Temora - Book I Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A B B C D B B E F G| ARGUMENT | A |
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| Cairbar the son of Borbar duthul lord of Atha in Connaught the most Potent chief of the race of the Fir bolg having murdered at Temora the royal palace Cormac the son of Artho the young king of Ireland usurped the throne Cormac was lineally descended from Conar the son of Trenmor the great grandfather of Fingal king of those Caledonians who inhabited the western coast of Scotland Fingal resented the behavior of Cairbar and resolved to pass over into Ireland with an army to re establish the royal family on the Irish throne Early intelligence of his designs coming to Cairbar he assembled some of his tribes in Ulster and at the same time ordered his brother Cathmor to follow him speedily with an army from Temora Such was the situation of affairs when the Caledonian invaders appeared on the coast of Ulster | B |
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| The poem opens in the morning Cairbar is represented as retired from the rest of the army when one of his scouts brought him news of the landing of Fingal He assembles a council of his chiefs Foldath the chief of Moma haughtily despises the enemy and is reprimanded warmly by Malthos Cairbar after hearing their debate orders a feast to be prepared to which by his bard Olla he invites Oscar the son of Ossian resolving to pick a quarrel with that hero and so have some pretext for killing him Oscar came to the feast the quarrel happened the followers of both fought and Cairbar and Oscar fell by mutual wounds The noise of the battle reached Fingal's army The king came on to the relief of Oscar and the Irish fell back to the army of Cathmor who was advanced to the banks of the river Lubar on the heath of Moi lena Fingal after mourning over his grandson ordered Ullin the chief of his bards to carry his body to Morven to be there interred Night coming on Althan the son of Conachar relates to the king the particulars of the murder of Cormac Fillan the son of Fingal is sent to observe the motions of Cathmor by night which concludes the action of the first day The scene of this book is a plain near the hill of Mora which rose on the borders of the heath of Moi lena in Ulster | B |
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| THE blue waves of Erin roll in light The mountains are covered with day Trees shake their dusky heads in the breeze Gray torrents pour their noisy streams Two green hills with aged oaks surround a narrow plain The blue course of a stream is there On its banks stood Cairbar of Atha His spear supports the king the red eye of his fear is sad Cormac rises in his soul with all his ghastly wounds The gray form of the youth appears in darkness Blood pours from his airy side Cairbar thrice threw his spear on earth Thrice he stroked his beard His steps are short He often stops He tosses his sinewy arms He is like a cloud in the desert varying its form to every blast The valleys are sad around and fear by turns the shower The king at length resumed his soul He took his pointed spear He turned his eye to Moi lena The scouts of blue ocean came They came with steps of fear and often looked behind Cairbar knew that the mighty were near He called his gloomy chiefs | C |
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| The sounding steps of his warriors came They drew at once their swords There Morlath stood with darkened face Hidalla's long hair sighs in the wind Red haired Cormar bends on his spear and rolls his sidelong looking eyes Wild is the look of Malthos from beneath two shaggy brows Foldath stands like an oozy rock that covers its dark sides with foam His spear is like Slimora's fir that meets the wind of heaven His shield is marked with the strokes of battle His red eye despises danger These and a thousand other chiefs surrounded the king of Erin when the scout of ocean came Mor annal from streamy Moi lena His eyes hang forward from his face His lips are trembling pale | D |
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| Do the chiefs of Erin stand he said silent as the grove of evening Stand they like a silent wood and Fingal on the coast Fingal who is terrible in battle the king of streamy Morven Hast thou seen the warrior said Cairbar with a sigh Are his heroes many on the coast Lifts he the spear of battle or comes the king in peace In peace be comes not king of Erin I have seen his forward spear It is a meteor of death The blood of thousands is on its steel He came first to the shore strong in the gray hair of age Full rose his sinewy limbs as he strode in his might That sword is by his side which gives no second wound His shield is terrible like the bloody moon ascending through a storm Then came Ossian king of songs Then Morni's son the first of men Connal leaps forward on his spear Dermid spreads his dark brown locks Fillan bends his bow the young hunter of streamy Moruth But who is that before them like the terrible course of a stream It is the son of Ossian bright between his locks His long hair falls on his back His dark brows are half enclosed in steel His sword hangs loose on his side His spear glitters as he moves I fled from his terrible eyes king of high Temora | B |
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| Then fly thou feeble man said Foldath's gloomy wrath Fly to the gray streams of thy land son of the little soul Have not I seen that Oscar I beheld the chief in war He is of the mighty in danger but there are others who lift the spear Erin has many sons as brave king of Temora of groves Let Foldath meet him in his strength Let me stop this mighty stream My spear is covered with blood My shield is like the wall of Tura | B |
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| Shall Foldath alone meet the foe replied the dark browed Malthos Are they not on our coast like the waters of many streams Are not these the chiefs who vanquished Swaran when the sons of green Erin fled Shall Foldath meet their bravest hero Foldath of the heart of pride Take the strength of the people and let Malthos come My sword is red with slaughter but who has heard my words | E |
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| Sons of green Erin said Hidalla let not Fingal hear your words The foe might rejoice and his arm be strong in the land Ye are brave O warriors Ye are tempests in war Ye are like storms which meet the rocks without fear and overturn the woods But let us move in our strength slow as a gathered cloud Then shall the mighty tremble the spear shall fall from the hand of the valiant We see the cloud of death they will say while shadows fly over their face Fingal will mourn in his age He shall behold his flying fame The steps of his chiefs will cease in Morven The moss of years shall grow in Selma | F |
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| Cairbar heard their words in silence like the cloud of a shower it stands dark on Cromla till the lightning bursts its side The valley gleams with heaven's flame the spirits of the storm rejoice So stood the silent king of Temora at length his words broke forth Spread the feast on Moi lena Let my hundred bards attend Thou red haired Olla take the harp of the king Go to Oscar chief of swords Bid Oscar to our joy To day we feast and hear the song to morrow break the spears Tell him that I have raised the tomb of Cathol that bards gave his friend to the winds Tell him that Cairbar has heard of his fame at the stream of resounding Carun Cathmor my brother is not here He is not here with his thousands and our arms are weak Cathmor is a foe to strife at the feast His soul is bright as that sun But Cairbar must fight with Oscar chiefs of woody Temora His words for Cathol were many the wrath of Cairbar burns He shall fall on Moi lena My fame shall rise in blood | G |
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| Their faces brightened round with joy They spread over Moi lena The feast of shells is prepared The songs of bards arise The chiefs of Selma heard their joy We thought that mighty Cathmor came Cathmor the friend of strangers the brother of red haired Cairbar Their souls were not the same The light of heaven was in the bosom of Cathmor His towers rose on the banks of Atha seven paths led to h | - |
James Macpherson
(1)
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