The names of the Istari, and other deep mysteries of life.
 

I think i already know the answer to this, but is it known to anyone the origional names of all five Istari?

This might be a nice tid-bit that could be added or removed or revised in the project:
The Istari are just as nameless and as faceless as the Dwarven language is unknown.

Original?
As in Olorin I was in the west...

We know no Valinorian names but we do have from UT the 'common' names [ 2 versions I think] of the Blue wizards, Allatar and Pallando I think is one set, I could be off abit. There are many Istari threads in the Books forum.
Personally I think the isatari, Palantir, Glorfindel and Cirdan chapters all could be more or less integrated into a composite 2nd and 3rd age history. Some of the material would probably remain best used though, in an essay form though.

I concurr. The Istari explanation was very vague in my opinion and a prose/essay form would integrate faily smoothly; although the fact is: how many readers will accually comprehend the transition from Olórin to Gandalf, Aiwendil to Radagast, Curumo to Saruman, etc. That may need to be addressed in good time though it is a rough spot(or maybe the fact that Olórin has two other names), oh well.

Olorin only has two other names? Are you not counting Mithrandir, Gandalf, Tharkun, Inkanus, and his other names that we don't know?

Apart from all that, I agree with Lindil that the stuff on the Istari, Palantiri, the Druedain, and all the other Second and Third Age stuff should be combined into a single chapter/appendix. Wait. Not all the Second and Third Age stuff. That would be way too much stuff for even three chapters. We should follow the set-up that CRRT gave us in the UT.

But this is just my two cents worth.

In brief my thought is that the Translations from the Elvish could also be in 3 [green] volumes as per Bilbo's]

Until we get drafts finalized it is really hard to guess about size/length.

But assuming there are no major discrpancies [ or project member disagreements] size wise the 3 volumes could have contents something like this:

vol 1

Ainulindale
Valaquente

The silmarillion w/ additonal 1st age narrative material [ Of Tuor, The Narn, Druedain, Athrabeth etc]

Vol 2
appendices to the 1st age [this could go in any volume really]
including such things as:
the commentary to the Athrabeth,
Laws and Customs
Osanwe-Kenta
Dwarves and Men [sections not included as narrative]
-=-=-
Narratives of the Second age:
description of numenor/Line of Kings*
Akkalabeth*
Of the rings of power[pt1]*
Galadriel and Celeborn etc*.
Aldarion and Erendis*
any relevant material from the PoME and LotR appendices
* = all included a composite chronlogical narrative fo the the second age

Vol 3
narrative of ther 3rd age inc texts such as:
Disaster of the gladden feilds*
much material from the PoME and LotR appendices on Arnor Gondor and Rhovanion*
Cirion and Eorl*
OF the Rings ...and the third Age[pt 2]*
Galadriel and Celeborn pt 2*
Glorfindel/Cirdan/Istari etc
etc.
* = all included a composite chronlogical narrative for the the third age


Elvish linguistic materials such as:
Quendi and Eldar
Shibboleth of Feanor [linguistic part]
Namarie and A Elbereth Gilthoniel [ from The Road Goes Ever On]
Etymologies

just a rough idea. I have not updated this list w/in the intro-FAQ thread in a good while, so till then...

[ October 14, 2002: Message edited by: lindil ]

Very good idea, Lindil. I don't know how long these ideas have been floating around, but I still agree with them. The texts are arranged in a logical order and they contain almost everything that any Tolkienist could want. Best of all, it's ALL IN ONE PLACE!!!!

However, if and when we get permission from CRRT to publish this monster (that is, if we ever finish it - ugh [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] ), we should probably set it out in three red volumes, like Biblo gave to Frodo at the end of LotR. It would be most non-non-non-heinous (if I may quote from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure) if we convinced Chris Tolkien to look over our little endeavor and then give it to Houghton Mifflin to publish it (with our names in it as compilers, of course [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] ), but as you guys have said before, we can't even consider doing that until TftE is actually finished. And Manwë only knows how long that will take!

"All in one volume !"

Exactly [ well ok 3 volumes]Although I suppose special Bible-weight [ultra -ultra thin acid free ] paper edition could be issued [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]


I could see doing sending the first Volume to CRRT if we get it done in his lifetime, and pray fiercely for approval.

I may be wrong but I thought Bilbo's Translations from the Elvish was a 3 volume green book.


Any way we ahve a long ways to go to get there.

[ October 14, 2002: Message edited by: lindil ]

Just to add, in The Peoples of Middle-Earth, Christopher Tolkien includes an work on the Istari from the last years of his fathers life, that at the time Unfinished Tales was written was undecipherable. In it, the Blue Wizards are given the names Morinehtar and Romestamo, Darkness-slayer and East-helper.

Thanks for an info, WEsterly Wizard, and welcome to the Downs. May your bones find proper rest here [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]