Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

AN EPIC POEINI.
ARGUMENT.
Cairbar, the sou of Borbar-duthul, lord of Atha in Connaiighfj
the most potent chief of the race of tlie Fir-bolg, having mur-
dered, at Temora, the royal palace, Cormac, the son of Ar-
tho, the young king of Ireland, usurped the throne. Cormac
was lineally descended from Conar, the son of Trenmor, the
great grandfather of Fingal, king of those Caledonia.;. s who
inhabited the western coast of Scotland, fingal resented tlie
behaviour of Cairbar, and resolved to pass over into Ireland
with an army, to re-establish tlie royal family on the Irisl^
throne. Early intelligence of his designs coming to Cairbar,
he assembled some of his tribes in Ulster, and at the same -
time ordered his brother Cathmor to follow him speedily with
an army from Temora. Such was the situation of "affairs .
when the Caledonian invaders appeared on the coast of
Ulster.
The poem opens in the morning. Cairbar is represented a
tired from the rest of the army, when one of his scouts brought
him news of the landing of fingal. He assembles a council
of his chiefs. Foldath, the chief of Moma, haughtily despises
the enemy : and is reprimanded warmly by Malthos. Cair-
bar, after hearing their debate, orders a feast to be prepared,
to which, by his bard Olia, he invites Oscar, the son of Os-
sian ; resolving to pick a quarrel with that hero, and so have
some pretest for killing him. Oscar came to the feast ; the
quarrel happened; the followers of both fought, and Cairbar
and Oscar fell by mutual wounds. The noise of the battle
reached fingal's armj. The king came on to the relief of
Oscar, and the Irish tell back to the army of Cathmor, who
was advanced to the banks of the river Luban, on the heath
of Moi-lena. fingal, after mourning over his grandson, or-
dered Ullin, the chief of his bards, to carry his hody to Mor-
ven, to be there interred. Night coming on, Althan, the son
of Conachar, relates to the king the particulars of the niur- .
der of Cormac. Fillan, the sou of Fingal is sent to observe
the motions of Cathmor by night, which concludes the ac"
of the first day. The scene of this book is a jilain, near .^.
hill of Mora, which rose on the borders of the heath of iMoi-
lena in Ulster.
The blue -waves of Erin roll in light. The mountains
are covered with day. Trees shake their dusky heads
in the breeze. Gray torrents pour their noisy streams.
Two green hills, with aged oaks, surround a narrow
plain. The blue course of a stream is there. On its
banks stood Cairbar of Atha. His spear supports the.
king : the red eye of his fear is sad. Cormac rises in