Yet think not, therefore, that his soul will bend, For well he knows to wield the glittering blade, High his soul of courage swells! Mix in the whirl of fight, and guide the battle's rage! field! Many a chief of mighty sway Champion of unerring aim! Chosen of kings, triumphant name! O'er red heaps of slaughter'd dead, Pride of Finian fame, and arms! "The knowledge of arms was but a part of the education of the Celtic warrior. In Ireland, they were well informed in history, poetry, and the polite arts; they were sworn to be the protectors of the fair, and avengers of their wrongs; and to be polite in word and address, even to their greatest enemies." -O'HALLORAN. Glory's light! illustrious name! And sweep with death the hostile field! Leader of sylvan sports; the hound, the horn, Love of the fair, and favourite of the muse !* Hear, O Gaul, the poet's voice! And peaceful be our future life ! GAUL-I yield, O Fergus, to thy mild desire; Thy wish I freely meet, And bid my wrath expire. No more to discontent a prey, To thee my soul I bend, O guileless friend !† The accents of whose glowing lips well know that soul to sway. *"Irish history informs us that those of their monarchs, or chiefs, who, besides the accustomed patronage of science and song, were themselves possessed of the gifts of the muse, obtained, on that account, a distinguished portion of honour, respect, and celebrity." "A character without guile or deceit was esteemed the highest that could BARD-O Swift in honour's course! thou generous name! Illustrious chief, of never-dying fame! A.D. 296. Another ode, by Fergus, which has survived the wreck of time, affords a fine specimen of the WAR SONGS of our ancient Celtic countrymen. The language and idiom of these odes are considered, by the accomplished translator, as conclusive evidence of their antiquity. "The military odes of the ancient Celta," remarks that lady, "have been noticed by numberless historians. One of the duties of the bard was to attend his chief to battle, and there exert his poetic powers, according to the fluctuations of victory, and the fortunes of the fight. This fact is well attested by ancient Greek and Roman writers, and historians affirm that this custom continued amongst the Gauls many centuries after their dereliction by the Romans. Even at the battle of Hastings the troops of Normandy were accompanied by a bard, animating them to conquest with warlike odes."* The following interesting ode was addressed by Fergus to Osgur, the son of Oisin, and nephew of the bard, on occasion of the fatal battle of Gabhra (Gaura), one of the most tragic civil strifes which our early history records, and which formed one of the most favourite themes of the bards and romances of the middle ages.† The immediate be given amongst the ancient Irish; and the favourite panegyric of a bard, to his favourite hero, would be, that he had a heart incapable of guile." * Reliques of Irish Poetry, 4to ed. p. 137. + The various poems on this battle are asserted to have formed the groundwork in Mr. Macpherson's "Temora."-See O'Reilly's Essay. cause of this battle is involved in much uncertainty. It appears that Cairbre, the supreme monarch of Ireland, had long been jealous of the formidable power, and consequent overweening arrogance, of the Fenian militia; and, taking advantage of the absence of their renowned commander, who, with a large detachment, was aiding the British in resisting the encroachments of their Roman invaders, united with some of the provincial monarchs in crushing this celebrated legion. On this occasion, Osgur, the son of Oisin, commanded and achieved incredible but fruitless feats of heroism with his little band. Urged on by the inspirating harangues of the bard, which mingled with the storm of battle, he singled out the monarch Carbry, who fell beneath his arm. It was impossible, however, to resist the force of numbers, and Osgur himself at length sunk exhausted upon the field. The enemy, then, redoubling their efforts, rushed on like an overwhelming flood, bore down the Fenii, who opposed a feeble bulwark to the undulation of its waves, and swept over the ranks with resistless fury.t * Walker represents Finn as having fallen (A.D. 294) two years previous to the battle of Gabhra, in (an engagement at Rathbrea. From this the poetical accounts, which are here followed, differ. "The ANNALS OF INNISFALLEN, and other ancient records and poems," says Miss Brooke," inform us that the battle of Gabhra was fought in the year, A.D. 296. It would be tedious to relate the various causes assigned, by different writers, for the discontents which occasioned this battle. Historians, in general, lay the chief blame upon the Fenii; and the poets, taking part with their favourite heroes, cast the odium upon Carbre, monarch of Ireland. The fault, most likely, was mutual, and both parties severely suffered for it, Carbre himself was killed in the action, and a dreadful slaughter ensued among his troops; but those of the Fenii were almost totally destroyed; for, relying upon the valour which they proudly deemed invincible, they rushed into the WAR ODE TO OSGUR, THE SON OF OISIN, At the Battle of Gaura. TRANSLATED BY MISS BROOKE. Rise, might of Erin! rise!* Now let the thunder of thy battle roll, Son of the sire whose stroke is fate, Be thou in might supreme; Let conquest on thy arm await In each conflicting hour; Slight let the force of adverse numbers seem, Till o'er their prostrate ranks thy shouting squadrons pour! Ó, hear the voice of lofty song! Stop-stop M'Garai! check his pride, Thin their proud ranks, and give the smoking tide Mark where Mac Cormac† pours along! field against odds which madness alone would have encountered."—. -Reliques of Irish Poetry, pp. 146, 147. * "Literally, arise. It means here-rouse thyself-exert all thy powers." "Cairbre, monarch of Ireland. He was son to Cormac, the preceding monarch; and it was in his quarrel that the allied princes were assembled in this day's battle against the little band of the Fenii." |