Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

CALTHON AND COLMAL. 257
The sighing hero rose ; his tears descend for car-
borne Colmar. He came with the maid to Selma's
hall : but he knew not that it was Colmal. The hehnet
covered her lovely face. Her bosom heaved beneath
the steel. Fingal returned from the chase, and found
the lovely strangers. They were like two beams of
light, in the midst of the hall of shells. The king heard
the tale of grief, and turned his eyes around. A thou-
sand heroes half rose before him ; claiming the war ot
Teutha. I came with my spear from the hill ; the joy
of battle rose in my breast : for the king spoke to Os-
sian in the midst of a thousand chiefs.
" Son of my strength," began the king, " take thou
the spear of Fingal. Go to Teutha's rushing stream,
and save the car-borne Colmar. Let thy fame return
before thee like a pleasant gale ; that my soul may re-
joice over my son, who renews the renown of our fa-
thers. Ossian ! be thou a storm in war ; but mild
when the foe is low ! it was thus my fame arose, O my
son ! be thou like Selma's chief. When the haughty
come to my halls, my eyes behold them not. But my
arm is stretched forth to the unhappy. My sword ds-
fends the weak."
I rejoiced in the words of the king. I took my
rattling arms. Diaran rose at my side, and Dargo,
king of spears. Three hundred youths followed our
steps ; the lovely strangers were at my side. Dun-
thalmo heard the sound of our approach. He gathered
the strength of Teutha. He stood on a hill with his
host. They were like rocks broken with thunder,
when their bent trees are singed and bare, and the
streams of their chinks have failed. The stream of
Teutha rolled in its pride, before the gloomy foe. I
sent a bard to Dunthalmo, to offer the combat on the
plain ; but he smiled in the darkness of his pride. His
unsettled host moved on the hill ; like the mountain
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