ARGUMENT.-GAUL, the son of Morni, attended Lathmon into his own country, after his being defeated in Morven, as related in the preceding poem. He was kindly entertained by Nuäth, the father of Lathmon, and fell in love with his daughter Oithona. The lady was no less enamoured 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, if he survived the war, by a certain day. Lathmon too was obliged to attend his father Nuäth 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 Tromáthon, a desert island, where he concealed her in a cave.

Gaul returned on the day appointed; heard of the rape, and sailed to Tromáthon, to revenge himself on Dunrommath. When he landed, he found Oithona disconsolate, and resolved not to survive the loss of her honour. She told him the story of her misfortunes, and she scarce ended, when Dunrommath with his followers appeared at the further end of the island. Gaul prepared to attack him, recommending to Oithona 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.

OITHONA.

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 longstreaming beam of light comes trembling through the gloom. The voice of Oithona* is not heard amidst the noise of the streams of Duvranna. "Whither art thou gone in thy beauty, dark-hair"ed daughter of Nuäth? 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 depar"ture; the sigh rose in secret in thy breast. But "thou dost not come forth with songs, with the lightly-trembling sound of the harp!"

66

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 strowed 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 * Oi-thóna, the virgin of the wave.

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! 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 Nuäth low? The sea rolls "round the dark isle of Tromáthon. 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?" 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 his eyes 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 Tromáthont like a blue shield in the midst of the sea! The white wave roared against its rocks; sad Oithona

* Morlo, the son of Leth, is one of Fingal's most famous heroes. He and three other men attended Gaul on his expedition to Tro máthon.

↑ Tróm-thón, heavy or deep-sounding wave.

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 her as she went!

"Daughter of Nuäth," 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 "Nuäth! 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 Nuäth! Dost thou "not behold my tears?"

"Young chief of Strumon," replied the maid, "why comest thou over the dark-blue wave, to "Nuäth's mournful daughter? Why did I not pass

away in secret, like the flower of the rock, that "lifts its fair head unseen, and strows its with"ered 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 "Nuäth 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 "Tromáthon?"

"I came to meet thy foes, daughter of car-borne "Nuäth! 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 grey-haired chief will then cease to look "towards the desert for the return of his son!"

"Shall the daughter of Nuäth live?" she replied with a bursting sigh. "Shall I live in "Tromáthon, 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 grey stone of "the dead: for never more will I leave thy rocks, "O sea-surrounded Tromáthon! Night* came "on with her clouds, after the departure of Lath

66

mon, when he went to the wars of his fathers, to "the moss-covered rock of Duthórmoth. Night "came on. I sat in the hall, at the beam of the "oak! The wind was abroad in the trees. I heard

* Oithona relates how she was carried away by Dunrommatli.