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

232. COLNA'-DONA:
Sclma of high-bofoined maids. — Fingal came forth with his bards,
and Conloch, arm of death. I feafted three days in the hall, and
fa'.r the blue-eyes of Erin, Ros-crana, daughter of heroes, light of
Cormac's race. — Nor forgot did my fteps depart : the kings gave
their (hields to Car-ul : they hang, on high, in Col-amon, in me-
mory of the paft. — Sons of the daring kings, ye bring back the
days of old.
Car-ul placed the oak of feafts. He took two bofles from our
fliields. He laid them in earth, beneath a ftone, to fpeak to the
hero's race. " When battle, faid the king, fhall roar, and our
fons are to meet in wrath. My race fliall look, perhaps, on this
fione, when they prepare the fpear. — Have not our fathers met in
peace, they will fay, and lay afide the fliield ? "
Night c;une down. In her long locks moved the daughter of
Car-ul. Mixed with the harp arofe the voice of white-armed Col-
na-dona. — Tofcar darkened in his place, before the love of heroes.
She came on his troubled foul, like a beam to the dark-heavin»
o
ocean : when it burfts from a cloud, and brightens the foamy fide
of a wave *.
******* ^^ * * •*
**** **«* «*j(f
With morning we awaked the woods ; and hung forward on
the path of the roes. Tliey fell by their wonted ftreams. We
returned thro' Crona's vale. From the wood a youth came for-
ward, with a fliield and pointlefs fpear. *• Whence, faid Tofcar
* Here an epifode is intirely loft ; feflly, that it does not deferve a place in
or, at leaft, is handed down [o imper- the poem.
of