* Cuchullin, (general of the Irish tribes, in the minority of Cormac, king of Ireland) fitting alone beneath a tree, at the gate of Tura, a caftle of Ulfter, (the other chiefs having gone on a hunting party to Cromla, a neighbouring hill) is informed of the landing of Swaran, king of Lochlin, by Moran, the fon of Fitbil, one of his scouts. He convenes the chiefs; a council is held, and difputes run high about giving battle to the enemy. Connal, the petty king of Togorma, and an intimate friend of Cuchullin, was for retreating till Fingal, king of thofe Caledonians who inhabited the north-west coast of Scot land, whofe aid had been previously follicited, fhould arrive; but Calmar, the fon of Matha, lord of Lara, a country in Connaught, was for engaging the enemy immediately.-Cuchullin, of himself willing to fight, went into the opinion of Calmar. Marching towards the enemy, be miffed three of his bravest beroes, Fergus, Duchomar, and Caithbat. Fergus arriving, tells Cuchullin of the death of the two other chiefs; which introduces the affecting epifode of Morna, the daughter of Cormac-The army of Cuchullin is defcried at a distance by Swaran, who sent the son of Arno to obferve the motions of the enemy, while he bimfelf ranged his forces in order of battle. The Son of Arno returning to Swaran, defcribes to bim Cuchullin's chariot, and the terrible appearance of that hero. The armies engage, but night coming on, leaves the victory undecided. Cuchullin, according to the hofpitality of the times, fends to Swaran a formal invitation to a feaft, by his bard Carril, the fon of Kinfena.—Stvaran refufes to come. Carril relates to Cuchullin the story of Grudar and Braffolis. A party, by Connal's advice, is fent to obferve the enemy; which clofes the action of the first day. CUC * UCHULLIN fat by Tura's wall; by the tree of the rustling leaf.-----His fp spear leaned against the moffy rock. His fhield lay * Cuchullin, or rather Cuth-Ullin, the voice of Ullin, a poetical name given the son of Semo by the bards, from his commanding the forces of the Province of Ulfter against the Ferbolg or Belga, who were in poffeffion of Connaught. Cuchullin when very young married Bragela the daughter of Sorglan, and paffing over into Ireland, lived for fome time with Connal, grandfon by a daughter to Congal the petty king of Ulfter. His wisdom and valour in a short time gained him fuch reputation, that in the minority of Cormac the fupreme king of Ireland, he was chofen guardian to the young king, and fole manager of the war against Swaran king of Lochlin. After a feries of great actions he was killed in battle fomewhere in Connaught, in the twenty-feventh year of his age. He was so remarkable for his ftrength, that to describe a strong man it has paffed into a proverb," He has the ftrength of Cuchullin." They fhew the remains of his palace at Dunfcaich in the Isle of Skye; and a stone to which he bound his dog Luath, goes ftill by his name. by him on the grafs. As he thought of mighty Carbar, a hero whom he flew in war; the fcout of the ocean came, Moran the fon of § Fithil. RISE, faid the youth, Cuchullin, rife; I fee the fhips of Swaran. Cuchullin, many are the foe: many the heroes of the dark-rolling fea. MORAN! replied the blue-eyed chief, thou ever trembleft, fon of Fithil: Thy fears have much increased the foe. Perhaps it is the king || of the lonely hills coming to aid me on green Ullin's plains. + Cairbar or Cairbre fignifies a ftrong man. § We may conclude from Cuchullin's applying fo early for foreign aid, that the Irish were not then fo numerous as they have fince been; which is a great prefumption against the high antiquities of that people. We have the teftimony of Tacitus that one legion only was thought fufficient, in the time of Agricola, to reduce the whole island under the Roman yoke ; which would not probably have been the cafe had the island been inhabited for any number of centuries before. Moran fignifies many; and Fithil, or rather Fili, an inferior bard. Fingal the fon of Comhal, and Morna the daughter of Thaddu. His grandfather was Trathal, and great grandfather Trenmor, both of whom are often mentioned in the poem.Trenmor, according to tradition, had two fons; Trathal, who fucceeded him in the Kingdom of Morven, and Conar, called by the bards Conar the great, who was elected king of all Ireland, and was the ancestor of that Cormac who fat on the Irish throne when the invafion of Swaran happened. It may not be improper here to obferve, that the accent ought always to be placed on the last fyllable of Fingal. 3 I SAW I SAW their chief, fays Moran, tall as a rock of ice. His fpear is like that blafted fir. His fhield like the rifing moon. He fat on a rock on the shore his dark hoft rolled, like clouds, around him.----Many, chief of men! I faid, many are our hands of war.---Well art thou named, the Mighty Man, but many mighty men are seen from Tura's windy walls.----He anfwered, like a wave on a rock, who in this land appears like me? Heroes ftand not in my prefence they fall to earth beneath my hand. None can meet Swaran in the fight but Fingal, king of ftormy hills. Once we wrestled on the heath of Malmor *, and our heels overturned the wood. Rocks fell from their place; and rivulets, changing their courfe, fled murmuring from our ftrife. Three days we renewed our ftrife, and heroes ftood at a diftance and trembled. On the fourth, Fingal fays, that the king of the ocean fell; but Swaran fays, he flood. Let dark Cuchullin yield to him that is ftrong as the ftorms of Malmor. No: replied the blue-eyed chief, I will never yield to man. Dark Cuchullin will be great or dead. Go, Fithil's fon, and take my spear: • Meal-mór-a great hill. B 3 ftrike |