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

220 C O L N A - D O N A:
Beni;ath the voice of the king, we moved to Crona * of the
ftreams, Tofcar of graffy Lutha, and Oflian, young in fields.
Three bards attended with fongs. Three bofly fliields were bora
before us : for we were to rear the ftone, in memory of the part.
By Crona's mofly courfe, Fingal had fcattered his foes : he had rolled
away the flrangers, like a troubled fea. We came to the place of
renown : from the mountains defcended night. I tore an oak from
its hill, and raifed a flame on high. I bade my fathers to look
down, from the clouds of their hall ; for, at the fame of their
race, they brighten in the wind.
I TOOK a flone from the flream, amidft the fong of bards.
The blood of Fingal's foes hung curdled in its ooze. Beneath, I
placed, at intervals, three bofles from the fhields of foes, as rofe or
fell the found of Ullin's nightly fong. Tofcar laid a dagger in
earth, a mail of founding fleel. We railed the mould around the
ftone, and bade it fpeak to other years.
Oozy daugliter of flreams, that now art reared on high, fpeak
to the feeble, O ftone, after Selma's race have failed ! — Prone, from
the ftormy night, the traveller fliall lay him, by thy fide : thy
whiftling mofs fliall found in his dreams; the years that were paft
* Crona, murmuring, was the name of been, thro' all antiquity, famous for battles
a fmall ftream, which difcharged itfelf in and rencounters, between the different na-
the river Carron. It is often mentioned by tions, who were poflefTed of North and
Offian, and the fcenes of many of his South Britain. Stirling, a town fituated
jioems are on its banks. — The enemies, there, derives its name from that very cir-
whom Fingal defeated here, are not men- cumflance. It is a corruption of the Galic
tioned. They were, probably, the pro- name, Strila, i. e. the hill, or rock, of
vincial Britons. That tradl of country contouion.
between the Firths of Forth and Clyde has
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