COMÁLA: A DRAMATIC POEM.

COMÁLA : A DRAMATIC POEM This poem is valuable on account of the light it throws on the antiquity of Ossian's compositions . The Caracul mentioned here is the same with Caracalla the son of Severus , who in the year 211 commanded an expedition against the Caledonians . — The variety of the measure shews that the poem was originally set to music , and perhaps presented before the chiefs upon solemn occasions . — Tradition has handed down the story more complete than it is in the poem — " Comala , the daughter of Sarno king of Inistore or Orkney islands , fell in love with Fingal the son of Comhal at a feast , to which her father had invited him , [ Fingal , B. III . ] upon his return from Lochlin , after the death of Agandecca . Her passion was so violent , that she followed him , disguised like a youth , who wanted to be employed in his wars . She was soon discovered by Hidallan the son of Lamor , one of Fingal's heroes , whose love she had slighted some time before — Her romantic passion and beauty recommended her so much to the king , that he had resolved to make her his wife ; when news was brought him of Caracul's expedition . He marched to stop the progress of the enemy , and Comala attended him . — He left her on a hill , within sight of Caracul's army , when he himself went to battle , having previously promised , if he survived , to return that night . " The sequel of the story may be gathered from the poem itself . . The PERSONS . FINGAL . HIDALLAN . COMÁLA . daughters of Morni . MELILCOMA , DERSAGRENA , BARDS . DERSAGRENA .

THE chace is over . — No noise on Ardven but the torrent's roar ! — Daughter of Morni , come from Crona's banks . Lay down the bow and take the harp . Let the night come on with songs , and our joy be great on Ardven .

MELILCOMA .

Melilcoma , — soft-rolling eye . AND night comes on , thou blue-eyed maid , gray night grows dim along the plain . I saw a deer at Crona's stream ; a mossy bank he seemed through the gloom , but soon he bounded away . A meteor played round his branchy horns ; and the awful faces Apparent dirae facies , inimicaque Trojae Numina magna deúm . VIRG. — dreadful sounds I hear , And the dire forms of hostile gods appear . DRYDEN . of other times looked from the clouds of Crona .

DERSAGRENA . Dersagrena , the brightness of a sun-beam .

THESE are the signs of Fingal's death . — The king of shields is fallen ! — and Caracul prevails . Rise , Comala Comala , the maid of the pleasant brow . , from thy rocks ; daughter of Sarno , rise in tears . The youth of thy love is low , and his ghost is already on our hills .

MELILCOMA .

THERE Comala sits forlorn ! two gray dogs near shake their rough ears , and catch the flying breeze . Her red cheek rests on her arm , and the mountain wind is in her hair . She turns her blue-rolling eyes toward the fields of his promise . — Where art thou , O Fingal , for the night is gathering around ?

COMALA .

O CARUN Carun or Cara'on , a winding river . — This river retains still the name of Carron , and falls into the Forth some miles to the North of Falkirk . — Gentesque alias cum pelleret armis Sedibus , aut victas vilem servaret in usum Servitii , hic contenta suos defendere sines Roma securigeris praetendit maenia Scotis : Hic spe progressus posita , Caronis ad undam Terminus Ausonii signat divortia regni . BUCHANAN . of the streams ! why do I behold thy waters rolling in blood ? Has the noise of the battle been heard on thy banks ; and sleeps the king of Morven ? — Rise , moon , thou daughter of the sky ! look from between thy clouds , that I may behold the light of his steel , on the field of his promise . — Or rather let the meteor , that lights our departed fathers through the night , come , with its red light , to shew me the way to my fallen hero . Who will defend me from sorrow ? Who from the love of Hidallan ? Long shall Comala look before she can behold Fingal in the midst of his host ; bright as the beam of the morning in the cloud of an early shower .

HIDALLAN .

Hidallan was sent by Fingal to give notice to Comala of his return ; he , to revenge himself on her for slighting his love some time before , told her that the king was killed in battle . He even pretended that he carried his body from the field to be buried in her presence ; and this circumstance makes it probable that the poem was presented of old . ROLL , thou mist of gloomy Crona , roll on the path of the hunter . Hide his steps from mine eyes , and let me remember my friend no more . The bands of battle are scattered , and no crowding steps are round the noise of his steel . O Carun , roll thy streams of blood , for the chief of the people fell .

COMALA .

WHO fell on Carun's grassy banks , son of the cloudy night ? Was he white as the snow of Ardven ? Blooming as the bow of the shower ? Was his hair like the mist of the hill , soft and curling in the day of the sun ? Was he like the thunder of heaven in battle ? Fleet as the roe of the desart ?

HIDALLAN .

O THAT I might behold his love , fair-leaning from her rock ! Her red eye dim in tears , and her blushing cheek half hid in her locks ! Blow , thou gentle breeze , and lift the heavy locks of the maid , that I may behold her white arm , and lovely cheek of her sorrow !

COMALA .

AND is the son of Comhal fallen , chief of the mournful tale ? The thunder rolls on the hill ! — The lightening flies on wings of fire ! But they frighten not Comala ; for her Fingal fell . Say , chief of the mournful tale , fell the breaker of the shields ?

HIDALLAN .

THE nations are scattered on their hills ; for they shall hear the voice of the chief no more .

COMALA .

CONFUSION pursue thee over thy plains ; and destruction overtake thee , thou king of the world . Few be thy steps to thy grave ; and let one virgin mourn thee . Let her be , like Comala , tearful in the days of her youth . — Why hast thou told me , Hidallan , that my hero fell ? I might have hoped a little while his return , and have thought I saw him on the distant rock ; a tree might have deceived me with his appearance ; and the wind of the hill been the sound of his horn in mine ear . O that I were on the banks of Carun ! that my tears might be warm on his cheek !

HIDALLLAN .

HE lies not on the banks of Carun : on Ardven heroes raise his tomb . Look on them , O moon , from thy clouds ; be thy beam bright on his breast , that Comala may behold him in the light of his armour .

COMALA .

STOP , ye sons of the grave , till I behold my love . He left me at the chace alone . I knew not that he went to war . He said he would return with the night ; and the king of Morven is returned . Why didst thou not tell me that he would fall , O trembling son of the rock By the son of the rock she means a druid . It is probable that some of the order of the druids remained as late as the beginning of the reign of Fingal ; and that Comala had consulted one of them concerning the event of the war with Caracul . ! Thou hast seen him in the blood of his youth , but thou didst not tell Comala !

MELILCOMA .

WHAT sound is that on Ardven ? Who is that bright in the vale ? Who comes like the strength of rivers , when their crowded waters glitter to the moon ?

COMALA .

WHO is it but the foe of Comala , the son of the king of the world ! Ghost of Fingal ! do thou , from thy cloud , direct Comala's bow . Let him fall like the hart of the desart . — It is Fingal in the crowd of his ghosts . — Why dost thou come , my love , to frighten and please my soul ?

FINGAL .

RAISE , ye bards of the song , the wars of the streamy Carun . Caracul has fled from my arms along the fields of his pride . He sets far distant like a meteor that incloses a spirit of night , when the winds drive it over the heath , and the dark woods are gleaming around .

I HEARD a voice like the breeze of my hills . Is it the huntress of Galmal , the white-handed daughter of Sarno ? Look from thy rocks O my dove that art in the clefts of the rock , in the secret places of the stairs , let me see thy countenance , let me hear thy voice . SOLOMON's Song . , my love ; and let me hear the voice of Comala .

COMALA .

TAKE me to the cave of thy rest , O lovely son of death ! —

FINGAL .

COME to the cave of my rest . — The storm is over The winter is past , the rain is over and gone . SOLOMON's Song . , and the sun is on our fields . Come to the cave of my rest , huntress of ecchoing Cona .

COMALA .

HE is returned with his fame ; I feel the right hand of his battles . — But I must rest beside the rock till my soul settle from fear . — Let the harp be near ; and raise the song , ye daughters of Morni .

DERSAGRENA .

COMALA has slain three deer on Ardven , and the fire ascends on the rock ; go to the feast of Comala , king of the woody Morven !

FINGAL .

RAISE , ye sons of the song , the wars of the streamy Carun ; that my white-handed maid may rejoice : while I behold the feast of my love .

BARDS .

ROLL , streamy Carun , roll in joy , the sons of battle fled . The steed is not seen on our fields ; and the wings Perhaps the poet alludes to the Roman eagle , of their pride spread in other lands . The sun will now rise in peace , and the shadows descend in joy . The voice of the chace will be heard ; and the shields hang in the hall . Our delight will be in the war of the ocean , and our hands be red in the blood of Lochlin . Roll , streamy Carun , roll in joy , the sons of battle fled .

MELILCOMA .

DESCEND , ye light mists from high ; ye moon-beams , lift her soul . — Pale lies the maid at the rock ! Comala is no more !

FINGAL .

Is the daughter of Sarno dead ; the white-bosomed maid of my love ? Meet me , Comala , on my heaths , when I sit alone at the streams of my hills .

HIDALLAN .

CEASED the voice of the huntress of Galmal ? Why did I trouble the soul of the maid ? When shall I see thee , with joy , in the chace of the dark-brown hinds ?

FINGAL .

YOUTH of the gloomy brow ! no more shalt thou feast in my halls . Thou shalt not pursue my chace , and my foes shall not fall by thy sword The sequel of the story of Hidallan is introduced , as an episode , in the poem which immediately follows in this collection . . — Lead me to the place of her rest that I may behold her beauty . — Pale she lies at the rock , and the cold winds lift her hair . Her bow-string sounds in the blast , and her arrow was broken in her fall . Raise the praise of the daughter of Sarno , and give her name to the wind of the hills .

BARDS .

SEE ! meteors roll around the maid ; and moon-beams lift her soul ! Around her , from their clouds , bend the awful faces of her fathers ; Sarno Sarno the father of Comala died soon after the flight of his daughter . — Fidallan was the first king that reigned in Inistore . of the gloomy brow ; and the red-rolling eyes of Fidallan . When shall thy white hand arise , and thy voice be heard on our rocks ? The maids shall seek thee on the heath , but they will not find thee . Thou shalt come , at times , to their dreams , and settle peace in their soul . Thy voice shall remain in their ears The angel ended , and in Adam's ear So charming left his voice , that he a while Thought him still speaking , still stood fix'd to hear . MILTON . , and they shall think with joy on the dreams of their rest . Meteors roll around the maid , and moon-beams lift her soul !