Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

TEMORA. 407
" Descending like the eagle of heaven, ■with all
his rustling winds, when he forsakes the blast, with
joy, the son of Trenmor camej Conar, arm of
death, from Morven of the groves. He poured his
might along green Erin. Death dimly strode be-
hind his sword. The sons of Bolga fled from his
course, as from a stream, that, bursting from the
stormy desert, rolls the fields together, with all
their echoing woods. Crcthar met him in battle:
but Alnecma's warriors fled. The king of Atha
slowly retired, in the grief of his soul. He after-
wards shone in the south; but dim as the sun of
autumn ; when he visits, in his robes of mist, Lara
01 dark streams. The withered grass is covered
with dew : the field, though bright, is sad."
'■ Why wakes the bard before me,"' said Cathmor,
" tile memory of those who fled? Has some ghost,
fnn: his dusky cloud, bent forward to thine ear; to
frii: ten Cathmor from the field, with the tales of
3l i - Dwellers of the skirts of night, your voice is
)ut a blast to me : which takes the grey thistle's
ie:.d, and strews its beard on streams. Within my
)osoin is a voice. Others hear it not. His soul
orldds tlie king of Erin to shrink back from war."
Abaslied the bard sinks back in night: retired he
■ends above a stream. His thoughts are on the
lays of Atha, when Cathmor heard his song with
Dv. His tears come rolling down. The winds are
Q hi- beard. Erin sleeps around. No sleep comes
o.vii on Cathmor's eyes. Dark, in his soul, he
iw the spirit of low- laid Cairbar. He saw him,
"ithiout his song, rolled in a blast of night. He
350. His steps were round the host. He struck,
t times, his echoing shield. The sound reached
ssian's ear on Tilora's mossy brow.
" Fillan," I said, " the foes advance. I hear the
lieldofwar. Stand thou in the narrow path. Os-
an shall mark their course. Ifovermyfall the host
louldpour; then be thy buckler heard. Awake
,e king on his heath, lest his fame should fly away."
strode in all my rattling arms ; wide-bounding
'er a stream that darkly-winded in the field, before
eking of Atha. Green Atha's king, with lifted