Man behind the Mythology - Page 6 - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Mariska Greenleaf · 03-12-2004, 03:58 AM

Ok, I must admit I made a little mistake, I don't know if it matters much, but the question should have been:

Tolkien referred to someone as "Olympian", so not "an" Olympian...

Anyway, a hint: initials: W.R., and according to Tolkien not a good lecturer.

Estelyn Telcontar · 03-12-2004, 08:15 AM

Ah, the initials did the trick - thank you! It was Walter Raleigh of whom Tolkien was speaking to G. S. Gordon; his reason for calling him 'Olympian' is quite amusing:

Quote:

I only really meant that he reposed gracefully on a lofty pinnacle above my criticism. (Letter 46)

Mariska Greenleaf · 03-12-2004, 08:23 AM

That's the guy!
Your turn again.

Estelyn Telcontar · 03-12-2004, 09:14 AM

JRRT was awarded a high honour late in life - what was it?

Mariska Greenleaf · 03-16-2004, 09:17 AM

Do you mean the honorary doctorate at Oxford in 1972 for his work in philology?

Estelyn Telcontar · 03-16-2004, 10:40 AM

That's an honour too, but I was thinking more along the lines of national honour...

Mariska Greenleaf · 03-17-2004, 02:15 AM

Then you must mean the CBE he received from the Queen!

Estelyn Telcontar · 03-17-2004, 09:20 AM

That's the one I was thinking of - well done, Mariska!

Mariska Greenleaf · 03-17-2004, 09:35 AM

Thanks.

"May God bless you, my dear John Ronald, and may you say the things I have tried to say long after I am not there to say them, if such be my lot."

Who adressed Tolkien in this way?

Estelyn Telcontar · 03-19-2004, 02:22 AM

It took me awhile to figure out where to begin to look for this quote, and when I thought about how few people would have addressed him as "John Ronald" and thought similarly enough to want him to speak for them, I found the answer quite quickly. It was G. B. (Geoffrey Bache) Smith, one of the members of the T.C.B.S., in a letter written shortly before his death in WWI. It begins as follows:

Quote:

My chief consolation is that if I am scuppered tonight - I am off on duty in a few minutes - there will still be left a member of the great T.C.B.S. to voice what I dreamed and what we all agreed upon. For the death of one of its members cannot, I am determined, dissolve the T.C.B.S. Death can make us loathsome and helpless as individuals, but it cannot put an end to the immortal four!

Mariska Greenleaf · 03-19-2004, 03:21 AM

Very good.

Estelyn Telcontar · 03-20-2004, 03:18 AM

Which was JRRT's first published work, and when and where was it published?

The Squatter of Amon Rûdh · 03-21-2004, 01:07 PM

It was his poem The Battle of the Eastern Field, which was published in The King Edward's School Chronicle in March 1911.

Estelyn Telcontar · 03-22-2004, 02:25 AM

Quite right, Squatter - do I remember rightly that it was about some ball game match? I can't find a reference to the contents right now.

Estelyn Telcontar · 03-31-2004, 06:36 AM

Looks like Squatter is temporarily absent, so since the 10-day limit is up, I'll post another question. It would be a shame to let this good thread die an untimely death!

Which of Tolkien's sons experienced a loss that led JRRT to tell and write which story?

Estelyn Telcontar · 04-05-2004, 01:46 AM

Anyone want to try?

03-12-2004, 03:58 AM	#1
Mariska Greenleaf Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Dublin Posts: 1,036	Ok, I must admit I made a little mistake, I don't know if it matters much, but the question should have been: Tolkien referred to someone as "Olympian", so not "an" Olympian... Anyway, a hint: initials: W.R., and according to Tolkien not a good lecturer. __________________ I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.- Confucius.

03-12-2004, 08:23 AM	#3
Mariska Greenleaf Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Dublin Posts: 1,036	That's the guy! Your turn again. __________________ I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.- Confucius.

03-12-2004, 09:14 AM	#4
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	JRRT was awarded a high honour late in life - what was it? __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

03-16-2004, 09:17 AM	#5
Mariska Greenleaf Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Dublin Posts: 1,036	Do you mean the honorary doctorate at Oxford in 1972 for his work in philology? __________________ I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.- Confucius.

03-16-2004, 10:40 AM	#6
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	That's an honour too, but I was thinking more along the lines of national honour... __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

03-17-2004, 02:15 AM	#7
Mariska Greenleaf Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Dublin Posts: 1,036	Then you must mean the CBE he received from the Queen! __________________ I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.- Confucius.

03-17-2004, 09:20 AM	#8
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	That's the one I was thinking of - well done, Mariska! __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

03-17-2004, 09:35 AM	#9
Mariska Greenleaf Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Dublin Posts: 1,036	Thanks. "May God bless you, my dear John Ronald, and may you say the things I have tried to say long after I am not there to say them, if such be my lot." Who adressed Tolkien in this way? __________________ I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.- Confucius.

03-19-2004, 03:21 AM	#11
Mariska Greenleaf Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Dublin Posts: 1,036	Very good. __________________ I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.- Confucius.

03-20-2004, 03:18 AM	#12
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	Which was JRRT's first published work, and when and where was it published? __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

03-21-2004, 01:07 PM	#13
The Squatter of Amon Rûdh Spectre of Decay Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Bar-en-Danwedh Posts: 2,178	It was his poem The Battle of the Eastern Field, which was published in The King Edward's School Chronicle in March 1911. __________________ Man kenuva métim' andúne?

03-22-2004, 02:25 AM	#14
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	Quite right, Squatter - do I remember rightly that it was about some ball game match? I can't find a reference to the contents right now. __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

03-31-2004, 06:36 AM	#15
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	Looks like Squatter is temporarily absent, so since the 10-day limit is up, I'll post another question. It would be a shame to let this good thread die an untimely death! Which of Tolkien's sons experienced a loss that led JRRT to tell and write which story? __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

04-05-2004, 01:46 AM	#16
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	Anyone want to try? __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'