Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

294 OSSIAN
words, on every side, pour his warriors forth. Nor
silent on his hill is Fillan. He mixes his words with
his echoing shield. An eagle he seemed, with sounding
wings, calling the wind to his rock, when he sees the
coming forth of the roes, on Lutha's * rushy field.
Now they bend forward in battle. Death's hundred
voices arise. The kings, on either side, were like fires
on the souls of the hosts. Ossian bounded along. High
rocks and trees rush tall between the war and me. But
I hear the noise of steel, between my clanging arms.
Rising, gleaming, on the hill, I behold the backward
steps of hosts : their backward steps, on either side, and
wildly-looking eyes. The chiefs were met in dreadful
fight 1 The two blue-shielded kings ! Tall and dark,
through gleams of steel, are seen the striving heroes !
I rush. My fears for Fillan fly, burning across my
soul.
I come. Nor Cathmor flies ; nor yet comes on ; he
sidelong stalks along. An icy rock, cold, tall, he
seems. I call forth all my steel. Silent awhile we
stride, on either side of a rushing stream ; then, sudden
turning, all at once, we raise our pointed spears ! We
raise our spears, but night comes down. It is dark and
silent round ; but where the distant steps of hosts are
sounding over the heath !
I come to the place where Fillan fought. Nor voice,
nor sound is there. A broken helmet lies on earth, a
buckler cleft in twain. Where, Fillan, where art thou,
young chief of echoing Morven ? He hears me leaning
on a rock, which bends its grey head over the stream.
He hears ; but sullen, dark, he stands. At length I saw
the hero !
" Why standest thou, robed in darkness, son of
* Lutha was the name of a valley in Morven. There dwelt
Toscar the son of Conloch, the father of Malvina, who, upon
that account, is often called the maid of LiUha. Lutha signifies
swift stream.