Ossian Collection > Temora, an ancient epic poem, in eight books

,2o T E M O R A:
death of Cuchuliin, and of his mighty deeds. The people were
fcattered round his tomb : their arms lay on the ground. They
had forgot the war, for he, their hrc, was feen no more.
But who, faid the foft-voiced Carril, come like the bounding
roes ? their ftature is like the young trees of the plain, growing
in a fliower : — Soft and ruddy are their cheeks ; but fearlefs fouls
look forth from their eyes ? Who but the fons of Ufnoth *, the
car-borne chiefs of Etha ? The people rife on every fide, like the
ftrength of an half-extinguiflied fire, M'hen the winds come, fudden,
from the defart, on their ruftling wings. — The found of Caith-
bat's -|- fhield was heard. The heroes faw Cuchuliin J in Nathos.
So rolled his fparkling eyes : his fteps were fuch on heath. Bat-
tles are fought at Lego : the fword of Nathos prevails. Soon
fhalt thou behold him in thy halls, king of Temora of Groves !
•And foon may I behold the chief! replied the blue-eyed king.
But my foul is fad for Cuchuliin ; his voice was pleafant in mine
* Ufnoth chief of Etha, a diftriiS on
the weftern coaft of Scotland, had three
fons, Nathos, Althos and Ardan, by Shs-
fareia the fifter of Cuchuliin. The three
brothers, when very young, were fent over
to Ireland by their father, to learn the ufe
of arms under their uncle, whofe military
fame was very great in that kingdom. They
had juft arrived in Ulfterwhen the news of
CuchuUin's death arrived. Nathos, the
eldcft of the three brothers, took the com-
mand of CuchuUin's army, and made head
againft Cairbar the chief of Atha. Cair-
bar having, at Lift, murdered young king
Cormac, at Temora, the army of Nathos-
fliifted fides, and the brothers were obliged
to return into Ulfter, in order to pafs over
into Scotland. The feqtiel of their mourn-
ful ftory is related, at large, in the poem
of Dar-thula, publifhed in the former col-
leifllon.
t Caithbait was grandfather to Cuchul-
iin; and his (hield was made ufe of to a-
larm his pofterity to the battles of the fa-
mily.
X That is, they faw a manifert likcncfs
between the perfon of Nathos and Cuchul-
iin.
ear.