Poetry, James Macpherson, the poems of Ossian

The Poems of Ossian

James Macpherson's The Poems of Ossian (1760-1763) were one of the publishing highlights of the eighteenth century. In 1760, Macpherson published Fragments Of Ancient Poetry, a translation, he claimed, of a great Celtic epic created in the third century by the blind bard Ossian narrating the tales of Fingal, Celtic warrior of old.

Ossianic admirers included Burns, Scott, Wordsworth, Yeats, Beethoven, Ingres and most famously Napoleon, who carried the epic into battle and read passages from it every night. Napoleon loved the tales of Ossian because these tales provided him with North European Myths, Legends, Hero’s and cultural roots that rivaled the best ancient Rome or Greece had to offer. This ready made North European cultural mythology has integrated itself into modern Celtic identity. The tales of Ossian have provided inspiration for poets, authors, artists and even politicians ever since they were published.  
But a deluge of doubt regarding the poems authenticity began when Samuel Johnson denounced the work as a forgery. Despite the more recent academic (but doubtful) evidence in his favour, Macpherson is still perceived by many as one of Scotland's greatest cultural con-artists. Macpherson claimed his poems were a true and accurate record of ancient oral poetry told to him in Gaelic during his extensive travels over the highlands and islands of Scotland. Macpherson's ‘discovery’ of the epic poet Ossian in the Scottish Highlands evoked fascination and controversy in equal measure. He had a vision of a romantic Celtic past peopled by wandering heroes and romantic bairds which han immediate impact on eighteenth-century culture through out Scotland and across Europe. The influence of Ossian lives on.  

To read the full transcript of OSSIAN go here
http://solomonspalding.com/SRP/Ossian/MacPidx0.htm

but here is a little, just a taster.

C A T H - L O D A:

* DUAN FIRST.

A TALE of the times of old!

Why, thou wanderer unseen! Thou bender of the thistle of Lora; why, thou breeze of the valley, hast thou left mine ear? I hear no distant roar of streams! No sound of the harp from the rock! Come, thou huntress of Lutha, Malvina, call back his soul to the bard. I look forward to Lochlin of lakes, to the dark billowy bay of U-thorno, where Fingal descends from ocean, from the roar of winds. Few are the heroes of Morven in a land unknown!
Starno sent a dweller of Loda to bid Fingal to the feast; but the king remembered the past, and all his rage arose. "Nor Gormal's mossy towers, nor Starno, shall Fingal behold. Deaths wander, like shadows, over his fiery soul! Do I forget that beam of light, the white-handed daughter * of kings? Go, son of Loda; his words are wind to Fingal: wind, that, to and fro drives the thistle in autumn's dusky vale. Duth-maruno, † arm

of death! Cromma-glas, of iron shields! Struthmor, dweller of battle's wing! Cromar, whose ships bound on seas, careless as the course of a meteor, on dark-rolling clouds! Arise around me, children of heroes, in a land unknown! Let each look on his shield like Trenmor, the ruler of wars. "Come down," thus Trenmor said, "thou dweller between the harps! Thou shalt roll this stream away, or waste with me in earth."

Around the king they rise in wrath. No words come forth: they seize their spears. Each soul is rolled into itself. At length the sudden clang is waked on all their echoing shields. Each takes his hill by night; at intervals they darkly stand. Unequal bursts the hum of songs, between the roaring wind!

Broad over them rose the moon!
In his arms came tall Duth-maruno: he, from Croma of rocks, stern hunter of the boar! In his dark boat he rose on waves, when Crumthormo * awaked its woods. In the chase he shone, among foes: No fear was thine, Duth-maruno! "Son of daring Comhal, shall my steps be forward through night? From this shield shall I view them, over their gleaming tribes? Starno, king of lakes, is before me, and Swaran, the foe of strangers. Their words are not in vain, by Loda's stone of power. -- Should Duth-maruno not return, his spouse is lonely at home, where meet two roaring streams on Crathmo-craulo's plain. Around are hills, with echoing woods; the ocean is rolling near. My son looks on screaming sea-fowl, a young wanderer on the field. Give the head of a boar to Can-dona, * tell him of his father's joy, when rolled on his lifted spear. Tell him of my deeds in war! Tell where his father fell!"

"Not forgetful of my fathers," said Fingal, "I have bounded over the seas. Theirs were the times of danger in the days of old. Nor settles darkness on me, before foes, though youthful in my locks. Chief of Crathmocraulo, the field of night is mine."

Fingal rushed, in all his arms, wide bounding over Turthor's stream, that sent its sullen roar, by night, through Gormal's misty vale. A moonbeam glittered on a rock; in the midst stood a stately form; a form with floating locks, like Lochlin's white-bosomed maids. Unequal are her steps, and short. She throws a broken song on wind. At times she tosses her white arms: for grief is dwelling in her soul.

This work has influenced artists past and present, these are just a few of the paintings based on the poems of Ossian.
1.    Anne-Louis Girodet de Roucy-Trioson (1767-1824), L’apothéose des héros français morts pour la patrie pendant la guerre de la Liberté.
[Apotheosis of the French Heroes Who Died for their Fatherland During the War for Liberty]
Painted in 1802.

 2. Nicolai Abildgaard: Ossian, 1782, Copenhagen.

3.    The Dream of Ossian, by Jean Dominique Ingres (1815)
4.    The Dream of Ossian, By Jean Dominique Ingres 1833
5.    The Ossian exhibition by Scottish artist  Calum Colvin,
To see web site of the full exhibition go here,
 http://www.calumcolvin.com/media/ossian/thumbs8a.htm
and if you want to find out more about this contemporary Scottish artist go here,

http://www.calumcolvin.com/

6.  François-Pascal-Simon Gérard
Ossian on the Bank of the Lora, Invoking the Gods to the Strains

7.    Ossian Conjuring up Spirits'
    by the Hungarian painter Karoly Kisfaludy, 1788-1830.

delete reply caffeinatedjo wrote on Apr 30, '09 Beautiful art and beautiful words...so rhythmic.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Apr 29, '09 welshdoug said after reading this post, I see what you mean. yep me too, I've just written to Bennett and thanked her because I never realised Tolkien was influenced by the Ossian poems. Like I said too Bennett.............once you realise where the influence came from its easier to see how he managed to create a world that has such a celtic influence.

delete reply welshdoug wrote on Apr 29, '09 bennett1 said In turn he influenced the writer Tolkien. after reading this post, I see what you mean.

delete reply sugarpiehuny wrote on Apr 29, '09 Thanks loved the post, so much to aborb!

delete reply lauritasita wrote on Apr 29, '09 I loved all this, Loretta, especially all the beautiful artwork Ossian inspired. Thanks so much !

delete reply veryfrank wrote on Apr 28, '09 forgetmenot525 said Ossianic admirers included Burns, Scott, Wordsworth, Yeats, Beethoven, Ingres Fascinating, I am an admirer of the work of these people and to have them admire Ossian really stirs my interest. Very good post and will need some 'absorption' on my part. Thank you.

delete reply brendainmad wrote on Apr 28, '09 Not surprising Napoleon should enjoy this! Another interesting post.

delete reply billatplay wrote on Apr 28, '09 A recurring theme and folklore of that place with many followers too. A variation of a common cry still echoes from within.

delete reply starfishred wrote on Apr 27, '09 wow this is wonderful loretta so much to absorb

delete reply bennett1 wrote on Apr 27, '09 In turn he influenced the writer Tolkien. Stirring, will be back later when not so tired.