The Pits of Utumno - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Galin · 09-03-2020, 02:29 PM

The note reads 3 or at most 7 Balrogs ever existed, and accompanies a revision to the description concerning Utumno actually (Annals of Aman):

"It came to pass that at last the gates of Utumno were broken and its halls unroofed, and Melkor took refuge in the uttermost pit. Thence, seeing that all was lost (for that time), he sent forth on a sudden a host of Balrogs, the last of his servants that remained..."

Tolkien Revised "a host of Balrogs, the last of his servants that remained" to "his Balrogs, the last of his servants that remained faithful to him" -- Christopher Tolkien explaining: "In the margin my father wrote: "There should not be supposed more than say 3 or at most 7 ever existed."

That's not the end of that story however, or not necessarily. But in any case, if we are going to go beyond the 1977 Silmarillion, the flood begins.

09-03-2020, 02:29 PM	#3
Galin Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1,036	The note reads 3 or at most 7 Balrogs ever existed, and accompanies a revision to the description concerning Utumno actually (Annals of Aman): "It came to pass that at last the gates of Utumno were broken and its halls unroofed, and Melkor took refuge in the uttermost pit. Thence, seeing that all was lost (for that time), he sent forth on a sudden a host of Balrogs, the last of his servants that remained..." Tolkien Revised "a host of Balrogs, the last of his servants that remained" to "his Balrogs, the last of his servants that remained faithful to him" -- Christopher Tolkien explaining: "In the margin my father wrote: "There should not be supposed more than say 3 or at most 7 ever existed." That's not the end of that story however, or not necessarily. But in any case, if we are going to go beyond the 1977 Silmarillion, the flood begins.