Dar-thula Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A B C D E F G C H I E J K| ARGUMENT | A |
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| It may not be improper here to give the story which is the foundation of this poem as it is handed down by tradition Usnoth lord of Etha which is probably that part of Argyleshire which is near Loch Eta an arm of the sea in Lorn had three sons Nathos Althos and Ardan by Sliss ma the daughter of Semo and sister to the celebrated Cuthullin The three brothers when very young were sent over to Ireland by their father to learn the use of arms under their uncle Cuthullin who made a great figure in that kingdom They were just landed in Ulster when the news of Cuthullin's death arrived Nathos though very young took the command of Cuthullin's army made head against Cairbar the usurper and defeated him in several battles Cairbar at last having found means to murder Cormac the lawful king the army of Nathos shifted sides and he himself was obliged to return into Ulster in order to pass over into Scotland | B |
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| Dar thula the daughter of Colla with whom Cairbar was in love resided at that time in Sel ma a castle in Ulster She saw fell in love and fled with Nathos but a storm rising at sea they were unfortunately driven back on that part of the coast of Ulster where Cairbar was encamped with his army The three brothers after having defended themselves for some time with great bravery were overpowered and slain and the unfortunate Dar thula killed herself upon the body of her beloved Nathos | C |
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| The poem opens on the night preceding the death of the sons of Usnoth and brings in by way of episode what passed before it relates the death of Dar thula differently from the common tradition This account is the most probable as suicide seems to have been unknown in those early times for no traces of it are found in the old poetry | D |
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| DAUGHTER of heaven fair art thou the silence of thy face is pleasant Thou comest forth in loveliness The stars attend thy blue course in the east The clouds rejoice in thy presence O moon They brighten their dark brown sides Who is like thee in heaven light of the silent night The stars are shamed in thy presence They turn away their sparkling eyes Whither dost thou retire from thy course when the darkness of thy countenance grows Hast thou thy hall like Ossian Dwellest thou in the shadow of grief Have thy sisters fallen from heaven Are they who rejoiced with thee at night no more Yes they have fallen fair light and thou dost often retire to mourn But thou thyself shalt fail one night and leave thy blue path in heaven The stars will then lift their heads they who were ashamed in thy presence will rejoice Thou art now clothed with thy brightness Look from thy gates in the sky Burst the cloud O wind that the daughters of night may look forth that the shaggy mountains may brighten and the ocean roll its white waves in light | E |
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| Nathos is on the deep and Althos that beam of youth Ardan is near his brothers They move in the gloom of their course The sons of Usnoth move in darkness from the wrath of Cairbar of Erin Who is that dim by their side The night has covered her beauty Her hair sighs on ocean's wind Her robe streams in dusky wreaths She is like the fair spirit of heaven in the midst of the shadowy mist Who is it but Dar thula the first of Erin's maids She has fled from the love of Cairbar with blue shielded Nathos But the winds deceive thee O Dar thula They deny the woody Etha to thy sails These are not the mountains of Nathos nor is that the roar of his climbing waves The halls of Cairbar are near the towers of the foe lift their heads Erin stretches its green head into the sea Tura's bay receives the ship Where have ye been ye southern Winds when the sons of my love were deceived But ye have been sporting on the plains pursuing the thistle's beard O that ye had been rustling in the sails of Nathos till the hills of Etha arose till they arose in their clouds and saw their returning chief Long hast thou been absent Nathos the day of thy return is past | F |
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| But the land of strangers saw thee lovely thou wast lovely in the eyes of Dar thula Thy face was like the light of the morning Thy hair like the raven's wing Thy soul was generous and mild like tho hour of the setting sun Thy words were the gale of the reeds the gliding stream of Lora But when the rage of battle rose thou wast a sea in a storm The clang of thy arms was terrible the host vanished at the sound of thy course It was then Dar thula beheld thee from the top of her mossy tower from the tower of Sel ma where her fathers dwelt | G |
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| Lovely art thou O stranger she said for her trembling soul arose Fair art thou in thy battles friend of the fallen Cormac Why dost thou rush on in thy valor youth of the ruddy look Few are thy hands in fight against the dark brown Cairbar O that I might be freed from his love that I might rejoice in the presence of Nathos Blest are the rocks of Etha they will behold his steps at the chase they will see his white bosom when the winds lift his flowing hair Such were thy words Dar thula in Sel ma's mossy towers But now the night is around thee The winds have deceived thy sails the winds have deceived thy sails Dar thula Their blustering sound is high Cease a little while O north wind Let me hear the voice of the lovely Thy voice is lovely Dar thula between the rustling blasts | C |
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| Are these the rocks of Nathos she said this the roaring of his mountain streams Comes that beam of light from Usnoth's nightly hall The mist spreads around the beam is feeble and distant far But the light of Dar thula's soul dwells in the chief of Etha Son of the generous Usnoth why that broken sigh Are we in the land of strangers chief of echoing Etha | H |
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| These are not the rocks of Nathos he replied nor this the roar of his stream No light comes from Etha's hall for they are distant far We are in the land of strangers in the land of cruel Cairbar The winds have deceived us Dar thula Erin lifts here her hills Go towards the north Althos be thy steps Ardan along the coast that the foe may not come in darkness and our hopes of Etha fail I will go towards that mossy tower to see who dwells about the beam Rest Dar thula on the shore rest in peace thou lovely light the sword of Nathos is around thee like the lightning of heaven | I |
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| He went She sat alone she heard the roiling of the wave The big tear is in her eye She looks for returning Nathos Her soul trembles at the bast She turns her ear towards the tread of his feet The tread of his feet is not heard Where art thou son of my love The roar of the blast is around me Dark is the cloudy night But Nathos does not return What detains thee chief of Etha Have the foes met the hero in the strife of the night | E |
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| He returned but his face was dark He had seen his departed friend it was the wall of Tura The ghost of Cuthullin stalked there alone the sighing of his breast was frequent The decayed flame of his eyes was terrible His spear was a column of mist The stars looked dim through his form His voice was like hollow wind in a cave his eye a light seen afar He told the tale of grief The soul of Nathos was sad like the sun in the day of mist when his face watery and dim | J |
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| Why art thou sad O Nathos said the lovely daughter of Colla Thou art a pillow of light to Dar thula The joy of her eyes is in Etha's chief Where is my friend but Nathos My father my brother is fallen Silence dwells on Sel ma Sadness spreads on the blue streams of my land My friends have fallen with Cormac The mighty were slain in the battles of Erin Hear son of Usnoth hear O Nathos my tale of grief | K |
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| Evening darkened on the plain The blue streams failed before mine eyes The unfrequent blast came rustling in the tops of Sel ma's groves My seat was beneath a tree on the w | - |
James Macpherson
(1)
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