Concerning Galadriel and Celeborn

[Findegil]

This is the first draft of the chapter Concerning Galadriel and Celeborn in the part The Black Years.

Since in this part I found it very difficult to nominate a basic text, all snippets I used are marked by an editing mark with source information.

The markings are:
BY-HL-zz for Black Years, Head-Lines, marking all headlines for the chapters in this part.

CGC-SL-zz for Concerning Galadriel and Celebron, Story-Line, to document all changes that construct the main text.

Some conventions of my writing:
Normal Text is from the text that is mentioned in the source information of each insert.
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
example = text inserted for grammatical or metrical reason
/example/ = outline expansion
Normally if an inserted text includes the beginning of a new § these is indicated by a missing “>” at the end of the § and a missing “<” at the beginning of the next.

BY-HL-08<Concerning Galadriel and Celeborn
>CGC-SL-01<The history of Galadriel and Celeborn The building of the chief city of Eregion, Ost-in-Edhil, was begun in about the year 750 of the Second Age CGC-SL-02{ [the date that is given in the Tale of Years for the founding of Eregion by the Noldor]}. News of these things came to the ears of Sauron, … for a stronghold as a counter to the threat of the Númenórean landings CGC-SL-03{ [this is dated c. 1000 in the Tale of Years]}. When he felt himself to be secure … wearing the fairest form that he could contrive.>
CGC-SL-04<Of the Rings of Power Seeing the desolation of the world, … and concealed the dark designs that he shaped in his heart.
Men he found the easiest to sway … those have who are beyond the Sea?'
It was in Eregion that the counsels of Sauron were most gladly received, … and to bring them under his vigilance.>
CGC-SL-05<The history of Galadriel and Celeborn But in the meantime the power of Galadriel and Celeborn had grown, … on the other side of the Misty Mountains.[Footnote to the text: CGC-SL-06{In a note to the text it is explained that }Lórinand was the Nandorin name of this region (afterwards called Lórien and Lothlórien), and contained the Elvish word meaning "golden light": "valley of gold." The Quenya form would be Laurenandë, the Sindarin Glornan or Nan Laur. CGC-SL-07{Both here and elsewhere the meaning of the name is explained by reference to the golden mallorn-trees of Lothlórien; but they were brought there by Galadriel (for the story of their origin see p.176), and in another, later, discussion the}The name Lórinand is said to have been itself a transformation, … It may be noted that Treebeard interpreted Lothlórien as 'Dream-flower.'CGC-SL-09{"
In "Concerning Galadriel and Celeborn" I have retained the name Lórinand throughout, although when it was written Lórinand was intended as the original and ancient Nandorin name of the region, and the story of the introduction of the mallorns by Galadriel had not yet been devised.}] This was peopled by those Elves who forsook the Great Journey of the Eldar from Cuiviénen and settled in the woods of the Vale of Anduin CGC-SL-10{ [The Silmarillion p.94]}; and it extended into the forests on both sides of the Great River including the region where afterwards was Dol Guldur. These Elves had no princes or rulers, and led their lives free of care while all Morgoth's power was concentrated in the North-west of Middle-earth; CGC-SL-11{6} CGC-SL-12{"}but many Sindar and Noldor came to dwell among them, … Galadriel, striving to counteract the machinations of Sauron, was successful in Lórinand; while in Lindon Gil-galad shut out Sauron's emissaries and even Sauron himself CGC-SL-13{[as is more fully reported in Of Rings of Power (The Silmarillion p. 287)]}. But Sauron had better fortune with the Noldor of Eregion and especially with Celebrimbor, who desired in his heart to rival the skill and fame of Fëanor. CGC-SL-14{ [The cozening of the smiths of Eregion by Sauron, and his giving himself the name Annatar, Lord of Gifts, is told in Of the Rings of Power, but there is there no mention of Galadriel].}
In Eregion Sauron posed as an emissary of the Valar, sent by them to Middle-earth ({"}thus anticipating the Istari{"}) or ordered by them to remain there to give aid to the Elves. … with outward patience and courtesy. CGC-SL-15{[}No explanation is offered in this rapid outline of why Galadriel scorned Sauron, unless she saw through his disguise, or of why, if she did perceive his true nature, she permitted him to remain in Eregion.{]}[Footnote to the text: CGC-SL-16{In an isolated and undateable note it is said that although}Although the name Sauron is used earlier than this in the Tale of Years, … towards the end of the eighth century (about the time when he established the haven of Vinyalondë CGC-SL-17{, p.185}). But it had no known centre. … and a fair name: Artano "high-smith," or Aulendil, meaning one who is devoted to the service of the Vala Aulë. CGC-SL-18{ (In Of the Rings of Power, p. 287, the name that Sauron gave to himself at this time was Annatar, the Lord of Gifts; but that name is not mentioned here.) The note goes on to say that} Galadriel was not deceived, saying that this Aulendil was not in the train of Aulë in Valinor, {"}but this is not decisive, since Aulë existed before the 'Building of Arda', and the probability is that Sauron was in fact one of the Aulëan Maiar, corrupted 'before Arda began' by Melkor. CGC-SL-19{" With this compare the opening sentences in Of the Rings of Power: "Of old there was Sauron the Maia. ...In the beginning of Arda Melkor seduced him to his allegiance."}] Sauron used all his arts upon Celebrimbor and his fellow-smiths, who had formed a society or brotherhood, very powerful in Eregion, the Gwaith-i-Mírdain; but he worked in secret, unknown to Galadriel and Celeborn. Before long Sauron had the Gwaith-i-Mírdain under his influence, for at first they had great profit from his instruction in secret matters of their craft.[Footnote to the text: CGC-SL-20{In a letter written in September 1954 my father said: "}At the beginning of the Second Age {he [}Sauron{]} was still beautiful to look at, … is also symbolized by their special friendship with the Dwarves of Moria.{"}] So great became his hold on the Mírdain … passed through Khazad-dûm to Lórinand, taking with her CGC-SL-21{Amroth and }Celebrían; but Celeborn would not enter the mansions of the Dwarves, and he remained behind in Eregion, disregarded by Celebrimbor. In Lórinand Galadriel took up rule, and defence against Sauron.>

Some comments to editing:

BY-HL-08: That title might not be perfect for what is to follow, but it is the one Tolkien gave to what I used as the main source, and thus be necessity the text is a bit focused on the pair.

CGC-SL-01: I take up the text where I left it in the chapter The Sindarin Princes of the Silvan Elves

CGC-SL-02, CGC-SL-03, CGC-SL-09, CGC-SL-10, CGC-SL-13, CGC-SL-14, CGC-SL-17, CGC-SL-18, CGC-SL-019: A Comment of Christopher Tolkien removed.

CGC-SL-04: This 3 paragraphs from Of the Rings of Power where even referred to by Christopher Tolkien as a fuller description of how Sauron cozened the Noldor of Eregion.

CGC-SL-05: Back to Concerning Galadirel and Celeborn

CGC-SL-06: Even so this note is not given as quote, we should include the information.

CGC-SL-07: This part of the note is to much an editorial speak as to keep it.

CGC-SL-08: I am not sure if this quotation marks should be removed. Are they separating Christopher Tolkiens text from quote of the original text of his father or were they as others in this not marking a kind of ‘meaning’ for the elvish word?

CGC-SL-11: A footnote with a comment of Christopher Tolkien removed.

CGC-SL-12: Here the quotation marks have to go, since they separate a quote from JRR Tolkiens original text from the reconstruction of Christopher.

CGC-SL-15: Here I expact that ArcusCalion will disagree with my treatment of the text. I lifted a kind of comment of Christopher into the main text, making it a comment of the supposed in legend author or editor.

CGC-SL-16: Equally if we take the passage under CGC-SL-015 we should include this note. And I think this is the right place for it.

CGC-SL-20: If this footnote of Christopher should be keep as a footnote or not might be discussed, but since the text is originally JRR Tolkiens we do not have the authorial problem that we faced with the famous Yavanna as a tree footnote.

CGC-SL-21: Since Amroth is in our version not the son of Galadriel, she should not take him with her on this journey (I would rather expect that she could meet him in Lórinand). This passage shows as well, that Celebrian was already born, either near lake Nenuial or in Eregion.
I would also like to discuss here the idea of gondowe to mention Galadriels earlier visits in the course of her journey in the first age. I agree that the Nandor in the vale of Anduin were the most probable destination of that journey, but we do not have any prove. We have a good hint, that she crossed Hitheaglir, and therefore we included that in the earlier chapter. But in the case of an earlier visit to Lórien, I would rather give the reader the freeness to combine that form himself.

Respectfully
Findegil