[lindil]

<font face="Verdana"><table><TR><TD><FONT SIZE="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Seeker of the Straight Path
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DoV sections 1-2 {4 0f 8}

Well, it seems as if letting the final text of the silm of this section stand.
this is from X LQ2 [that looks like something out of the dead sea scrolls!]
but in fact is CRT's abrv. for 'Later Quenta {silmarillion] phase 2' . It contains several new elements which hearken back to the BoLT version. for CRT's commentary see p.289 Morgoth's Ring.

Note that oddly enough JRRT's final version is much longer than CRT's edit of The Silmarilion odd since he had recourse to the texts of X as far as I have been able to tell. He seems to have favored the Lost Road style more and felt it {being more compressed} ,meshed well w/ the sections that were not elaborated on as much as our current selection.

compare w/ the &amp;&amp; on page 73,74to the end of the 3rd para. The X version is roughly 2x as long.




$55 Now the Valar were sitting in council before the gates
of Valmar, fearing the lengthening of the shadows, when the
messengers came from Finwe. At once Orome and Tulkas
sprang up, but even as they set out in pursuit other messengers
brought tidings from Eldanor. Melkor had fled through the
Kalakiryan, and from the hill of Tuna the Elves had seen him
pass in wrath as a thunder-cloud. 'Then,' said they, 'he turned
northward, and our kinsfolk in Alqualonde report that his
Shadow went by their haven towards Araman.'
Thus Melkor departed from Valinor, and for a while the Two
Trees shone again unshadowed and the land was filled with
light; yet as a cloud far off that looms ever higher, borne upon a
slow cold wind, a doubt now marred the joy of all the dwellers
in Aman, dreading they knew not what evil that yet might come.
$55a When Manwe heard of the ways that Melkor had
taken, it seemed plain to him that Melkor purposed to escape to
his old strongholds in the North of Middle-earth, as was indeed
his most likely course. Though there was little hope in this,
Orome and Tulkas with many of their folk went with all speed
northward, seeking to overtake him if they might; but they
found no trace or rumour of him beyond the shores of the
Teleri, and in the unpeopled wastes that draw near to the Ice
they could hear no tidings even from the birds. Therefore at
length they returned, but the watch was redoubled along all the
northern fences of Aman.
$55b This indeed Melkor had expected; but he had other
things to do before he would return to Middle-earth, and ere the
pursuit set out, indeed ere the messengers came to Valmar, he
had turned back and in great secrecy passed away far to the

South. For Melkor was yet as one of the Valar, and he could still
(though with pain) change his form, or walk unclad, as could
his brethren; though that power he was soon to lose for ever.
$55c Thus unseen he came at last to the region that once
was called Avathar,* beneath the eastern feet of the Pelori; a
narrow land it had become, eaten away by the Sea, and was
long forsaken. There the shadows were deepest and thickest in
the world. In Avathar, secret and unknown save to Melkor,
dwelt Ungoliante, and she had taken spider's form, and was a
weaver of dark webs. It is not known whence she came, though
among the Eldar it was said that in ages long before she had
descended from the darkness that lies about Arda, when Melkor
first looked down in envy upon the light in the kingdom of
Manwe. But she had disowned her Master, desiring to be
mistress of her own lust, taking all things to herself to feed her
emptiness. To the South she had fled, and so had escaped the
assaults of the Valar and the hunters of Orome, for their
vigilance had ever been to the North, and the South was long
unheeded. Thence she had crept towards the light of the Blessed
Realm; for she hungered for light and hated it.
$55d In a ravine she lived and wove her black webs in a
cleft of the mountains. All light she sucked up and spun it forth
in dark nets of gloom. But now she was famished, and in great
torment; for all living things had fled far away, and her own
webs shut out from her all light that could come to her dwelling,
whether through passes in the walls of Aman, or from the
heavens above. Yet she had no longer the strength or will to
depart.
$56 Now Melkor sought for her, and he put on again the
form that he had worn as the tyrant of Utumno: a dark Lord,
tall and terrible. In that form he remained ever after. And when
Ungoliante saw him coming she was afraid, knowing his hatred
for all who tried to escape from him. She shrank into her
deepest lair, and tried to shroud herself in new shadow; but
such darkness as in her famine she could weave was no defence
against the eyes of Melkor, Lord of Utumno and Angband.
$56a 'Come forth!' he said. 'Thrice fool: to leave me first, to
dwell here languishing within reach of feasts untold, and now to
shun me, Giver of Gifts, thy only hope! Come forth and see! I
have brought thee an earnest of greater bounty to follow.' But

(* [footnote to the text] The Shadows (in ancient Quenya).)

Ungoliante made no answer, and retreated deeper into the
cloven rock. Then Melkor was angered, for he was in haste,
having reckoned his times to a nicety. 'Come out!' he cried. 'I
have need of thee and will not be denied. Either thou wilt serve
me, or I will bury thee here and under black stone thou shalt
wither into naught.' Then suddenly he held up in his hands two
shining gems. They were green, and in that lightless place they
reflected the dreadful light of his eyes, as if some ravening beast
had come hunting there. Thus the great Thief set his lure for the
lesser.
$56b Slowly Ungoliante came forth; but as she drew near
Melkor withheld the lure. 'Nay, nay,' he said. 'I do not bring
thee these Elvish sweets in love or in pity; they are to strengthen
thee, when thou hast agreed to do my bidding.' 'What is your
bidding, Master?' she said, and her eyes gloated upon the gems.
$56c There in the black shadows, beyond the sight even of
Manwe in his highest halls, Melkor with Ungoliante plotted his
revenge. But when Ungoliante understood his purpose, she was
torn between great lust and great fear. She would not dare the
perils of Aman, or the power of the dreadful Lords, without a
great reward; for she feared the eyes of Manwe and Varda more
even than the wrath of Melkor. Therefore Melkor said to her:
'Do as I bid, and if thou art still hungry when we meet again,
then, I vow, I will give to thee whatsoever thy lust may demand.
Yea, with both hands!' Lightly he made this vow (as he ever
did), thinking little of its fulfilment, and he laughed in his heart;
for if she achieved his design, he would have no need, he
thought, to appease her, or any one else in Arda, great or small.
$56d 'Come then!' he said. 'Here is the earnest!' And he
delivered the gems to her, not only the first two but many others
that he had stolen in Valinor. Then swiftly Ungoliante began to
grow again and to find new strength. A cloak of darkness she
wove about herself: an unlight, in which things seemed to be no
more, and which eyes could not pierce, for it was void. Then
slowly she wrought her webs: rope by rope from cleft to cleft,
from jutting rock to pinnacle of stone, ever climbing upwards,
crawling and clinging, until at last she achieved the very summit
of Mount Hyarmentir, the highest mountain in that region of
the world, far south of great Taniquetil. There the Valar were
not vigilant; for west of the Pelori was an empty land in
twilight, until northward one came to the tall fences of the
woods of Orome; and eastward the mountains looked out, save

for forgotten Avathar, only upon the dim waters of the pathless
Sea.
$57 But now upon the mountain-top dark Ungoliante lay.
For a while she rested, and with eyes faint from labour she saw
the glimmer of the stars in the dome of Varda and the radiance
of Valmar far away. Slowly her eyes wakened and took fire, and
her lust increased until it overcame her fear. She began in stealth
to creep down into the Blessed Realm.
$57a Still in the dark depths Melkor stood, gnawing his
mind, between evil hope and doubt; but when he had stood,
revolving his chances, as long as his urgency allowed, he turned
away and went down to the shore. There he cursed the Sea,
saying: 'Slime of Ulmo! I will conquer thee yet, shrivel thee to a
stinking ooze. Yea, ere long Ulmo and Osse shall wither, and
Uinen crawl as a mud-worm at my feet!' With that suddenly he
passed from Avathar and went to do his will.





Lindil is often found on posting on the Silmarillion Project at the Barrowowns and working on his own board Osanwe-Kenta[/i]- 'The dwindling Men of the West would often sit up late into the night, and awaken early before dawn- exchanging lore and wisdom such as they possessed , so that they should not fall back into the mean and low estate of those , who never knew or more sadly still, had indeed rebelled against the Light.' </p>