Of Thingol and Melian

[ArcusCalion]

This is the first draft of the chapter Of Thingol and Melian.

Our basis text is that of the Later Quenta Silmarillion given in HoME 10; page 171-173. Wherever the text is different from that this is marked by an editing mark.

The markings are:
TM-xx for all changes or questions, as it is a short chapter, and does not need extensive notes.

Some conventions of my writing:
Normal Text is from the basic text that is mentioned above (when I change the basic-Text it will be mentioned)
Bold Text = source information, comments and remarks
{example} = text that should be deleted
[example] = normalised text, normally only used for general changes
<source example> = additions with source information
...... = This section of the paragraph is unchanged from the source.

OF THINGOL AND MELIAN

§31 Thus it came to pass that {Elu-thingol [>} Elwë Singollo{]} and many of his folk abode in Beleriand and went not to Valinor.
Melian was a maia, of the race of the Valar. She dwelt in the gardens of {Olofantur}[Lóriën], and among all his fair folk there was none more beautiful than she, nor more wise, nor more skilled in songs of enchantment. It is told that the {gods}[Valar] would leave their business, and the birds of Valinor their mirth, that the bells of {Valmar}[Valimar] were silent and the fountains ceased to flow, ....... with her voice and with the voices of her birds.
§32 Now it came to pass that when their journey was near its end the folk of Elwë rested long and dwelt in Beleriand beyond {Gelion}[Duin Daer]; and King Elwë went often through the great woods, for he had friendship with the Noldor who lay to the westward, and with Finwë their lord. And it chanced on a time TM-01 <AAm as he journeyed homeward from a meeting with Finwë,> that he came alone to the starlit wood of Nan Elmoth, and there on a sudden he heard the song of nightingales. Then an enchantment fell upon him, and he stood still; and afar off beyond the voices of the lomelindi [Footnote: lomelindi: 'dusk-singers' = nightingales.] he heard ...... Aman was in her face TM-02 <AAm and a starlit mist was about her.> No word she spoke; but being filled with love ..... spoke any word one to another.
§33 Thus Elwë’s folk who sought him found him not, and Olwë took the kingship of the Teleri and departed; but Elwë Singollo came never again across the sea to Valinor TM-03 <AAm greatly though he had desired it. Yet the Light of Aman was in the face of Melian the fair TM-04 <GA as in an unclouded mirror>, and in that light he was content.>{; and}[And] Melian returned not thither while their realm together lasted; and of her a strain {of the [read:} of the race of the{]} immortal {gods}[Ainur] came among both Elves and Men, as hereafter shall be told. In after days TM-05 <AAm he became a king renowned, and {their}[his] hidden halls were in Menegroth, the Thousand Caves, in Doriath; and his folk were all the Eldar of Beleriand; the Sindar they were named, the Grey-elves, the Elves of the Twilight; and as Thingol Greymantle he was known {in the [read:} to all in the{]} tongue of that land. TM-06 <AAm But he was a great lord and noble, tallest of all the Children of Ilúvatar, TM-07 <GA his hair as grey silver, and his eyes like unto stars{.}[,]>and like unto a lord of the Maiar; and a great doom was before him.> And Melian was his Queen, wiser than any child of Middle-earth; and of the love of Thingol and Melian there came into the world the fairest of all the Children of Ilúvatar that was or ever shall be.> Great power Melian lent to Thingol her spouse, who was in himself great among the Eldar; for he alone of all the Forsaken had seen with his own eyes the Trees in the day of their flowering, and king though he {were [> } was{]} of {Alamanyar [>} Úmanyar{]}, he was not accounted among the Moriquendi, but with the Elves of the Light, mighty upon Middle-earth.

All of the changes were taken from AAm or GA, and were merely expansions of the LQ text, adding in descriptors that were absent in the LQ text.

[Findegil]

Overall it looks nice. I have only a two minor points:

TM-05: I would handel that diffrently and you missed to mark your deletions from the basic text and one of your additions:

... In after days Melian and Elwë became Queen and King TM-05{of [the] Grey Elves}<AAm renowned>, and their hidden halls were in Menegroth, the Thousand Caves, in Doriath;TM-05.5 <AAm and his folk were all the Eldar of Beleriand; the Sindar they were named, the Grey-elves, the Elves of the Twilight;> and as Thingol Greymantle he was known ...

Respectfully
Findegil

[ArcusCalion]

that looks good, I agree.

[gandalf85]

Forgive me, I haven't read through "Of the Coming of the Elves," that topic has a ton of changes and additions and it's difficult to follow through to the final text. I didn't know Tolkien had decided on Elwe coming to Valinor as an ambassador before his followers. It's interesting how much praise is lavished on Elwe in this section, while later on his actions make him look really selfish and lacking foresight. He has a super-wise Maia for a wife but doesn't seem to heed her counsel.

Anyway, I think this chapter looks good.

[Findegil]

I might be wrong, but I think that Elwe always had been one of the three ambassadors brought from Cuiviennen to Valinor by Eönwë, which then lead the Elves on the long march. Maybe it was different in the Lost Tales version.

However I agree that Elwe Thingol has some breaks in his character. Up to the point when Beren comes to Doriath he is a wise and just king that leads his people safely through dangerous time. But when doom touches him personally, with the unexpected potential loss of Lúthien to her lover Beren his wisdom is turned to cunning. But he is by no means the first father of a beautiful daughter that is unable to let her go unhindered. And in this special case, he has in part my symphaty, because the doom of separation forever either from her beloved or from her parents that Lúthien takes on herself by loving the mortal Beren is hard to accept. And from the point where he asked for that fated Simaril, I think his doom is set. These holly jewels are a curse for nearly everybody how even desires them. (in a way very similar to the Ring in LotRor the Arken-stone of The Hobbit or the dragon-gold of Glaurung, Scatha or Smaug or the Hort in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil).

Respectfully
Findegil

[gandalf85]

You're probably right about Elwe, I had just forgotten about it.

Yeah, a major recurring theme through Tolkien's works is that lust for a material object can cloud your judgment and ultimately lead to a tragic downfall.

[Aiwendil]

This looks good to me - I think we can consider it done. Would that all the chapters were this easy! But then we'd have a lot less fun.

[ArcusCalion]

Yay! Very true as well, as much work as it is, that's all the fun!

[Findegil]

No worry, I am sure we will find plenty of opportunities for discussion in the chapters still to be reviewd (not to speak about the unposted once).

Respectfully
Findegil