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

68 T E M O R A:
ling eyes. She was like a fpirit* of heaven half-folded in the fkirt
of a cloud.
Three days we feafted at Moi-lena : flie rofe bright amidlt my
troubled foul. — Cormac beheld me dark. He gave the white-bo-
fomed maid. — She came with bending eye, amidft the wandering
of her heavy locks. — She came. Straight the battle roared. —
Colc-ulla came : I took my fpear. My fword rofe, with my peo-
ple, againft the ridgy foe. Alnecma Aid. Colc-ulla fell. Fingal
returned with fame.
* The altitude of Ros-crana is aptly
illuftrated by this fimile ; for the ideas of
thofe times, concerning the fpirits of the
deceafed, were not fo gloomy and dif-
agreeable, as thofe of fucceeding ages.
The fpirits of women, it was fuppofed, re-
tained that beauty, which they poflefled
while living, and tranfpoited themfelves,
from place to place, with that gliding mo-
tion, which Homer afcribes to the gods.
The defcriptions which poets, lefs ancient
than Oflian, have left us of thofe beautiful
figures, that appeared fometimes on the
hills, are elegant and piflurefque. They
compare them to the rain-bnv onjlreaim ;
or, the gViding cf fun-beams on the hils. I
{hall here tranflate a paflage of an old fong,
where both thefc beautiful images aie men-
tioned together.
A chief who lived three centuries ago,
returning from the war, underftood that
his wife or miftrefs was dead. The bard
introduces him fpeaking the following (o-
liloquy, wh n he came, within fight of the
place, where he had left her, at his depar-
ture.
" My foul darkens in forrow. I be-
hold not the fmoak of my hall. No grey
dog bounds at my ftreams. Silence dwells
in the valley of trees.
"Is that a ra'n bow on Crunath ? It
flies : — and the fky is dark. Again, thou
moveft, bright, on the heath, thou fun-
beam cloathed in a (bower!— Hah! it is
fhe, my love : her gliding courfe on the
bofom of winds ! "
In fucceeding times the beauty of Ros-
crana pafled into a proverb ; and the high-
eft compliment, that could be paid to a
woman, was to compare her perfon with
the daughter of Co mac.
'S tu fein an Ros-crana.
' Siol Chormaec na n'ioma Ian.
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