The poems of Ossian &c. containing the Poetical Works of James Macpherson, Esq. in prose and rhyme: with notes and illustrations by Malcolm Laing. In two volumes |
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| VI. | CANTO VI. |
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 | The poems of Ossian |  |
575
CANTO VI.
Now in the blushing east the morn arose;
Its lofty head in grey the palace shows.
Within, the king and valiant chiefs prepare
To urge the chace, and wage the mountain-war.
The busy menials through the palace go;
Some whet the shaft, and others try the bow;
This viewed the toils; that taught the horn to sound;
Another animates the sprightly hound.
Its lofty head in grey the palace shows.
Within, the king and valiant chiefs prepare
To urge the chace, and wage the mountain-war.
The busy menials through the palace go;
Some whet the shaft, and others try the bow;
This viewed the toils; that taught the horn to sound;
Another animates the sprightly hound.
For the fleet chace the fair Culena arms,
And from the gloom of sorrow 'wakes her charms:
The hero's royal birth had reached her ear,
And sprightly hope assumed the throne of care.
Around her slender waist the cincture slides;
Her mantle flows behind in crimson tides.
Bright rings of gold her braided ringlets bind;
The rattling quiver, laden, hangs behind.
She seized, with snowy hand, the polished bow,
And moved before, majestically slow.
The chiefs behind advance their sable forms,
And with dark contrast heighten all her charms.
And from the gloom of sorrow 'wakes her charms:
The hero's royal birth had reached her ear,
And sprightly hope assumed the throne of care.
Around her slender waist the cincture slides;
Her mantle flows behind in crimson tides.
576
The rattling quiver, laden, hangs behind.
She seized, with snowy hand, the polished bow,
And moved before, majestically slow.
The chiefs behind advance their sable forms,
And with dark contrast heighten all her charms.
Thus, on expanded plains of heavenly blue,
Thick-gathered clouds the queen of night pursue;
And as they crowd behind their sable lines,
The virgin light with double lustre shines.
Thick-gathered clouds the queen of night pursue;
And as they crowd behind their sable lines,
The virgin light with double lustre shines.
The maid her glowing charms thus onward bears;
His manly height aside young Duffus rears.
Her beauty he, his manhood she admires;
Both moved along, and fed their silent fires.
His manly height aside young Duffus rears.
Her beauty he, his manhood she admires;
Both moved along, and fed their silent fires.
The hunters to the lofty mountains came:
Their eager breasts anticipate the game:
The forest they divide, and sound the horn;
The generous hounds within their bondage burn,
Struggle for freedom, long to stretch away,
And in the breeze already find the prey.
Their eager breasts anticipate the game:
The forest they divide, and sound the horn;
The generous hounds within their bondage burn,
Struggle for freedom, long to stretch away,
And in the breeze already find the prey.
At the approaching noise the starting deer
Croud on the heath, and stretch away in fear,
Wave, as they spring, their branchy heads on high,
Skim o'er the wild, and leave the aching eye.
The eager hounds, unchained, devour the heath;
They shoot along, and pant a living death:
Gaining upon their journey, as they dart,
Each from the herd selects a flying hart.
Some urged the bounding stag a different way,
And hung with open mouth upon the prey:
Now they traverse the heath, and now assail
The rising hill, now skim along the vale:
Now they appear, now leave the aching eyes;
The master follows with exulting cries,
Fits, as he flies, the arrow to the string;
The rest within the rattling quiver ring:
He, as they shoot the lofty mountains o'er,
Pursues in thought, and sends his soul before.
Thus they with supple joints the chase pursue,
Rise on the hills, and vanish on the brow.
Croud on the heath, and stretch away in fear,
Wave, as they spring, their branchy heads on high,
Skim o'er the wild, and leave the aching eye.
The eager hounds, unchained, devour the heath;
They shoot along, and pant a living death:
Gaining upon their journey, as they dart,
Each from the herd selects a flying hart.
Some urged the bounding stag a different way,
And hung with open mouth upon the prey:
Now they traverse the heath, and now assail
The rising hill, now skim along the vale:
Now they appear, now leave the aching eyes;
The master follows with exulting cries,
Fits, as he flies, the arrow to the string;
The rest within the rattling quiver ring:
577
Pursues in thought, and sends his soul before.
Thus they with supple joints the chase pursue,
Rise on the hills, and vanish on the brow.
On the blue heavens arose a night of clouds;
The radiant lord of day his glory shrouds:
The rushing whirlwind speaks with growling breath,
Roars through the hill, and scours along the heath;
Deep rolling thunder, rumbling from afar,
Proclaims with murmuring voice th' aerial war:
Fleet lightnings flash in awful streams of light,
Dart through the gloom, and vanish from the sight:
The blustering winds through heaven's black concave sound,
Rain batters earth, and smokes along the ground.
Down the steep hill the rushing torrents run,
And cleave with headlong rage their journey on;
The lofty mountains echo to the fall;
A muddy deluge stagnates on the vale.
The radiant lord of day his glory shrouds:
The rushing whirlwind speaks with growling breath,
Roars through the hill, and scours along the heath;
Deep rolling thunder, rumbling from afar,
Proclaims with murmuring voice th' aerial war:
Fleet lightnings flash in awful streams of light,
Dart through the gloom, and vanish from the sight:
The blustering winds through heaven's black concave sound,
Rain batters earth, and smokes along the ground.
Down the steep hill the rushing torrents run,
And cleave with headlong rage their journey on;
The lofty mountains echo to the fall;
A muddy deluge stagnates on the vale.
Culena moved along the level ground;
A hart descends before the opening hound:
From the recoiling cord she twanged the dart,
And pierced the living vigour of the hart:
He starts, he springs; but falling as he flies,
Pours out his tim'rous soul with weeping eyes.
As o'er the dying prey the huntress sighed,
Before the wind heaven pours a sable tide,
And lowering threats a storm: a rocky cave,
Where monks successive hewed their house and grave,
Invites into its calm recess the fair:
The reverend father breathed abroad his prayer.
The valiant Duffus comes with panting breath,
Faces the storm and stalks across the heath.
His sleeky hounds, a faithful tribe, before,
Are bathed with blood, and varied o'er with gore.
Drenched with the rain, the noble youth descends,
And in the cave the growling storm defends.
Amazed, astonished, fixed in dumb surprise,
The lovers stood, but spoke with silent eyes:
At length the distant colloquy they rear,
Run o'er the chace, the mountain, and the deer.
Far from the soul th' evasive tongue departs,
Their eyes are only faithful to their hearts.
A hart descends before the opening hound:
From the recoiling cord she twanged the dart,
And pierced the living vigour of the hart:
He starts, he springs; but falling as he flies,
Pours out his tim'rous soul with weeping eyes.
As o'er the dying prey the huntress sighed,
Before the wind heaven pours a sable tide,
And lowering threats a storm: a rocky cave,
Where monks successive hewed their house and grave,
Invites into its calm recess the fair:
The reverend father breathed abroad his prayer.
The valiant Duffus comes with panting breath,
Faces the storm and stalks across the heath.
His sleeky hounds, a faithful tribe, before,
Are bathed with blood, and varied o'er with gore.
Drenched with the rain, the noble youth descends,
And in the cave the growling storm defends.
578
The lovers stood, but spoke with silent eyes:
At length the distant colloquy they rear,
Run o'er the chace, the mountain, and the deer.
Far from the soul th' evasive tongue departs,
Their eyes are only faithful to their hearts.
The winding volumes of discourse return
To hostile fields by gallant Duffus shorn.
Th' imperial maid must hear it o'er again,
How fell Dovalus was by Duffus slain,
How by the son the father's murderer fell.
The kindling virgin flames along the tale.
She turns, she quakes, and from her bosom sighs,
And all her soul comes melting in her eyes.
Flames, not unequal, all the youth possess,
He, for the first, hears willingly his praise.
Praise, harshly heard from warriors, kings, and lords,
Came down in balm on fair Culena's words.
To hostile fields by gallant Duffus shorn.
Th' imperial maid must hear it o'er again,
How fell Dovalus was by Duffus slain,
How by the son the father's murderer fell.
The kindling virgin flames along the tale.
She turns, she quakes, and from her bosom sighs,
And all her soul comes melting in her eyes.
Flames, not unequal, all the youth possess,
He, for the first, hears willingly his praise.
Praise, harshly heard from warriors, kings, and lords,
Came down in balm on fair Culena's words.
The royal pair thus fed the mutual fire,
Now speak, now pause, when both alike admire.
He longs to vent the passion of his soul,
And she the tempests in her bosom roll.
Now he begun, but shame his voice opprest;
Loth to offend, his eyes must tell the rest.
At length, upon the headlong passion borne,
He spoke his love, and had a kind return;
She sighed, she owned, and bent her modest eyes,
While blushing roses on her cheeks arise.
Thus on the vale the poppy's blushing head,
Brim-full of summer-showers, to earth is weighed;
Fanned with the rising breeze, it slow inclines,
While o'er the mead the rosy lustre shines.
Now speak, now pause, when both alike admire.
He longs to vent the passion of his soul,
And she the tempests in her bosom roll.
Now he begun, but shame his voice opprest;
Loth to offend, his eyes must tell the rest.
At length, upon the headlong passion borne,
He spoke his love, and had a kind return;
She sighed, she owned, and bent her modest eyes,
While blushing roses on her cheeks arise.
Thus on the vale the poppy's blushing head,
Brim-full of summer-showers, to earth is weighed;
Fanned with the rising breeze, it slow inclines,
While o'er the mead the rosy lustre shines.
Indulph into his cave the hermit led,
Found erring through the mountain's stormy head.
Culena, starting as the king appears,
Looks every way, and trembles as she fears;
On her mild face the modest blushes rise,
And fair disorder darted from her eyes.
The parent king observed the virgin whole,
And read the harmless secret in her soul.
A while the maze of calm discourse they wind;
At length the king unveils his royal mind.
Found erring through the mountain's stormy head.
Culena, starting as the king appears,
Looks every way, and trembles as she fears;
579
And fair disorder darted from her eyes.
The parent king observed the virgin whole,
And read the harmless secret in her soul.
A while the maze of calm discourse they wind;
At length the king unveils his royal mind.
“Warded from Albion's head, the storm is o'er;
Her prince is found, her foes are now no more:
Through time 'tis ours her happiness to trace,
'Tis ours to bind the future bands of peace.
Posterity for Albion's crown may fight,
And couch ambition in the name of right,
With specious titles urge the civil war,
And to a crown their guilty journey tear:
I end these fears: the streams shall run in one,
Nor struggling kindred strive to mount the throne.
I shield my daughter with young Duffus' arms,
And bless the warrior with Culena's charms.”
Her prince is found, her foes are now no more:
Through time 'tis ours her happiness to trace,
'Tis ours to bind the future bands of peace.
Posterity for Albion's crown may fight,
And couch ambition in the name of right,
With specious titles urge the civil war,
And to a crown their guilty journey tear:
I end these fears: the streams shall run in one,
Nor struggling kindred strive to mount the throne.
I shield my daughter with young Duffus' arms,
And bless the warrior with Culena's charms.”
Thus said the king. Their willing hands they join,
The rev'rend priest runs o'er the rites divine.
The solemn ceremony closed with pray'r,
And Duffus called his own the royal fair.
The storm is ceased; the clouds together fly,
And clear at once the azure fields of sky;
The mid-day sun pours down his sultry flame,
And the wet heath waves glist'ring in the beam.
The rev'rend priest runs o'er the rites divine.
The solemn ceremony closed with pray'r,
And Duffus called his own the royal fair.
The storm is ceased; the clouds together fly,
And clear at once the azure fields of sky;
The mid-day sun pours down his sultry flame,
And the wet heath waves glist'ring in the beam.
The hunter-chiefs appear upon the brow,
Fall down the hill, and join the king below;
Slow through the narrow vale their steps they bear,
Behind advance the spoils of sylvan war.
Far on a head-land point condensed they stood,
And threw their eyes o'er ocean's sable flood;
Tall ships advance afar; their canvas sails
In their swoll'n bosom gather all the gales;
Floating along the sable back of sea,
Before the wind they cut their spumy way;
Bend in their course, majestically slow,
And to the land their lazy journey plow.
Fall down the hill, and join the king below;
Slow through the narrow vale their steps they bear,
Behind advance the spoils of sylvan war.
Far on a head-land point condensed they stood,
And threw their eyes o'er ocean's sable flood;
Tall ships advance afar; their canvas sails
In their swoll'n bosom gather all the gales;
Floating along the sable back of sea,
Before the wind they cut their spumy way;
580
And to the land their lazy journey plow.
Thus spungy clouds on heav'n's blue vault arise,
And float, before the wind, along the skies;
Their wings opposed to the illustrious sun,
Shine, as they move, majestically on.
Thus godlike Harold brought his floating aid,
Unknowing Sueno's numbered with the dead.
From Anglia's coasts he called his troops afar,
To aid his brother in the foreign war.
Arrived, he in the wave the anchor throws,
Attempts to land, and Albion's chiefs oppose;
Wave on the fatal shore the pointed spear,
And send the arrow whizzing through the air.
And float, before the wind, along the skies;
Their wings opposed to the illustrious sun,
Shine, as they move, majestically on.
Thus godlike Harold brought his floating aid,
Unknowing Sueno's numbered with the dead.
From Anglia's coasts he called his troops afar,
To aid his brother in the foreign war.
Arrived, he in the wave the anchor throws,
Attempts to land, and Albion's chiefs oppose;
Wave on the fatal shore the pointed spear,
And send the arrow whizzing through the air.
The Danes return the flying death afar,
And, as they crowd away, maintain the war.
An arrow tore through air its murm'ring path,
Fell on the king, and weighed him down to death:
Quick, from the wound, the blood tumult'ous sprung,
And o'er the sand the reeking weapon flung:
Prone on the strand an awful trunk he lies,
While sleep eternal steals upon his eyes.
The mournful chiefs around the dying stood,
Some raise the body, others stem the blood:
In vain their care;—the soul for ever fled,
And fate had numbered Indulph with the dead.
And, as they crowd away, maintain the war.
An arrow tore through air its murm'ring path,
Fell on the king, and weighed him down to death:
Quick, from the wound, the blood tumult'ous sprung,
And o'er the sand the reeking weapon flung:
Prone on the strand an awful trunk he lies,
While sleep eternal steals upon his eyes.
The mournful chiefs around the dying stood,
Some raise the body, others stem the blood:
In vain their care;—the soul for ever fled,
And fate had numbered Indulph with the dead.
Culena, whom young Duffus set apart,
With a green bank secured the hostile dart.
Her father's fate assailed her tender ear,
She beat her snowy breast, and tore her hair:
Frantic along the sand she run, she flew,
And on the corse distressful beauty threw:
She called her father's shade with filial cries,
And all the daughter streaming from her eyes.
Bent on revenge the furious Duffus strode,
And eyed, with angry look, the sable flood.
A ship, which near had took its nodding stand,
Fixed with the pitchy haulser to the strand,
Remains of Sueno's fleet, the hero viewed,
And to the mournful warriors spoke aloud:
“Let those whose actions are enchained by years
Honour the mighty dead with friendly tears;
While we of youth, descending to the main,
Exact severe atonement of the Dane.”
With a green bank secured the hostile dart.
Her father's fate assailed her tender ear,
She beat her snowy breast, and tore her hair:
Frantic along the sand she run, she flew,
And on the corse distressful beauty threw:
She called her father's shade with filial cries,
And all the daughter streaming from her eyes.
Bent on revenge the furious Duffus strode,
And eyed, with angry look, the sable flood.
581
Fixed with the pitchy haulser to the strand,
Remains of Sueno's fleet, the hero viewed,
And to the mournful warriors spoke aloud:
“Let those whose actions are enchained by years
Honour the mighty dead with friendly tears;
While we of youth, descending to the main,
Exact severe atonement of the Dane.”
He thus: and rushing through the billowy roars,
With brawny arms his rapid journey oars;
Divides with rolling chest the ridgy sea,
Lashing the bubbling liquid in his way.
With brawny arms his rapid journey oars;
Divides with rolling chest the ridgy sea,
Lashing the bubbling liquid in his way.
The boat he seized, and, meas'ring back the deep,
Wafted his brave companions to the ship;
The haulser broke, unfurled the swelling sail,
And caught the vig'rous spirit of the gale:
Before the sable prow the ocean parts,
And groans beneath the vessel as it darts.
Wafted his brave companions to the ship;
The haulser broke, unfurled the swelling sail,
And caught the vig'rous spirit of the gale:
Before the sable prow the ocean parts,
And groans beneath the vessel as it darts.
Now on the foe the Scottish warriors gain;
Swells on the approaching eye the floating Dane.
Fierce Ulric's skill brought up the lazy rear,
Famed in the fields of main to urge the war.
Twice seven years, in base pursuit of gain,
He plowed the waves, the common foe of men;
At last to Harold aiding arms he joined;
Grasping the spoil with avaricious mind.
At first he shoots the leaping shaft afar,
And manages with skill the distant war.
The chiefs of Albion, with collected might,
Bear on the foe, and close the naval fight.
Deck joined to deck, and man engaged with man,
Sword spoke with sword, and Scot transfixed his Dane.
The smoking oak is covered o'er with gore,
Till the whole pirate crew are now no more.
The empty hull from wave to wave is tossed,
Nods as it floats, the sport of every blast.
Swells on the approaching eye the floating Dane.
Fierce Ulric's skill brought up the lazy rear,
Famed in the fields of main to urge the war.
Twice seven years, in base pursuit of gain,
He plowed the waves, the common foe of men;
At last to Harold aiding arms he joined;
Grasping the spoil with avaricious mind.
At first he shoots the leaping shaft afar,
And manages with skill the distant war.
The chiefs of Albion, with collected might,
Bear on the foe, and close the naval fight.
Deck joined to deck, and man engaged with man,
Sword spoke with sword, and Scot transfixed his Dane.
The smoking oak is covered o'er with gore,
Till the whole pirate crew are now no more.
The empty hull from wave to wave is tossed,
Nods as it floats, the sport of every blast.
582
The Caledonian chiefs again pursue:
The Scandinavian fleet o'er ocean flew.
T' elude the foe the Danes fly diff'rent ways;
And cut with sep'rate prows the hoary seas.
Some bear to sea, some rush upon the land,
And fly amain on earth, a trembling band.
The Scandinavian fleet o'er ocean flew.
T' elude the foe the Danes fly diff'rent ways;
And cut with sep'rate prows the hoary seas.
Some bear to sea, some rush upon the land,
And fly amain on earth, a trembling band.
As, in pursuit of doves, on rapid wings
The darting hawk through air his journey sings;
But when the parting flock divides the sky,
Hovers, in doubt this way or that to fly,—
So undetermined long young Duffus stood;
At length he sighed, and thus began aloud:
“While thus, O chiefs, we urge the flying Dane,
Unmourned, unhonoured lies the mighty slain;
'Tis ours to grace with woe great Indulph's bier,
And o'er his fallen virtue shed the tear.”
The darting hawk through air his journey sings;
But when the parting flock divides the sky,
Hovers, in doubt this way or that to fly,—
So undetermined long young Duffus stood;
At length he sighed, and thus began aloud:
“While thus, O chiefs, we urge the flying Dane,
Unmourned, unhonoured lies the mighty slain;
'Tis ours to grace with woe great Indulph's bier,
And o'er his fallen virtue shed the tear.”
The warrior spoke: the Caledonians sighed,
And with returning prow the waves divide;
With swelling sail bring on the fatal shore,
Where o'er the dead the aged chiefs deplore.
The warriors bear their monarch as they come,
In sad procession to the silent tomb,
Forsake with lazy steps the sounding main,
And move a sad and lamentable train.
And with returning prow the waves divide;
With swelling sail bring on the fatal shore,
Where o'er the dead the aged chiefs deplore.
The warriors bear their monarch as they come,
In sad procession to the silent tomb,
Forsake with lazy steps the sounding main,
And move a sad and lamentable train.
Behind the dead the tuneful bards appear,
And mingle with their elegies the tear;
From their sad hearts the mournful numbers flow
In all the tuneful melody of woe.
And mingle with their elegies the tear;
From their sad hearts the mournful numbers flow
In all the tuneful melody of woe.
In grief's solemnity Culena leads
A mournful train of tear-distilling maids:
Above the rest the beauteous queen appears,
And heightens all her beauties with her tears.
A mournful train of tear-distilling maids:
Above the rest the beauteous queen appears,
And heightens all her beauties with her tears.
Now in the tomb the godlike Indulph laid,
Shared the dark couch with the illustrious dead:
All o'er his grave the mournful warriors sigh,
And give his dust the tribute of the eye.
Removing, as the night inwrapt the sky,
They share the nuptial feast with solemn joy.
The royal Duffus, with a husband's care,
Soothed in his martial arms the sorrowing fair,
O'er Albion's rocks exerted his command,
And stretched his sceptre o'er a willing land.
Shared the dark couch with the illustrious dead:
All o'er his grave the mournful warriors sigh,
And give his dust the tribute of the eye.
583
They share the nuptial feast with solemn joy.
The royal Duffus, with a husband's care,
Soothed in his martial arms the sorrowing fair,
O'er Albion's rocks exerted his command,
And stretched his sceptre o'er a willing land.
| The poems of Ossian | |