na-
thos comes with battle. Thou art bold in Cormac's hall, for his
arm is weak." The sword entered the side of the king : he fell in
tlie halls of his fathers. His fair hair is in the dust. His blood
is smoking round.
" And art thou fallen in thy halls, § O son of noble Artho .? The
shield of Cuchullin was not near. Nor the spear of thy father.
Mournful are the mountains of Erin, for the chief of the people
is low ! Blest be thy soul, O Cormac ! thou art darkened in thy
youth."
His words came to the ears of Cairbar, and he closed usjj in
the
* Nathos the son of Usnoth.
f Geal-lnmha, luhtte-haiuhd.
\ From this expresMon, we understand, that Cairbar had entered the palace «f
Temora, in the midst of Cormac's speech.
§ Althan speaks.
'I That is, himself and Carril, as it afterwards appears-