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

152 T E MO R A:
Bright, in her locks, before him, Sul-malla liftened to the tale ; tlie
lale of the: kings of Atha, in the days of old. The noife of battle
had ceafed in his ear : he ftopt, and raifed the fecret figh. The
fpirits of the dead, they faid, often lightened over his foul. He
law the king of Atha low, beneath his bending tree.
Why art thou dark, faid the maid ? The ftrife of arms is part.
Soon * fliall he come to thy cave, over thy winding ftreams. The
fun looks from the rocks of the welt. The mifts of the lake arife.
Grey, they fpread on that hill, the rufhy dwelling of roes. From
the mill: flaall my king appear ! — Behold, he comes in his arms.
Come to the cave of Clonmal, O my beft beloved !
It was the fpirit of Cathmor, ftalking, large, a gleaming form.
He funk by the hollow llream, that roared between the hills. — " It
was but the hunter, Ihe find, who fearches for the bed of the roe.
His Ilcps are not forth to war ; his fpoufe expeds him with night.
— He fliall, whiflling, return, with the fpoils of the dark-bro\\ii
hinds." Her eyes are turned to the hill ^ again the {lately form
came down. She rofe, in the midft of joy. He retired in mift.
Gradual vanlfli his limbs of fmoak, and mix ^vith the mountain-
wind. — Then fiie knew that he fell ! "King of Erin art thou low!"
—Let Onian forget her grief; it waftes the foul of age -j-.
Evr NIKG
a cave. This fcene is awful and folemn, quits the flory of Sulmalla, is judicious.
and calculated to throw a melancholy His fuhjefl led him immediately to relate
gldoni over the mind. the redoration of the family of Conar to
* Cathmor had promifed, inthefcventh the Irifli throne ; which we may confider
book, to come to the cave of CI nmal, af- efFeclually done, by the defeat and death
tcr the battle was over. of Cathmor, and the arrival of Ferad-ar-
•f- The abrupt manner, In which O.Tan tho in the Caledonian army. To purfuc,
here.