Galic Antiquities

A P O E M. 271
wihds. Thus waited, for a feafon Colgvil ; but now he comes with
his thoufands, when Trathal is alone.
Thou art alone, O Trathal; but thy thoughts are not of flight.
Thy ftrength, like the contracSled ftream of Inar, grows. Thy foul,
like the heaving ocean, fwells in the roar of llorms. Thy joy is
terrible, like a fpirit of night when he lifts his red head in the
midft of meteors,
and ftrides, in his dark-growing cloud, from hill
to hill.
-* * * * * * * * * *
As the rolling of rocks from the top of hills ; as the noife of waves
when the tempeft is high ; or as groves when their dry hair is feized
by flames through night,—fuch was the terror of the path of Trathal.
Colgul and he were two mountain-flreams in the flrife: the
found of their fleel was like the echo of the narrow A'ale
when its
green pines are felled.—Dreadful is their battle ! Trathal is a florni
that overturns the grove, and a wave that climbs the fliore is Colgul
f .
But the eyes of Colgul reel in mifl, as lights on his helmet
the maffy fpear. Corran ftands without his fliield, like a rock
which the lightning has bared. Duchonnis flops with his hand
the red flream of his breafl, and leans his back to a broken tree.
The helmet of CrufolUs glitters between his feet, with one half hi*
head, before he falls : and the gray hair of Tual-arma is trampled
in blood and duft,
by the crowding feet of heroes.
CoLf
The original of this paflage is fo truly BhaColguii'f e fcin tnardha (liruth aonaich,
grand and
•1 .
terrible,
.
that the tranflation
....
Chluinme airgach laobh am beuoich;
B' airde fuaim ajn faobhar reala
,
gives but a very inadequate idea of it. ... ...„,.
' ^ Na toirm mnic-tballa s croinn gan gearri.
ChaidhTra'alafios na ride,
Bha Tra'al mar neart na gaoithe
Mar fgarnaich o mhullach (leibhte ; Leagas giuthas Mhor'ainn aobhach ;
Mar bhiiinnc-flirutli fuaimncach oiUtcil,
'Sbha Colguil mar luas nan fteiid-Hiruth
No mar iheine 'm fait nan coilllean. Bhios ri aodan fliliabh ag eiridTi.