Lathmon Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A B C D E F G H I J H K L J M| ARGUMENT | A |
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| Lathmon a British prince taking advantage of Fingal's absence on an expedition to Ireland made a descent on Morven and advanced within sight of Selma the royal residence Fingal arrived in the mean time and Lathmon retreated to a hill where his army was surprised by night and himself taken prisoner by Ossian and Gaul the son of Morni The poem opens with the first appearance of Fingal on the coast of Morven and ends it may be supposed about noon the next day | B |
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| SELMA thy halls are silent There is no sound in the woods of Morven The wave tumbles along on the coast The silent beam of the sun is on the field The daughters of Morven come forth like the bow of the shower they look towards green Erin for the white sails of the king He had promised to return but the winds of the north arose | C |
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| Who pours from the eastern hill like a stream of darkness It is the host of Lathmon He has heard of the absence of Fingal He trusts in the winds of the north His soul brightens with joy Why dost thou come O Lathmon The mighty are not in Selma Why comest thou with thy forward spear Will the daughters of Morven fight But stop O mighty stream in thy course Does not Lathmon behold these sails Why dost thou vanish Lathmon like the mist of the lake But the squally storm is behind thee Fingal pursues thy steps | D |
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| The king of Morven had started from sleep as we rolled on the dark blue wave He stretched his hand to his spear his heroes rose around We knew that he had seen his fathers for they often descended to his dreams when the sword of the foe rose over the land and the battle darkened before us Whither hast thou fled O wind said the king of Morven Dost thou rustle in the chambers of the south pursuest thou the shower in other lands Why dost thou not come to my sails to the blue face of my seas The foe is in the land of Morven and the king is absent far But let each bind on his mail and each assume his shield Stretch every spear over the wave let every sword be unsheathed Lathmon is before us with his host he that fled from Fingal on the plains of Lona But he returns like a collected stream and his roar is between our hills | E |
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| Such were the words of Fingal We rushed into Carmon's bay Ossian ascended the hill he thrice struck his bossy shield The rock of Morven replied the bounding roes came forth The foe was troubled in my presence he collected his darkened host I stood like a cloud on the hill rejoicing in the arms of my youth | F |
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| Morni sat beneath a tree on the roaring waters of Strumon his locks of age are gray he leans forward on his staff young Gaul is near the hero hearing the battles of his father Often did he rise in the fire of his soul at the mighty deeds of Morni The aged heard the sound of Ossian's shield he knew the sign of war He started at once from his place His gray hair parted on his back lie remembered the deeds of other years | G |
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| My son he said to fair haired Gaul I hear the sound of war The king of Morven is returned his signals are spread on the wind Go to the halls of Strumon bring his arms to Morni Bring the shield of my father's latter years for my arm begins to fail Take thou thy armor O Gaul and rush to the first of thy battles Let thine arm reach to the renown of thy fathers Be thy course in the field like the eagle's wing Why shouldst thou fear death my son the valiant fall with fame their shields turn the dark stream of danger away renown dwells on their aged hairs Dost thou not see O Gaul low the steps of my age are honored Morni moves forth and the young men meet him with silent joy on his course But I never fled from danger my son my sword lightened through the darkness of war The stranger melted before me the mighty were blasted in my presence | H |
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| Gaul brought the arms to Morni the aged warrior is covered with steel He took the spear in his hand which was stained with the blood of the valiant He came towards Fingal his son attended his steps The son of Comhal arose before him with joy when he came in his locks of age | I |
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| Chief of the roaring Strumon said the rising soul of Fingal do I behold thee in arms after thy strength has failed Often has Morni shone in fight like the beam of the ascending sun when he disperses the storms of the hill and brings peace to the glittering fields But why didst thou not rest in thine age Thy renown is in the song The people behold thee and bless the departure of mighty Morni Why didst thou not rest in thine age The foe will vanish before Fingal | J |
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| Son of Comhal replied the chief the strength of Morni's arm has failed I attempt to draw the sword of my youth but it remains in its place I throw the spear but it falls short of the mark I feel the weight of my shield We decay like the grass of the hill our strength returns no more I have a son O Fingal his soul has delighted in Morni's deeds but his sword has not been lifted against a foe neither has his fame begun I come with him to the war to direct his arm in fight His renown will be a light to my soul in the dark hour of my departure O that the name of Morni were forgot among the people that the heroes would only say 'Behold the father of Gaul ' | - |
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| King of Strumon Fingal replied Gaul shall lift the sword in fight But he shall lift it before Fingal my arm shall defend his youth But rest thou in the halls of Selma and hear of our renown Bid the harp to be strung and the voice of the bard to arise that those who fall may rejoice in their fame and the soul of Morni brighten with joy Ossian thou hast fought in battles the blood of strangers is on thy spear thy course be with Gaul in the strife but depart not from the side of Fingal lest the foe should find you alone and your fame fail in my presence | H |
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| Ossian speaks I saw Gaul in his arms my soul was mixed with his The fire of the battle was in his eyes he looked to the foe with joy We spoke the words of friendship in secret the lightning of our swords poured together for we drew them behind the wood and tried the strength of our arms on the empty air | K |
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| Night came down on Morven Fingal sat at the beam of the oak Morni sat by his side with all his gray waving locks Their words were of other times of the mighty deeds of their fathers Three bards at times touched the harp Ullin was near with his song He sung of the mighty Comhal but darkness gathered on Morni's brow He rolled his red eye on Ullin at once ceased the song of the bard Fingal observed the aged hero and he mildly spoke Chief of Strumon why that darkness Let the days of other years be forgot Our fathers contended in war but we meet together at the feast Our swords are turned on the foe of our land he melts before us on the field Let the days of our fathers be forgot hero of mossy Strumon | L |
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| King of Morven replied the chief I remember thy father with joy He was terrible in battle the rage of the chief was deadly My eyes were full of tears when the king of heroes fell The valiant fall O Fingal the feeble remain on the hills How many heroes have passed away in the days of Morni Yet I did not shun the battle neither did I fly from the strife of the valiant Now let the friends of Fingal rest for the night is around that they may rise with strength to battle against car borne Lathmon I hear the sound of his host like thunder moving on the hills Ossian and fair haired Gaul ye are young and swift in the race Observe the foes of Fingal from that woody hill But approach them not your fathers are near to shield you Let not your fame fall at once The valor of youth may fail | J |
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| We heard the words of the chief with joy We moved in the clang of our arms Our steps are on the woody hill Heaven burns with all its stars The meteors of death fly over the field The distant noise | M |
James Macpherson
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