Oithona Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A B C D E F G B B H I J| Gaul the son of Morni attended Lathmon into his own country after his being defeated in Morven as related in a preceding poem He was kindly entertained by Nu th the father of Lathmon and fell in love with his daughter Oithona The lady was no less enamored of Gaul and a day was fixed for their marriage In the mean time Fingal preparing for an expedition into the country of the Britons sent for Gaul He obeyed and went but not without promising to Oithona to return it he survived the war by a certain day Lathmon too was obliged to attend his father Nu th in his wars and Oithona was left alone at Dunlathmon the seat of the family Dunrommath Lord of Uthal supposed to be one of the Orkneys taking advantage of the absence of her friends came and carried off by force Oithona who had formerly rejected his love into Trom thon a desert island where he concealed her in a cave | A |
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| Gaul returned on the day appointed heard of the rape and sailed to Trom thon to revenge himself on Dunrommath When he landed he found Oithona disconsolate and resolved not to survive the loss of her honor She told him the story of her misfortunes and she scarce ended when Dunrommath with his followers appeared at the farther end of the island Gaul prepared to attack him recommending to Uithona to retire till the battle was over She seemingly obeyed but she secretly armed herself rushed into the thickest of the battle and was mortally wounded Gaul pursuing the flying enemy found her just expiring on the field he mourned over her raised her tomb and returned to Morven Thus is the story handed down by tradition nor is it given with any material difference in the poem which opens with Gaul's return to Dunlathmon after the rape of Oithona | B |
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| DARKNESS dwells around Dunlathmon though the moon shows half her face on the hill The daughter of night turns her eyes away she beholds the approaching grief The son of Morni is on the plain there is no sound in the hall No long streaming beam of light comes trembling through the gloom The voice of Oithona is not heard amidst the noise of the streams of Dunranna Whither art thou gone in thy beauty dark haired daughter of Nu th Lathmon is in the field of the valiant but thou didst promise to remain in the hall till the son of Morni returned Till he returned from Strumon to the maid of his love The tear was on thy cheek at his departure the sigh rose in secret in thy breast But thou dost not come forth with songs with the lightly trembling sound of the harp | C |
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| Such were the words of Gaul when he came to Dunlathmon's towers The gates were open and dark The winds were blustering in the hall The trees strewed the threshold with leaves the murmur of night was abroad Sad and silent at a rock the son of Morni sat his soul trembled for the maid but he knew not whither to turn his course The son of Leth stood at a distance and heard the winds in his bushy hair But he did not raise his voice for he saw the sorrow of Gaul | D |
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| Sleep descended on the chiefs The visions of night arose Oithona stood in a dream before the eyes of Morni's son Her hair was loose and disordered her lovely eye rolled deep in tears Blood stained her snowy arm The robe half hid the wound of her breast She stood over the chief and her voice was feebly heard Sleeps the son of Morni he that was lovely in the eyes of Oithona Sleeps Gaul at the distant rock and the daughter of Nu th low The sea rolls round the dark isle of Trom thon I sit in my tears in the cave Nor do I sit alone O Gaul the dark chief of Cuthal is there He is there in the rage of his love What can Oithona do | E |
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| A rougher blast rushed through the oak The dream of night departed Gaul took his aspen spear He stood in the rage of his soul Often did hid turn to the east He accused the lagging light At length the morning came forth The hero lifted up the sail The winds came rustling from the hill he bounded on the waves of the deep On the third day arose Trom thon like a blue shield in the midst of the sea The white wave roared against its rocks sad Oithona sat on the coast She looked on the rolling waters and her tears came down But when she saw Gaul in his arms she started and turned her eyes away Her lovely cheek is bent and red her white arm trembles by her side Thrice she strove to fly from his presence thrice her steps failed as she went | F |
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| Daughter of Nu th said the hero why dost thou fly from Gaul Do my eyes send forth the flame of death Darkens hatred in my soul Thou art to me the beam of the east rising in a land unknown But thou coverest thy face with sadness daughter of car borne Nu th Is the foe of Oithona near My soul burns to meet him in fight The sword trembles by the side of Gaul and longs to glitter in his hand Speak daughter of Nu th Dost thou not behold my tears | G |
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| Young chief of Strumon replied the maid why comest thou over the dark blue wave to Nu th's mournful daughter Why did I not pass away in secret like the flower of the rock that lifts its fair head unseen and strews its withered leaves on the blast Why didst thou come O Gaul to hear my departing sigh I vanish in my youth my name shall not be heard Or it will be heard with grief the tears of Nu th must fall Thou wilt be sad son of Morni for the departed fame of Oithona But she shall sleep in the narrow tomb far from the voice of the mourner Why didst thou come chief of Strumon to the sea beat rocks of Trom thon | B |
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| I came to meet thy foes daughter of car borne Nu th The death of Cuthal's chief darkens before me or Morni's son shall fall Oithona when Gaul is low raise my tomb on that oozy rock When the dark bounding ship shall pass call the sons of the sea call them and give this sword to bear it hence to Morni's hall The gray haired chief will then cease to look towards the desert for the return of his son | B |
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| Shall the daughter of Nu th live she replied with a bursting sig Shall I live in Trom thon and the son of Morni low My heart is not of that rock nor my soul careless as that sea which lifts its blue waves to every wind and rolls beneath the storm The blast which shall lay thee low shall spread the branches of Oithona on earth We shall wither together son of car borne Morni The narrow house is pleasant to me and the gray stone of the dead for never more will I leave thy rocks O sea surrounded Trom thon Night came on with her clouds after the departure of Lathmon when he went to the wars of his fathers to the moss covered rock of Duth rmoth Night came on I sat in the hall at the beam of the oak The wind was abroad in the trees I heard the sound of arms Joy rose in my face I thought of thy return It was the chief of Cuthal the red haired strength of Dunrommath His eyes rolled in fire the blood of my people was on his sword They who defended Oithona fell by the gloomy chief What could I do My arm was weak I could not lift the spear He took me in my grief amidst my tears he raised the sail He feared the returning Lathmon the brother of unhappy Oithona But behold he comes with his people the dark wave is divided before him Whither wilt thou turn thy steps son of Morni Many are the warriors of thy foe | H |
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| My steps never turned from battle Gaul said and unsheathed his sword shall I then begin to fear Oithona when thy foes are near Go to thy cave my love till our battle tease on the field Son of Leth bring the bows of our fathers the sounding quiver of Morni Let our three warriors bend the yew Ourselves will lift the spear They are a host on the rock our souls are strong in war | I |
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| Oithona went to the cave A troubled joy rose on her mind like the red path of lightning on a stormy cloud Her soul was resolved the tear was dried from her wildly looking eye Dunrom | J |
James Macpherson
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