Odes, English and Latin By Thomas James Mathias. Reprinted 1798 |
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| II. |
| III. |
| IV. | ODE IV. BATTLE.
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| VI. |
 | Odes, English and Latin |  |
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ODE IV. BATTLE.
Who the deeds of war shall sing?—
Fingal struck the deep-ton'd string,
Valour's noblest, best reward,
Fingal chief, and Fingal bard.
Fingal struck the deep-ton'd string,
Valour's noblest, best reward,
Fingal chief, and Fingal bard.
Mark exulting heroes throng,
Starno bold, and Trenmor strong;
See the force of Gaul advance;
Fergus lifts the glittering lance;
Lowering there each warrior shield,
Like darken'd moon in starry field.
Hark! they join ('twas Swaran's word)
Man to man, and sword to sword;
Groans of dying armies fill
The deepen'd vale, the lofty hill,
As the whirlwind's rapid might
Breaks the silence of the night:
While pouring o'er the stained ground,
Sanguine torrents smoke around.
Starno bold, and Trenmor strong;
See the force of Gaul advance;
Fergus lifts the glittering lance;
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Like darken'd moon in starry field.
Hark! they join ('twas Swaran's word)
Man to man, and sword to sword;
Groans of dying armies fill
The deepen'd vale, the lofty hill,
As the whirlwind's rapid might
Breaks the silence of the night:
While pouring o'er the stained ground,
Sanguine torrents smoke around.
What spirit that, which mounts the blast?
His form with sorrow's clouds o'ercast,
His faded hue, and sullen state,
Speak the messenger of fate.
His form with sorrow's clouds o'ercast,
His faded hue, and sullen state,
Speak the messenger of fate.
As the ocean's troubled roar,
When surges sweep the whitening shore;
As on Morven's stormy brow
Thousand blasts in conflict blow;
As the thunder's rattling march,
Rending heav'n's affrighted arch;
O'er th'embattled crimson heath
Hurtles so the voice of Death.
When surges sweep the whitening shore;
As on Morven's stormy brow
Thousand blasts in conflict blow;
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Rending heav'n's affrighted arch;
O'er th'embattled crimson heath
Hurtles so the voice of Death.
| Odes, English and Latin | |