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

58 T E M O R A:
mixed with mine. In one day Duthcaron firft ftrung cur bows,
againft the roes of Dun-lora.
Many, I faid, are our paths to battle, in green-hilled Inisfail.
Often did our fails arife, over the blue-tumbling waves ; when we
came, in other days, to aid the race of Conar.
The ftrife roared once in Alnecma, at the foam-covered flreams
of Duth-iila*. With Cormac defcended to battle Duth-caron
from cloudy Morven. Nor defcended Duth-caron alone, his fon
was by his fide, the long-haired youth of Connal lifting the firft of
his fpears. Thou didft command them, O Fingal, to aid the king
of Erin.
Like the burfting ftrength of a ftream, the fons of Bolga ruflied
to war : Colc-ulla -j- w^as before them, the chief of blue-ftreaming
Atha. The battle was mixed on the plain, like the meeting of
two ftormy feas. Cormac :|: fhone in his own flrife, bright as the
forms
of Cormac, the fon of Conar, king of J Cormac, the fon of Conar, the fe-
Ireland, who was driven to the laft extre- cond king of Ireland, of the race of the-
mity, by the infurrcclions of the Firbolg. Caledonians. This infurreflion of the
Tiiis epifode throws farther light on the Firbolg happened, towards the latter enj
contefls between the Cael and Firbolg ; and of the long reign of Cormac. From fe»
is the more valuable upon that account. veral epifodes and poems, it appear?, that
* Duthula, a river in Connaught; it he never pofTefled the Irifh throne peace-
fignifies, dark-rujhing -water. ably. — The party of the family of Atha
-f- Colc-ulla, firm hoi in readmefs ; he had made feveral attempts to overturn the
was the brother of Borbar-duthul, the fa- fucceffion in the race of Conar, before
ther of Cairbar and Cathmor, who after they efFecfled it, in the minority of Cormac,,
the death of Cormac, the fon of Artho, the fon of Artho. — Ireland, from the moft
fucceffively mounted the Irifli throne. ancient accounts concerning it, feems to
haue