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

ARGUMENT.
This book begins, about the middle of the third night from the opening of the poem.
The poet defcribes a kind of mift, which rofe, by night, from the lake of Lego.,
and was the ufual refidence of the fouls of the dead, during the interval between their
deceafe and the funeral fong. The appearance of the ghoft of Fillan above the cave
where his body lay. His voice comes to Fingal, on the rock of Cormul. The
king ftrikes the (hleld of Trenmor, which was an infallible fign of his appearing in
arms liimfelf. The extraordinary efFed of the found of the fhield. Sul-malla,
ftarting from deep, awakes Cathmor. Their afFecSing difcourfe. She infifts with
him, to fue for peace ; he refolves to continue the war. He diredls her to retire to
the neighbouring valley of Lona, which was the refidence of an old Druid, until the
battle of the next day fliould be over. He awakes his army with the found of his
flileld. The flileld defcribed. Fonar, the bard, at the defire of Cathmor, relates
the fiid fettlement of the Firbolg in Ireland, under their leader Larthon. Morning
comes. Sul-malla retires to the valley of Lona, A Lyric fong concludes the
book.