Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

ARGUMENT.
This book begins about the middle of the third night
from the opening of the poem. The Poet describes
a kind of mist, which rose by night from the lake
of Lego, and was the usual residence of the souls
of the dead, during the interval between their de-
cease and the funeral song. The appearance of
the ghost of Fillan above the cave where his body
lay. His voice comes to Fingal on the rock of
Cormul. The king strikes the shield of Trenmor,
which was an infallible sign of his appearing in
arms himself. The extraordinary effect of the
sound of the shield . Sul-malla, starting from sleep,
awakes Cathmor. Their affectingdiscourse. Sue
insists with him to sue for peace; he resolves to
continue the war. He directs her to retire to the
neighbouring valley of Lona, which was the resi-
dence of an old Druid, until the battle of the next
day should be over. He awakes his army with
the sound of his shield. The shield described.
Fonar, the bard, at the desire of Cathmor, relates
the first settlement of the Fir-bolg in Ireland, un-
der their leader Larthon. Morning comes. Sul-
malla retires to the valley of Lona. A lyric song
concludes the book.