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

52 T E M O R A:
* Selma is opened wide. Bards take the trembling harps.
Ten youths carry the oak of the feafl. A dilliant fun-beam marks
the hill. The dufky waves of the blafl: fly over the fields of grafs. —
Why art thou fo filent, Morven ? — The king returns with all his
fame. Did not the battle roar ; yet peaceful is his brow ? It
roared, and Fingal overcame. — Be like thy father, Fillan.
They moved beneath the fong. — High waved their arms, as
rufliy fields, beneath autumnal winds. On Mora flood the king in
arms. Mill: flies round his buckler broad ; as, aloft, it hung on a
bough, on Cwrmul's mofly rock. — In filence I ftood by Fingal, and
turned my eyes on Cromla's -j- wood : left I (hould behold the hoft,
and rufh amidft my fwelling Ibul. My foot is forward on the
heath. I glittered, tall, in fteel : like the falling ftream of Tromo,
which nightly winds bind over with ice. — The boy fees it, on high,
gleaming to the early beam : towards it he turns his ear, and wond-
ers why it is fo filent.
Nor bent over a ftream is Cathmor, like a youth in a peaceful
field : wide he drew forward the war, a dark and troubled wave.
— But when he beheld Fingal on Mora ; his generous pride arofe.
" Shall the chief of Atha fight, and no king in the field ? Fol-
*' dath lead my people forth. Thou art a beam of fire."
FoRTH-issuED the chief of Moma, like a cloud, the robe of
ghofts. He drew his fword, a flame, froni his fide ; and bade the
* Offian is peculiarly happy, in his dc- of poetry.
fcriptions of ftill life; and thefe acquire f The mountain Cromla was in the
double force, by his placing them near bafy neighbourhood of the fcene of this poetri j
and tumultuous fcenes. This antithefis which was nearly the fame with that of
^rves to animate and heighten the features Fingal.
battle