Hey there, fellow travelers.

Our twenty twenty five Silmrillion journey continues with chapter twenty four of Quintis Silmarillion, of the Voyage of Erendil and the War of Wrath.

In chapter twenty four, the First Age comes to a cataclysmic end as a hero undertakes a desperate journey to Vallenor and the powers of Aman gather for a transoceanic assault on the forces and strongholds of Morgoth.

While you're listening, check out Silmguide dot com.

That's Silmguide dot com for guides to individual chapters.

You can find that link in the show notes.

To support our work here, please visit patreon dot com slash Tolkien Road Enjoy.

Hey there, fellow travelers.

Welcome to The Tolkien Road, Episode three twelve.

Greta, we've reached the end of the First Age.

Oh, yes, we have.

Yes, I can't believe it.

Yeah.

Well, I mean this was your reading assignment, so I know.

But it's been so long since we've like done, you know, read the Silmarillion or talked about it on there.

I guess I just had forgotten that this was the last chapter of the silmarillim proper.

Yes, we like to say.

Yes, yes, indeed it is.

In this episode, we'll be discussing chapter twenty four of The Selmrilliant, of the Voyage of Erindale and the War of Wrath.

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All right, let's kick this recap discussion of chapter twenty four of The Silm Million off with a quote from the film Million Great was the sorrow of Eerindil and Elwing for the ruin of the havens of Syrian and the captivity of their sons, and they feared that they would be slain.

But it was not so, for Maglore took pity upon Elros and el Rond, and he cherished them, and love grew after between them, as little might be thought.

But Maglore's heart was sick and weary with the burden of the dreadful oath.

All right, I just thought that was a good quote.

That's a great yeah.

So, with Morgoth having crushed the great kingdoms of belleriond, the remnant and hope of Middle Earth stands upon the edge of oblivion.

It is the hour for the fulfillment of prophecy, and out of this peril heroic deeds shine forth.

Disclaim you should read this story before you listen to this episode, And as with each episode, we won't be covering every detail of this chapter, but instead doing our best to hit the high points and unpack interesting and important details.

If we miss something, you guys want to discuss more, let us know, all right.

So, from the Tale of Years and the War of Jewels, this the time period for this is roughly it's actually almost one hundred year time period from the year of the sun five oh eight to the year of the Sun six hundred.

So all right, well, let's uh, let's dive into the details here.

So we learn that that Airindil and el Wing are going upon embark upon, uh this sea voyage.

And at first it's simply Airindil.

Right, he has two purposes, find too war in Nidral his parents, and deliver a message to Vallin or that's his.

Those are his his twin purposes for this voyage into the west.

And he does so upon this ship called Vingolot.

So let's read a little bit about Vingolot, So, Greta, can you read this quote right here?

In the yellow yep with the aid of Kerdan, Erundill built of Inglot, the foam flower fairest to the ships of Song.

Golden were its oars and white.

It's timbers hewn in the birch woods of Nimbrethel, and its sails were as the argent moon.

In the lay of Erundel is many a thing sung of his adventures in the deep and in the lands and trodden, and in many seas and in many isles.

But Elwing was not with.

Him, as and she sat in sorrow by the mouths of Syrian.

Yeah, so so Vingolotte, that's this ship.

It's the Foam Flower, and it has sails as the argent Moon, which argent for those of you who aren't familiar with that word, that means silvery right of silver, right, so very very beautiful image of this ship being lat Yeah, and.

The oars are golden.

So you have kind of the maybe some symbols of the two trees going on here.

Yeah, well and a great point.

And so you know you think of the propulsion, right, you got sails and you got oars, right, those are the two things that move the ship.

And so yeah, you have the silver and you have the gold, right, and those are you know, kind of the colors of the two you know, just generally speaking, the symbolic colors of the two trees.

And you also have the sun and the moon, and which you know, golden being the sun, the silver being the moon.

And you also the two trees.

And I talk about this some in Baron and Luthian.

The different colors they kind of represent the first born and the second born people's right, because the people the old are right, are the people you can kind of think of them of the people of the stars, right, like kind of the silvery stars.

And and then you have men Tani right, second born, and they are the people of the sun.

Right.

So, lots of lots of that overlapping imagery here himself being uh part elf part man right, having one parent who is a man, one parent who is the daughter a daughter of an old or right.

So and actually Indale having a little bit a little bit in there of uh uh Mayar right, being a descendant of Melion, and I believe the same set of el Wing as well.

Yeah, because she's the daughter of Dior, who is the son of Baron and Luthian, and Luthian is the daughter of Luthian is the daughter of Meleion.

Thank you.

Yes, all these names.

Got to remember all these names starts tripping us up.

I was willing you to think of it because I was like.

I don't remember, yes, ye, So yeah, lots of that overlapping, lots lots of that uh that imagery overlapping there, good stuff.

Okay.

So yeah, so sets out on this voyage.

He's unable to find uh tour in and I'll read a little bit about that here.

Erndil found not tour nor editl nor came.

He ever, on that journey to the shores of valen Or, defeated by shadows and enchantment, driven by repelling winds, until in longing for el wing, he turned homeward towards the coast of belleriand and his heart bade him haste, for a sudden fear had fallen on him out of dreams and the winds that before he had driven with might not uh had driven with might not now bear him back as swift as his desire.

So yeah, he's not able to find tour in Dril And eventually he turns around back towards a coast of Baleriond and he starts to have this fear that something bad is happening, right, Just something comes upon him that something bad is happening, And it turns out that something in fact is bad.

Bad is happening, right, and it has to do with Dun Dun Dunn, a se merle.

So yeah, the silm Merle.

Remember this some merll that Baron and Luthian obtained from the Crown of Morgoth.

Well, that some merl has been passed down.

It's still been causing some problems, right it was It was of course placed within the Naglimir, right, the necklace of the dwarfs that was given to Thingle, and Thingle wore proudly and uh.

And then he's killed because of this thing.

And it kind of changes hands a few times, and the Sumrle eventually winds up in the hands of Dior.

Dior passes it on to el Wing and and it's held by el Wing there at the mouths of Cyrion.

So and word of this some Merl the possession this silmrel gets back to my Thros and the remaining sons of fan Or.

Now at this point there are four sons of fan Or that are still alive.

Four of the seven are still alive.

Of course, Kelligorm, Kaunthr, and Kurufen have all died previously, so remaining are only Mythros, Maglore, Amrod, and Amras.

So they decide that they got to fulfill their oath, right, so they're gonna go after this.

So Marl, they asked nicely at first, or they think they asked nicely.

You know, it's like, hey, buddy, how's it going.

Uh, you know, hope you guys are doing well.

Let us know if there's anything we can do to help out.

Also give us back to the Silmrel, We'll probably kill you, right.

Kind of interesting little dynamic there.

So the sons of fan Or, and of course you know el Wing and the people of the mouths of Syrian won't yield the jewel to Mythros and his brothers, his remaining brothers.

So the sons of fan Or attack the exiles of Syrian for the Selmrell of Aaron and Luthian Greta.

Do you want to read this passage?

Sure?

For the sons of Feynor that yet lived, came down suddenly upon the exiles of Gondolin and the remnant of Doriath and destroyed them.

In that battle, some of their people stood aside, and some few rebelled and were slain upon the other part, aiding Elwing against their own lords.

For such was the sorrow and confusion in the hearts of the Eldar in those days.

But Maethros and Magalore won the day, though they alone remained thereafter of the sons of Feyenor, for both Amrad and Amros were slain too late, the ships of Kyirdon and Gilglad.

The High King came hastening to the aid of the elves of Syrion, and Elwing was gone, and her sons then such few of that people as did not perish, and the assault joined themselves to Gilgalad and went with him to Balar, And they told that Elros and Elrond were taken captive, but Elwing, with the silmarle upon her breast, had cast herself into the sea.

Thus Maethros and Magalore gained not the jewel, but it was not lost, for Alma bore up, eling out of the waves, and he gave her the likeness of a great white bird, and upon her breast there shone as a star of the silmarill as she flew over the water to seek Eruindil, her beloved.

On a time of night, Erundel, at the helm of his ship, saw her come towards him as a white cloud, exceeding swift beneath the moon, as a star over the sea, moving in the moving in strange course, a pale flame on wings of storm.

And it is sung that she fell from the air upon the timbers of Vingelot in a swoon, nigh unto death, for the urgency of her speed, and Erundil took her to his bosom.

But in the morning, with marveling eyes, he beheld his wife in her own form beside him, with her hair upon his face, and she slept.

Yeah.

Yeah, so, so some interesting stuff going on here.

First of all, you know, will note that el Ros and Elrond, the sons of Erindil and el Wing, are taken captive by the sons of fan Or.

We do find out later that they are okay.

They fall into the hands of Maglore, and Maglore, of all the sons of fan Or, turns out to maybe be the kindest of all of them, if any one of them can said to be particularly kind.

He actually seems to have something of a conscience and is the one that, you know, unfortunately maybe the weakest wild of them all, but is the one that's always kind of being like, maybe there's a better way to do this.

It doesn't evolve so much killing and violence.

So and we'll come back to that a little later in this chapter.

But we have this image of el Wing throwing herself into the sea with the silmurle upon her breast, and and then Olmo, good old Olmo, always always there to help, always there to help in whatever way they will allow him.

To write meaning meaning like the other the other valor.

Right, it's like almost just funny to me.

It seems like he's he's this guy who just wants to like wants to help like all the time.

And the rest of the valor are like, they're like, you know, almost stop helping them, right, and almost like like, look, what's happening to them?

Come on, why can't I help them?

Like he's just and he's he's like looking to see if they're watching.

And then he's like, all right, here you go, here's some help, right, you know, here's twenty here's twenty bucks here.

Don't don't don't tell the rest of the valor.

I gave you this, right.

Actually, I don't think he cares.

I think he's just gonna do his own thing.

Because he's Almo.

He is one of the three most you know, most powerful, I guess you could say.

But and I mean he's the you know, he's the lord of the sea right, so of the oceans, so you know, kind of kind of a awesome dude.

Yeah.

Anyway, he lifts up l wing out of the sea and basically turns her into a bird, right, and she is able to go and as this in this bird form greet Vingolot right to fly to Vingolot, which is still out at sea, and uh and Dale of course takes her, and uh he finds that this bird that he that flew to him is in fact his wife.

So it's really beautiful imagery.

I feel like this is just like so token right here the way he describes Oweing where he says, on a time of night, Arundale at the helm of his ship, saw her come towards him as a white cloud, exceeding swift beneath the moon, as a star over the sea, moving in strange course, a pale flame on wings of storm.

This is beauty.

It's just beautiful.

Yeah, yeah, it is very beautiful, beautiful imagery.

You can you can kind of picture that in your own mind's eye.

He totally describes it.

Yeah, good stuff.

Absolutely.

Sod sets out once again for the West, this time with the soumrile.

Right, so bef for he did not have the silm role.

Now he has the film role.

So he had turned back around m hm.

And now he's turning back back around now knowing the way he was originally, you.

Know, because he finds out from l Wing that it's kind of like all hopes lost right back in back in Middle Earth, right back in Valerion at this point, right, the sons of fan Or have done their thing, and I mean they've they've attacked these people who are already like on like just trying to survive at this point, right against all hope, and you know, fellow elves have come and attacked them, and so, uh, I can't reader we bring I can't remember if we brought this up in that passage that we just read, but yeah, Amrod, Yeah, so you read that Amrod and Amras are both slain.

So there's only two surviving sons of fan Or now, right, may the rose mather Ros and Maglore.

Right, So but you know they've nevertheless this, the sons of fan Or and whatever there armies consist of, right have have done this, and you know, I mean they basically attacked like it's almost like attacking a refugee camp or something like that.

You know, it's pretty low, pretty low, and it's you know, it's the third kin slaying is really what it is, right, because because you know they've these are ken right, They're they're all they're they're an old or or if they're not an old or they're closely related Elves right, so.

Tooks right.

Yes, they took l Rondon el Ros, but like I said before, h fortunately l Rond and el Ros are safe, relatively safe in the hands of Mogula, right, so that's good.

It's only the least sketch of all the son maybe.

Right, Yeah, yeah, he's the he's the nice son of fan or yeah right, which isn't saying which isn't saying much, but he is nevertheless the If you're going to fall into the hands of any one of them, you probably want to fall into the hands of Maga.

So yes, we got Aarendel setting out once more for the west, this time with the summer ell.

He makes it to the Immortal Shores first of mortal men, it's pretty quiet, and the Blessed Realm.

When he arrives, I think they're partying.

Well it's one of these Yeah, It's like it's like I feel like all whenever big stuff happens in the Blessed Realm, it's because they're like having a festival, a feast.

Yeah, yep, the Valar.

You know, you think at some point they learned a lesson, like about you know, maybe we need to keep more people on guard when we're having a feast, right than just kind of like the bare minimum.

But nevertheless they're it's just you know, this is this is at least not more Goth or something like that coming to attack them, right.

This is just a mere mortal who's looking for help, right, or mere half Alvin who's looking for help.

So this is what we read about Aarundel.

When he arrives.

Then Airandel said to el Wing, await me here, for one only may bring the message that it is my fate to bear.

And he went up alone into the land and came into the Calakyria, and it seemed to him empty and silent, for even as mor Goth and Ungolian came in ages past.

So now Erindal had come at a time of festival, and well nigh all the Elvin folk were gone to Valemar, or were gathered in the halls of Manwey upon Tnequetel, and few were left to keep watch upon the walls of Tyrion.

But some there were who saw him from Afar and the great light that he bore, and they went in haste to Valemar.

But Erindil climbed the green hill of Tuna, and found it bare.

And he entered into the streets of Tyrion, and they were empty, and his heart was heavy, for he feared that some evil had come even to the blessed Rome.

He walked in the deserted ways of Tyrion, and the dust upon his raiment and his shoes was a dust of diamonds.

And he shone and glistened as he climbed the long white stairs.

And he called aloud in many tongues, both of elves and men, but there were none to answer him.

Therefore he turned back at last towards the sea.

But even as he took the shoreward road, once stood upon the hill and called to him in a great voice, crying, hail Erandil of Mariner's most renowned that looketh he the looked for, that cometh that unawares the longed forour that cometh beyond hope.

Hail Aerendale, bearer of light before the sun and moon, splendor of the children of Earth, star in the darkness, jewel in the sunset, radiant in the morning.

That voice was the voice of Aonwi Harald of Manwey, And he came from Valemar and summoned Erindil to come before the powers of Varda and Airindil went into Valinor, into the halls of Valomar, and never again set foot upon the lands of men.

Then the Valar took counsel together, and they summoned Olmo from the deeps of the sea, and Aarendil stood before their faces and delivered the errand of the two kindreds.

Pardon.

He asked for the noldor and pity for their great sorrows, and mercy upon men and elves, and succor and their need.

And his prayer was granted.

So and I'll have you read Manway's judgment here Greta.

Okay.

But when all was spoken, Manway gave judgment, and he said, in this matter, the power of doom is given to me.

The peril that he ventured for love of the two kindreds shall not fall upon Eruindil, nor shall it fall upon Elwing, his wife, who entered into peril for love of him.

But they shall not walk again ever among elves or men in the outer lands.

And this is my decree concerning them, to Erindil and to Elwing, and to their sons shall be given, shall be given leave each to choose freely to which kindred their fate shall be joined, and under which kindred they shall be judged.

Yeah, so this is where we have the the you know what comes later with Elrond and el Rose at the beginning of the second Age.

Right.

So Elrond, even though he's half Elvin, he chooses to have his fate you know, aligned with the elves, right, so you know, he can almost be considered you know fully elf in that way, whereas his brother el Rose chooses to have his fate aligned with with the fate of men, right.

Yeah, and uh, and Erundel and Elwing both choose the fate of the elves.

And uh and actually I'm kind of jumping ahead of myself a little bit because I wanted to read that quote, but they do.

And can we ask something super quick?

Well, let me make a one point and hold I thought, hold that thought before I forget this thing.

So I find it interesting that we didn't read this part.

But Mondos he's kind of the one that pushes the issue, Like he says, shehall mortal man step living upon the undying lands and yet live.

And of course it's Almo who like kind of has the good things for these this he was born into the world and saying to me whether you know he's so Almo of course again being our friend, right, almost our friend, almost our friend.

He likes it, he loves us, right, he's our friend.

But I think it's really interesting that Arendo is unable to please Mondos or like kind of have Mondos think kind of favorably of him, right, But Luthian and the Baron Luthian chapter at the end, she's the one that's able to plead on before the inexorable Mandos, right, Mondos for the restoration of Baron's life.

Right, So it's really interesting to me that that kind of lifts up Luthian even greater.

Right, is to say, like not even Airendel can like, you know, make Mondos Mondos being the master's master of fates, right, master of doom.

Right, he's kind of like you know, what's do is do right, that's kind of how he is.

And it's only Luthian, I guess, even even beyond Aarendel who's able to you know, I guess obtain his.

Pity way his judgment maybe a little bit well I mean, I don't know for sure, but something tells me Luthian was maybe just a tad more charming than Eruindil well and maybe probably more beautiful.

Well, you know, she's the most beautiful among the the children of a Lubitar, right, So yeah, absolutely, I.

Mean she Arondila was definitely a disadvantage in both of those respects.

Although he is uh he descended from I.

Mean, I'm not saying he's bad looking, but he's not the most beautiful and he's also not a charming lady.

So yeah, no, it's it's true.

I mean, you know what uh you what you are alluding to is a is a true is a true thing.

Even among the Valor?

Yes?

Yes, So my question is, did Eron Dill when he set off on this errand to valen Or, do you think he expected like never to leave, Like, did he realize that that would be part of part of the sacrifice he was.

Making, that he'd never be able to come back.

Yeah, that he basically have to stay there, stay in valen Or.

I mean, I don't know if he I don't know if he knew it for certain, he might have had an idea, but at the same time, like I think he was.

I think it when he when they went the second time, right, He's like, there's nothing left for.

Me here, right, right.

I Mean the only thing I can think is that, you know, maybe he had some hope that he would be able to go back and see his sons again, right el Rondon el Rose, because that's really all I mean, he has l Wing with him at this point, right, right, And so the only thing that you know, I think would be major enough for him to want to go back would be El Rondon l Rose right, to see his like to rescue his sons.

So that may have been that makes sense, you know, a sacrifice on his part.

Yeah, it just seems it just seems like I remember when I read it the first time, I remember thinking that that's like it's it's like it seems appropriate, right, I mean, like like Mondo says, like, shall mortal men step living on upon the undying lands.

And yet live?

Like, yeah, of course, But at the same time, it just seems like kind of extreme, Yeah, to be like, I mean, he he's doing this, like he's not going because oh I just want to go see the Valor and check out Valinori, right, I mean he's going to, you know, for the good of others, right, right, to try to restore peace and friendship and reconciliation.

So it just it just seemed like a drastic measure, I guess.

But you're right.

I mean, given the turn of events, and he's with his wife, so it's probably not all bad.

Yeah, yeah, well, I mean it certainly could be worse.

As you were talking, I was thinking about the circumstances of this.

I was kind of thinking of Frodo's choice, you know, And it's like, at some point, I think people put into great situations of self sacrifice like that realize like there's nothing like the other the choice not to do this isn't really much of a choice, right even even so right, like like I could choose that, but like, you know, but there's really nothing for me behind and somebody had, you know, somebody has to do this, and it looks like it's fallen to me to do it, right, So I don't know, it's almost kind of like the the soldier's choice, if you will, all right, the soldier's fate, right, Like yeah, you know, it's like, yes, I could choose not to, but there's nothing there's nothing for me or anybody else in that right, and somebody has to do this, right.

Yeah, so now of course he is going to the blessed realm.

But you know this, this, this like the wrath of the Valor, seems to be something that they do.

They do fear, right, So you know, especially somebody like Arendel, who would have never actually lived in Valenor before, nor el Wing, right, they they both were born after the the exile of the Noldor right.

Yeah, yeah, so they've never been to Vallenor before.

It's only this thing that they've heard of.

And they know that when their people left val Or, they really made the people who are in charge of ellen Or really mad or they they defied them, right, so they expect them to not be happy with them.

I guess you could.

Say, yeah, that makes sense, Yeah, makes sense.

So and it also appears at Paul Simon, maybe a Tolkien fan, because I'm wondering if it's his shoes, and his shoes was a dust of diamonds.

You know, he's a rich man.

Don't try to dimond Yeah that diamonds soles of her shoes.

Yeah, it's a rich girl.

She don't try to hide it.

It's got diamonds on the banana.

So we're just gonna turn.

This all right, Yes, I just I mean it was I mean like it was just kind of a funny like mental picture as you were reading, like they can just put your air and no, like wandering around the breast blessed around like hello, hello.

Anybody here?

There's anybody home in.

The meantime, Like he's like covered in diamond dust and it's just I don't know, I'm like, yeah, could be worse, Like we said.

Yeah, well, Froto was like you get to go to Mordor, right, you know, yeah, oh boy, Yeah, it's like you get to go to the blessed realm.

Yeah, you might get zapped by the valor because they're just not happy to see you, but at least it'll be beautiful on the way there, right, and they're probably even in taking out their wrath on you, A're probably gonna be kind of nice to you because they're good.

Right.

If they don't look well, they probably could look scary, and so they don't look as scary.

But there's only more be more light there.

You know.

I hope the first time I see like, you know, a a godlike figure, you know, face to face that it is kind of intimidating because it'll be a little disappointing if it's not you know.

Yeah, yeah, I fear that intimidating, but like maybe.

Well hopefully it's hopefully it's a hopefully it's a benevolence, you know, godlike figure.

Yeah, yeah, so that you know, it's like it's like, oh, be not afraid, right right, Yeah, that would be nice instead of.

Like aspiring but not scary.

Yeah, exactly.

Yes, all right.

So, uh, as I previously mentioned, Adal, el Wing and their offspring get to choose their fate.

So we know that Aerdal and el Wing choose choose to side, you know, with the elves, right.

So could they have chosen otherwise?

I mean, there's let's read this passage.

Let's read this passage, right, I'll start, Yeah, I'll go and read this one.

Then Adal said to el Wing, choose thou for now, I am weary of the world.

And el Wing chose to be judged among the firstborn children of a Lebatar because of Luthian and for her sake.

Erindale chose alike, though his heart was rather with the kindred of men.

The people of his father.

Then at the bidding of the so Aarondil chooses.

His heart was was with the people of his father, Metuor, who was a man, but he chose because of his love for Elwing.

He chose to side on the side that she chose.

Then, at the bidding of the Valar, aon Wi went to the shores of Aman, where the companions of Erindil still remained awaiting tidings.

And he took a boat, and the three mariners were set therein and the Valar drove them away into the east with a great wind.

But they took Vingelot and hallowed it, and bore it away through Valinor to the uttermost rim of the world.

And there it passed through the door of night and was lifted up even into the oceans of heaven.

Now fair and marvelous was that vessel made, And it was filled with a wavering flame, pure and bright.

And there Indel the mariner sat at the helm, glistening with dust of elven gems, and the Silmarilla was bound upon his brow.

Far he journeyed in that ship even into the starless voids.

But most often was he seen at morning or at evening glimmering in sunrise or sunset as he came back to Valinor from voyages beyond the confines of the world.

So again, awesome image.

There becomes the Star Sailor, right, and uh, he's you know, he's lifted up into the heavens along with his ship Vingolot.

Right, it's hallowed, lifted up there along with the sel marillion, the selm Marillion of Baron and Luthian, right, Which don't you just love how all this stuff is weave together, right like that they Baron and Luthian and that amazing story they obtained this this somrle from the iron crown of Morgoth.

It's passed on and it becomes it becomes the jewel that's upon this ship.

This this ship that's lifted into the heavens, hallowed, lifted into the heavens ving a lot along with the Star Sailor.

Right.

So little side note that just occurred to me.

All right, So I thought this was really interesting.

So I'm reading currently reading when I'm not reading Tolkien, which there's not a lot of time I have to read when I'm not reading Tolkien.

But I'm currently reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and which you've read, Gretta, and some of you might have read as well well.

But there there's something really cool in there where he's talking about this poet Conrad Aiken, who lived in who I guess grew up and who was from Savannah, and and he he talks about this thing where I think it may have been like what Conrad Aiken put upon his tombstone or something like that.

And he basically he was in the habit of like looking at the different ships that were coming into Savannah, which is, you know, this port on the southern coast on the on the coast of Georgia, right in the United States, and he's like looking at he finds these two names of ships, right that are going to be in the port during that period of time, and it's one of them is Cosmos Mariner and the other one is Destination Unknown.

And so he put those two together and it became I think he made it.

I think he made it his the epitaph on his tombstone.

Right, So Cosmos Mariner Destination Unknown.

Right, But that made me think of Arundel, right, I mean, you think of Airendel right there, right, Cosmos mariner, destination unknown.

And that's that's just that's about as cool of a you know, of an epitaph as you can put on a tombstone right there.

So if it was in fact his epitaph.

Yeah, so.

I also I didn't look this up, But there is like this name Aarendil is a really it's not one that Tolkien came up with himself, right, it's actually it actually goes way back before Tolkien's own writing.

And let me see, maybe this has to maybe this has to do with it.

Tolkien used the original Old English name Aarendel for all drafts previous to the Lord of the Rings, and first he related it with the Elvish words ai eagle and aarn i r.

But the exact meaning of the name remained unclear within the legendarium until he made the name into Quenya to Airendil.

But you're saying he didn't make up the name.

The name Aarendel is goes back into Old English, right, And it's actually there's really there's some kind of beautiful old poetry that alludes to that that talks about Arendil.

And let's see here is this it?

Okay, it's one of his earliest it's one of Tolkien's earliest poems.

But then there's I believe there's like a poem that goes way back in history, like well before Tolkien's life that has to do with this.

And it's as I remember it again, I didn't look any of this up before.

I'm going searching back to my memory from several years ago when I was teaching about this poem.

But this poem has to do with kind of this.

It's almost like an allusion to Christ right as the you know as this star right, so this hoped for looked for star right hopeful star kind of kind of deal.

So anyway, that was a very nebulous allusion to something that I'm pretty sure or exists.

But do without what you will.

Okay, back to the Silmarillion, the silm Marillion in the Sky.

Let's read a little bit about this and how when it first when when Arundel and Binglota first raised up into the sky, how it's seen in back in BALERIOND.

So, Greta, can you read this?

Yes?

Now?

When first I'll start over.

Now, when first Vingolott was set to sail in the seas of heaven, it rose unlooked for, glittering and bright, and the people of Middle Earth beheld it from afar and wondered, and they took it for a sign and called it gil Estel, the star of high Hope.

And when this new star was seen at evening, Methros spoke to Magalore, his brother, and he said, surely that is a silmurle that shines now in the west.

And Magalore answered, if it be truly the silm Morle which we saw cast into the sea, that rises again by the power of the Valar, then let us be glad, for its glory is seen now by many, and is yet secure from all evil.

Then the elves looked up and despaired no longer, but more Goth was filled with doubt.

Yeah, so again, you know Maglore, like, you know, you can't help, but just like like Maglore a little bit and feel kind of bad for him, right, like, because he truly seems like he's a good soul and he's just been you know, by birth, he's been loupten with all these guys that are that are just kind of jerks, right and I mean he's like he's basically like, isn't it wonderful?

Then?

Now everybody gets to see this film.

Rule and it's protected from evil.

And all of his other brothers would have been like, no, it's ours, right, you know, you know, nobody else has a right to see.

Yeah.

Anyway, I wonder what it was about it that made that made may Throws like recognize it.

I think just it's brilliant, or.

I think they would have just known, right, like like probably the light of it was was unlike any other light, you know, Yeah, that makes sense.

Yeah, so if it be truly the summer el Yeah.

So and then it says more Goth sees it and is filled with doubt.

Right, so he's like, uh, this doesn't look good.

Why is that up there?

Yeap?

And it is the I guess star rising that portends the War of Wrath.

Right, so we finally arrived at this climactic battle of the First Age, right, the ultimate final battle of the First Age, where all the North is a flame with war.

So, yeah, a couple of paragraphs here.

The meeting of the hosts of the West and of the North is named the Great Battle and the War of Wrath.

There was marshaled the whole power of the Throne of more Goth and it had become great beyond count so that anfaluglyth could not contain it, and all the north was a flame with war, but it availed him not.

The ball Rogs were destroyed, save some few that fled and hid themselves, and caverns inaccessible at the roots of the earth.

And the uncounted legions of the Orcs perished like straw and a great fire, or were swept like shriveled leaves before a burning wind.

Few remained to trouble the world for long years after, and such few as were left of the three houses of the alf friends fathers of men fought upon the part of the Valar, and they were avenged in those days, for Baragund and Barrahir, Galdoor and Gundor, Huor and Hurun, and many other of their lords.

But a great part of the sons of men, whether of the people of oldor or others new, come out of the east marched with the enemy.

And the elves do not forget it.

Then, seeing that his hosts were overthrown and his power dispersed, more, Goth quailed, and he dared not to come forth himself, But he loosed upon his foes the last desperate assault that he had prepared, and out of the pits of Agband there issued the winged dragons that had not been seen, not before been seen.

And so sudden in ruinous was the onset of that dreadful fleet that the host of the Valar was driven back, for the coming of the dragons was with great thunder and lightning and a tempest of fire.

So massive, massive battle.

You know, it's so large that not even that battle plane that on fog Lith, the gasping dust right outside of Angban, it's I mean, it's it's larger than even that huge battlefield, right for all the forces that are allied here.

I didn't read this passage, but you know you can read about the forces that are coming from Valanar for this voyage.

It's interesting that Tallarry don't don't themselves participate in the battle, but they they basically agree to give transport and they don't.

They don't participate in the battle because they're still upset about the kin sling, right, But they do give transport on their ships uh to the van Yard and to the Noldor who remained behind led by Phenarfin and and then a host of you know, what I assume are kind of mayar sorts of force, you know forces.

So we know at least a comes and uh, and you know there's this massive host, right, kind of a d day sort of force here going on.

Right, So the what we you know, what we learned through all of this.

There's a destruction of many ball rocks, though some fled to the roots of the earth.

The old friends, fathers of men made the hosts of Valar, but not all men do.

Winged dragons are unleashed and the host of the Valor are driven back.

Aarendil and eagles take on the dragons, and on Kalagon the Black is slain by Erendil.

Right, so we have this battle between Aarendel and his and his envingelot there in the heavens, and Airindil slays this on Kalagon the Black and then angband is raided and Morgoth taken captive, and the last two sommarles recovered.

So, Greta, do you want to read this, Blue Passenger?

Then the sun rose and the hosts of the Valar prevailed, and well nigh all the dragons were destroyed and all the pits of Morgoth were broken and unroofed, and the might of the valor descended into the deeps of the earth.

There more Goths stood at last at bay, And yet unvaliant, he fled into the deepest of his minds and sued for peace and pardon.

But his feet were hewn from under him, and he was hurled upon his face.

Then he was bound with the chain of guy Noor, which he had worn for time, and his crown, and his iron crown.

They beat into a collar for his neck, and his head was bowed upon his knees.

And the two silmurils which remained to Morgoth were taken from his crown, and they shone, unsullied, beneath the sky, and aon Way took them and guarded them.

Yeah, so more Gooth is defeated.

More Goth is defeated, and uh they really you know, it's the first time he was defeated.

You know, wash was bad enough for him.

This time it's going to be even worse, right, because he fooled them, right, it's full fooled me once.

Shame on you, fool me twice, Shame on me.

Right, They're they're not going to be fooled again by more goth yep, I mean they hew his feet out from under him.

That's got to be pretty awful even for a even for a god.

Right, yeah, and just having a collar put on you, I mean so like degrading.

Well, and it's and the symbolism of being his iron crown, yeah right, that was what was his iron crown, right with the swere else like kind of the you know, the image the symbol of his glory, right and of his evil glory, I guess you could say.

And he's had this collar, you know, it's beaten to a collar and put around his neck, right, just a little adding some insult to injury there for sure.

Yeah, yeah, definitely showing that I think that, you know what he thought that crown being his his uh crowning glory, right, the source of his power, a symbol of his power, was truly what was you know, is now a symbol of his captivity.

Yeah.

Yeah.

It should also be mentioned that we learn here why you know, for those of you who pick up the Silmarillion for the first time and our second or third time and you're looking at that map in there and you're like, this doesn't look like Middle Earth, you know it?

I guess it kind of looks like Middle Earth, but it doesn't really look like the Middle Earth.

It's in Lord of the Rings.

Well, now you learn why, right now you learn exactly why.

So through all of this great cataclysmic battle, it says, for so great was the fury of those adversaries, that the northern regions of the western world were rent asunder, and the sea roared in through many chasms, and there was confusion and great noise, and rivers perished or found new paths, and the valleys were upheaved, and the hills trod down, and Syrion was no more.

So this whole region of Bellerion is basically thrust under the waves, right thrust under the sea in the cataclysm of this battle.

So that's why when you look at the map of the Third Age, all of that area to the west right, very little of that still remains in the Third very little of what you see kind of to the west of that area.

I should say right there that that's where Bellerian would be, But it's beneath the sea and the Third Age, right, this kind of area right here, all right, So that's why there's no more Belarion.

And a way say summons the elves of Bellerion to return to Valenor, and Mythros and Magloa refuse and have this conversation about whether the oath is still valid.

Excuse me all right, then, aon Way is herald of the elder king.

Some in the elves of Blarion to depart from Middle Earth.

But Mythros and Magloa would not hearken, and they prepared, though now with weariness and loathing, to attempt and despair the fulfillment of their oath, for they would have given battle for the Silmariles were they withheld even against the victorious to Valenor, even though they stood alone against all the world.

And they send a message therefore to Aonway, bidding him yield up now those jewels which of old fan Or their father made, and more Goth stole from him.

But aon Wi answer that the right to the work of their father, which the sons of fan Or formally possessed, had now perished because of their many and merciless deeds, being blinded by their oath, and most of all because of their slaying of Dior and the assault upon the havens.

The light of the simm rules should go now into the west, whence it came in the beginning, And to Valanars, must Mithros and Maglor return and there abide the judgment of the Valar, by whose decree alone would away yield the jewel, yield the jewels from his charge.

Then Maglor desired, indeed to submit, for his heart was sorrowful, and he said, the oath says not that we may not bide our time, And it may be that in Valenor all shall be forgiven and forgot, and we shall come into our own in peace.

But Mythros answered that if they returned to Aman, but the favor of the Valar were worth held from them, then their oath would still remain, But its fulfillment be beyond all hope.

And he said, who can tell to what dreadful doom we shall come if we disobey the powers in their own land, or purpose ever to bring war again into their holy realm.

Yet Maglar still held back, saying, if Manuey and Varda themselves deny the fulfillment of an oath to which we named them in witness, is it not made void?

And Mythros answered, but how shall our voices reach to a Lubatar beyond the circles of the world, And by a Lubatar we swore in our badness and called the everlasting darkness upon us if we swept, if we kept not our word, who shall release us?

If none can release us, said Maglore.

Then indeed the everlasting darkness shall be our lot, whether we keep our oath or break it.

But less evil shall we do in the breaking.

So you know, again we have this image.

I mean, it's a great dialogue right here, it really is.

It's just great.

But you know, again, Maglore, you're just like like, oh, Magalore, I feel for you man, and you know you got to deal with He's like really stubborn Kensman, right, and he's basically just looking for any way out, right.

He wants any way out.

He's like, look, we you know, maybe we'll go back and they'll give us, you know, they'll give us the jewels, right, And Mythros is like, yes, but if we go back and we don't and they don't, then you know we're in a bad spot because we can no longer we no longer have any way to obtain the jewels for ourselves.

And and he says like, well, we named man Way and vardas witness right of our oath.

So if they if they deny the fulfillment of the oath, then like, what you know, isn't that releasing us from the oath?

And then Mythros is like, but what about Alubatar?

Right?

We know, how how will we obtain the forgiveness of a Lubatar for all this?

Right?

And It's like, well, mon, you know you wouldn't be like, well, Manway like he's the one that talks to Alubatar, so if you're nice enough to him, maybe he can help you out right, And Moglar is like, well, at least even if we don't fulfill the oath, at least we don't have to do more evil right in the process.

And it's ultimately my throws wins out.

You know, poor Maglore, he just can't like, oh, you just want to give him a hug.

You're like, oh, man, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, you got loop you got looped in with this lot that really stinks for you.

He he, he wants so badly to just be done with this oath right and to find some way out of it, and he's unable, you know, he's well, see, I think any one of those ways might have worked, right, but my throws just the stubbornness ingrained in these various figures my Throws and uh, and then the other sons of fan Or who are gone Fan or himself, it just won't give It won't give way.

So I don't know any thoughts on all that, Greta, No.

I mean, it's uh, it's a tough spot, you know, I mean it's really I mean, you kind of understand this was an oath they made with their dad, right, and it was obviously like, you know, they've done so much in the name of it, already, so much evil.

Yeah, at one.

Point you're kinda like, you know, the one side, I guess I can see both sides.

Right On one side, it's like, well, we've already like countless lives have been sacrificed, and you know, we've done.

All these things, we've gone this far, we've.

Gone this far exactly, what's just one more?

You know, like honor our father?

Right, I mean that's kind of the argument.

Well, you know that in the doing of great evil, like at some point, that's the calculus, right, That's that's the calculus that feels like it remains to you, right, Like it's like, well, I've already done this.

There's really really no going back at this point.

Right.

But that's the thing I can't help it.

Rereminded in this in this dialogue of what I think of is like the the archetypes of of forgiveness in the Gospels, right, And it's you got Peter and you got Judas, right and maglre uh And I've always thought of them like they both commit these horrible sins associated with the crucifixion of Christ, right, the crucifixion of their of their master right.

And ultimately the difference between the two of them is that because I don't believe for a second the Judas the forgiveness wasn't available to Judas, right, But Judas chooses this path of despair, right, which ultimately my Throst is advocating for right here, right.

And because in the end, even if they get the somewhere else, they're still like they've done evil, Like they've just done more evil.

Right, and you know, no good it's gonna come up in.

No good, Yeah, you know, no good's gonna come of it.

It's like when do you stop choosing that path?

Right?

But and then Maglare is like, you know, the Peter path, right, he chooses even though he's you know, Peter denied Christ three times in his in his most dire situation.

But Christ offers forgiveness to him and he receives the forgiveness, right, And maglor is like kind of advocating for that path, but unfortunately that path doesn't went out here, right you know, so you know you have you just have this image of like, we we've gone down this road already so far, what really could be available to us anymore?

And it's like extreme forgiveness, right, maybe it does actually, maybe it is actually a thing.

Maybe you should explore that option instead of continuing to do more evil, right, because it's the evil that you do.

You do it to others, but and ultimately you do it to yourself.

Right.

And you know, Erindel is like proof himself that these soil morels could be used for good, right, I mean he's he comes to be known as the star of high hope, right, that soil morale that's in the sky.

So it's like they don't you know, they don't have to be associated with the evil.

You know that that made me think of something that's really, that's really good.

And they might have known that the Valor, right, Like, what did they do?

They put the they put the silmarill that they had that they obtained from Airendil.

They didn't keep it for themselves, right, they used it unselfishly.

They put it in the sky.

Is this is this sign of hope?

Right?

And the people of Middle Earth?

Right, they gave it back to all the people of Middle Earth.

Right.

Yeah.

So if they had just kind of thought about that for a minute and said in themselves, right that maybe you know, maybe these Valor are actually more benevolent than we realize.

Right, Yeah, that's a great point, you know.

I mean what they did was the opposite, you know, the opposite of selfish, right, yeah, I mean yeah, yeah, I mean that it would have been nice if they realized that, oh okay, maybe you could share this and everybody wins, right yeah.

Yeah.

Well, and and ultimately at this point, like myglore just sounds spent.

He's like he sounds like he doesn't even want the silm rules anymore, really, right, And but my throat maybe still has some of that some of that hunger within him.

Right for them?

Well, again, like that's that to me, it was a really great passage and there's a lot.

There's a lot going on there, I feel like, mm hmm for sure.

So what we do learn is that they go, they go down the path that my Throat is kind of mapping out for them, and they do manage to obtain the silm rules.

My throws is agonized by his and cast himself into a pit of fire right and kind of into the heart of the earth.

And uh so that's the end of my Throats.

And then Maglore casts his into the sea, right, he's just done with it, and he casts it into the sea, and and then he just wanders upon the shores.

So my Throas we know his fate.

He dies here at the end of the first Age, and Maglore we don't know his fate.

All we know is these this one ring man of you Elf of song right, So kind of a kind of an interesting image fate, unknown fate for Maglore.

There so not a happy one though, it sounds.

I don't think so.

He sounds like he's the sad elf wondering the shores, right, the sad song singing the sad song of the sea, right for for all of history seem and that's.

How it came that one simhearls in the heavens one and the fires the heart.

And we talked about this a little bit too, didn't we when we were talking about the show.

Yeah, yeah, we do know one resides in the heart of the earth.

And there was some illusion on the show that maybe, you know, with the when they kind of talk about how n Thrill came about that that maybe that had something to do Silmarle somehow brought you know, had something to do with that that's in the heart of the earth, but that wasn't specified.

So and there's one obviously in the deep waters.

That's right, yep, that's right.

The elves, the remaining elves are bidden to return to Valenor, and many of them do, but cured on Caliborne, Galadriel, Gilgalad and Elrond, don't It says when they came into the west, the elves of Bellerion dwelt upon tol Ercea, the lonely isle that looks both west and east, whence they might come even to Valenor.

They were admitted again to the love of Manwey and the pardon of the Valar, and the Tilari forgave their ancient grief, and the curse was laid to rest.

Yet not all the Adalier were willing to forsake the hitherlands, where they had long suffered and long dwelt, and some lingered many an age in Middle Earth.

Among those were cured on the Shipwright Caliborne of Doriath, with Galadriel his wife, who alone remained in those of those who led then Oldor to exile in belleriond and Middle Earth dwelt.

Also Gilgalad, the High King, and with him was Helrond half Elvin, who chose, as was granted to him, to be numbered among the Eldar.

But Elros's brother chose to abide with men.

And from these brethren alone has come among men the blood of the first born in a strain of the spirits divine that were before Arda.

For they were the sons of Elwing Dior's daughter, Luthian's son child of Thingle and Melion and Arendel.

Their father was the son of Idriel calibrindl Torgon's daughter of Gondolin.

But Morgoth himself the Valar thrust through the door of night beyond the walls of the world into the timeless void, and a guard is set forever on those walls, and Arndil keeps watch upon the ramparts of the sky.

Yet the lies that Melchor, the mighty and accursed mor Goth Boghlier, the power of terror and of hate sowed in the hearts of elves and men, or a sea that does not die and cannot be destroyed, and ever and and on it sprouts anew and will bear dark fruit even unto the latest days.

So mor Goth is thrust beyond the walls of the world.

Arundel Kin keeps him out out there.

But we have this note that the seeds he sowed, right, the seeds he sowed in the hearts of elves and men, they persist right, They are still with us even to this day.

So it's the final note.

Here Here ends the silm million.

If it has passed from the end, from the high and the beautiful, to darkness and ruin that was of old, the fate of Ardemard.

And if any change shall come and the marring be amended, Manway and Varda may know, but they have not revealed it, and it is not declared in the dooms of Mandos.

So that ends the film million proper, the end of the film million.

Yeah, any final thoughts there, Greta on those.

I know, this chapter is really good.

It's really so much happens in it, and I feel like this alone could be like a three volume book, you know, like yeah, you know, if you you know, just flesh flesh, the whole thing out.

And I believe it was of the Three Great Tales.

This was actually kind of the fourth grade tale that was in you know, Tolkien intended to be a longer, longer poem, longer poetic work, kind of epic poem, and as we there are there are parts of that in various parts of the history of Middle Earth.

But yeah, and it wraps everything up really well, but at the same time leaves the future open for the other stories that would come later, right yep.

And but it's just pretty marvelous to me.

I think the thing that's that's greatest about it is the way that that he truly makes this the story of the Silmarills, right, like the whole this whole first age is like, you know, you think about Lord of the Rings and it's like, what's Borimir's famous line, and when they're in the Council of Valrondom.

He's you know, he basically says, like it's such a strange thing that that there's all of this fuss about such a small thing, right, And I'm paraphraid that's a very poorly way of putting what Borimir said, But it's kind of the same thing, these three small things and this is such a huge fuss about all of this.

Well may have the light of valinor in them, so yeah, I.

Mean, well, and this is like the ultimate like you could you catastrophe, you know, you think about it all right, like this you just think of like like cinematically, like the star arising Ahrendil's the simmer A rising above the earth and like pretending this like just huge, like the greatest, the greatest force that the world will ever see, like coming to uh to do war upon more goth and his forces for one last time.

Right yeah, uh, you know, unlooked for this, unloked for hope, right against all hope.

Ye.

All right, Well, make sure to check out Tolkien Road dot com for show notes and a whole bunch of other very helpful links.

All right, Greta Haiku time, let's do it, paper scissors shoot, all right, you go first.

Okay, I gotta pull it up.

Hey, okay, the Star of high Hope, heaven bound among the birds, a curse laid to rest.

Nice.

That's really good.

Thanks nice, appreciate it all right.

Here's mine age ended, ageless Sorry, age ended, ageless tale told beneath starry Skies, vast Lands, blessed Rome.

Nice.

Thank you better?

Oh oh you said it?

I agree?

Yeah, good.

Here's good too, though, Well, thank you, thank you.

You're welcome.

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