Quote:
Originally Posted by Tar Elenion
My thoughts in short are: 'Athlete' does not necessarily equal warrior, 'mostly' does not equal all, Elven-women, as Galadriel did here, would fight fiercely in defense of home and kindred, this does not necessarily mean they were soldiers. This is the only circumstance we have of Galadriel engaging in physical battle (see for example, Celeborn led the army to Dol Guldur, Galadriel (much like Luthien at Minas Tirith) just utilized her power to throw down the walls, after the fighting was done), whereas Elrond seems to have participated in the War of Wrath, and fought through battles and sieges in the Second (and possibly Third) Age. So Galadriel besting Elrond in physical combat would be dubious at best (much less a Fingolfin or Fingon or Maedhros).
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Certainly "athlete" does not mean warrior. Many athletes are not warriors. Some may become warriors, or vice-versa, or be both. My point, however, was not Galadriel's comparisons to others as an athlete, but her comparison to the loremasters. The loremasters are pointed out as being, not "gentle scribes", but "as the valiant captains of Gondolin". They were warriors. This is what I meant which is why I quoted the texts for you. The one where she is compared not only to the athletes, but also to the loremasters, "a match for BOTH the loremasters AND athletes of the Eldar in the days of their youth" and the other text describing the loremasters not as "gentle scribes" but as warriors. If this is the case, again I ask you, is it safe to assume that Galadriel was not only a great athlete, but also an excellent warrior.