The Nature of Middle-earth
Page 6
[VY 1130/91]
[AY 18811]
1,150 miles The host, now strong, moves across the 25,000 Anduin, but finds the Hithaeglir impassible. Some are lost in the attempt. Eventually they wander south through woods into the plain of later Rohan (Calenardhon).[15] The Teleri lag again. 25,000
VY 1130/95
[AY 18815]
1,850 miles The Ingar and Ñoldor settle at last about the Isen (near later Isengard). The wandering has taken about four löar (1130/95). The main host halts for a long while. The Teleri straggle in.[16] NB: All the coast south of the Haradwaith originally extended much farther west (before the ruin of Beleriand and later Númenor) so that they are still very far from the Sea, which they do not see or hear about.
VY 1130/109
[AY 18829] A new begetting of children begins in 1130/100. (Some are concluding the 9th gen., some being 4th or Telerin 2nd children.) New [?occasions] of 9th gen. appear in 1130/109. Available 8th gen. pairs 6,000 (less 900 Nandor). About 3,500 pairs beget children.[17] 28,500
VY 1131/5
[AY 18869] A new begetting began in 1130/140, but not so many produce children. Some have already produced four. Also, women are getting [?unruly] because of difficulties of children and many are eager now to go on. 2,000 pairs produce 2,000 children in 1130/149 = 1131/5.[18] Oromë is impatient. They wait nonetheless until the youngest children are 12 [GY], that is, 144 [sun-]years = 1 VY = VY 1132/5. 30,500
VY 1132/9
[AY 19017]
2,110 miles The Eldar scheme to beget no more children till Beleriand. The host of the Ingar and Ñoldor move west till it comes to Gwathló (about 260 miles) at the end of 1132/9.
VY 1132/11
[AY 19019]
2,310 miles Here they wait for the first of the lagging Teleri who come up in 1132/10 and help the Ingar and Ñoldor across. Olwë and rest come slowly on behind. The Ingar and Ñoldor reach the Baranduin in 1132/11. They are now near the southern end of the Ered Luin.[19]
VY 1132/17
[AY 19025]
3,111 miles They are led in 1132/12 to eastern Beleriand “which is safe”. In the next few years they accomplish about 800 miles by [?drawing] about to the area of Western Doriath. Say about 1132/17 they reach the coast of Beleriand.[20] The March is over.
VY1132/20
[AY 19028] The Lindar (Teleri) are eager for the Sea and push west to the Falas or Nevrast. The Ñoldor and Ingar chiefly inhabit the area about Sirion. About 1132/20, all the Eldar of the main host are in Beleriand, and total 30,000. 30,000
Now begins negotiation for transport
Having at last brought the Host of the Great March to the coast of Beleriand, and having detailed the time it took and their population increase along the way, Tolkien goes on to compare this new scheme with that of the scheme of the Tale of Years (see X:49, 56–7), and to consider its implications, particularly as arising from Finwë’s abstaining from wedding before reaching Aman:
In the “Tale of Years” the Eldar reach the coast in VY 1125 (only 20 VY = 200 [sun-]years on the March).[21] Ulmo takes the Ingar and Ñoldor in 1132; they arrive in Aman in 1133. The Teleri leave in 1150. VY here [i.e., in the “Tale of Years”] = 10 sun-years. The Eldar (Ingar and Ñoldor) only abide in Beleriand 7 × 10 = 70 sun-years. It only takes 10 sun-years to cross the Great Sea. The Teleri depart 180 sun-years later. Except for passage of the Great Sea, these lengths [of time] are sufficient?
In the above scheme the Eldar reach the coast in 1132/17. The March began in 1129/29: they were nearly 3 VY in migration = 420 sun-years. They should abide 1 VY (1133/17) before the Ingar and Ñoldor depart. Transit [across the Great Sea] = 12 [sun-]years. The Teleri now go to the shores and are befriended by Ossë. Part of the Teleri and Olwë are taken off in 1134.
In the “Tale of Years” Finwë begets Fëanor in 1160 and he is born in VY 1169.[22] This is (according to TY scale) 27 VY = 270 [sun-]years after Finwë’s arrival in Valinor.[23]
Where in the present scheme did the chieftains come in? Ingwë, Finwë, Elwë (Olwë)? If “First Elves” they awoke in VY 1000, being approximately 24 age-years old. In VY 1133/29 they reach Valinor. They are then 24 + 133/29 VY old = 24 +133 = 157 age-years; actually 288 + 19,152 = 19,440 [sun-years].
Clearly Finwë cannot wed in Aman unless the arrangement of Elvish lives is altered. It could be altered satisfactorily in this way:
1. The Eldar, especially in the early ages, do not wed or beget until late, and maybe at least 200 years old.
2.They do not necessarily beget in consecutive Times of the Children; but may beget in any suitable or peaceful time, at will. But they do not beget when past hröa-prime, which was in the Elder Days about 200 age-years (but this dwindled: in the Second Age it was 150, in Third Age 100).
Ingwë, Finwë etc. could postpone wedding till arrival (and probably did not expect to be so long on the road). If so, however, it might be a good thing to have few weddings on the March –: but Ingwë, Finwë, and Elwë being special cases (as the only ones who had yet seen Aman, and so desired the children to be born there), they could be among the few who abstained [i.e. from wedding before and during the March]. If there are few weddings on the March, then either Elves must awake longer than 82 VY before their finding or far more must be “created”: 144 (72 pairs), or 144 pairs?
But in any case – how would Ingwë etc. or any “First Elf” know of what was going to happen, so as to postpone marriage? How could Elwë/Olwë/Elmo be “brothers”? Fairly clearly then Ingwë etc. are not “First Elves”. What then became of older generations?
This can be got over. The Quendi at first (to 3 gens.?) were very philoprogenitive. They mated almost at once with their predestined mates. It was not for some time, when their young, inexperienced fëar began to take command, that their other faculties demanded fulfilment, and they began to be absorbed in the study of Arda.[24] The younger generations therefore progressed rapidly in strength, nobility, and intellectuality of character, and made natural leaders. The first few generations (expending much vigour in begetting) were least adventurous and were nearly all Avari in the event.
Secondly, in any case: Elvish lords or Kings (as Númenóreans later) tended to hand on lordship and affairs to their descendants if they could or were engrossed in some pursuit. Often (though we don’t see it in Beleriand, since the War occupied so short a span of Elvish-time, and lords and Kings were so often slain), after passing 200 age-years they would resign. It would thus be young, eager Quendi of some later generations (whose fathers or grandfathers were lords) who were chosen and/or willing to go as ambassadors to Aman – after which they would be preeminent and obvious leaders of the March. “The light of Aman was in their faces”, and the other Elves were in awe of them.
Against this paragraph Tolkien placed a large “*” and added a note:
This is better than making the Ambassadors different from the later leaders.
He also drew vertical lines against the last two paragraphs on this page, and in the upper left-hand corner he further added the word: “Important”, indicating his enthusiasm for these solutions. Important, indeed, as these solutions to the problems – of 1) reducing the number of weddings (and thus begettings) of the Eldar on the March, while 2) still having sufficient numbers of Elves to believably populate both Aman and Beleriand, and 3) allowing Finwë to still be of marriageable and begetting age when he arrives in Aman within the “age-year” scheme laid out in these papers – turn out to have been the germ of “The Legend of the Awaking of the Quendi (Cuivienyarna)” given at XI:420–4. For on the pages that immediately follow this discussion are the germ and the rough working-out of the mechanics of that legend, beginning:
The “First Elves” awaking in VY 1000 should be 144: 72 pairs of destined spouses. But they did not all wake at once from sleep “in the womb of Arda”. There were three first Elves known in later legend as Imin, Tata, and Enel (from whom the Eldar said the words for 1, 2, and 3 were made: but the reverse was probabl
y the historical fact).
It is apparently here that the names and figures of Imin, Tata, and Enel, as the first three male Elves to awake, first arose. For the continuation of the development of this legend, see the next chapter.
VIII
ELDARIN TRADITIONS CONCERNING THE “AWAKENING”
This text is written in black nib-pen on five sides of four sheets of unlined paper. It dates from c. 1959.
As was seen at the end of the previous chapter, the legend of Imin, Tata, and Enel arose in the context of Tolkien’s desire to reduce the number of weddings (and thus begettings) of the Eldar on the March, while still having sufficient numbers of Elves to believably populate both Aman and Beleriand, and yet allow Finwë to still be of marriageable age when he arrives in Aman.
While the subsequent typescript version of this text, published in The War of the Jewels, follows this manuscript (as emended) quite closely (see The legend of the Awaking of the Quendi (Cuivienyarna); XI:420–4), there are enough differences of details and textual development to warrant giving the full manuscript version here, in the context in which the legend first arose.
Summary of the Eldarin
traditions concerning the “Awakening” and of the
Legend of the Cuivië (Cuivienyarna)
During the waking of their first hröar from the “flesh of Arda” the Quendi slept “in the womb of Arda”, beneath the green sward, and “awoke” when they were full-grown. But the “First Elves” (also called the Unbegotten, or the Eru-begotten) did not all wake together. Eru had so ordained that each should lie beside his or her “destined spouse”.[1] But three Elves awoke first of all; and they were elf-men, for elf-men are more strong in hröa and more eager and adventurous in strange places.[2] These three are named in the oldest traditions: Imin, Tata, and Enel. They awoke in that order, but with little time between each; and from them, say the Eldar, the words for 1, 2, and 3 were made: the oldest of all numerals.[fn1][3]
Imin, Tata, and Enel awoke before their spouses, and the first thing that they saw was the stars, for they woke in the early twilight before dawn. And the next thing they saw was their destined spouse lying asleep on the green sward beside them.[4] Then they were so enamoured of their beauty that their desire for speech was immediately quickened and they began “to think of words” to speak and sing in. And being impatient they could not wait but woke up their spouses. Thus (say the Eldar) elf-women ever after reached maturity sooner than elf-men; for it had been intended that they should wake later than their spouses.[5]
But after a time, when they had dwelt together a little and had devised many words, Imin and Iminyë, Tata and Tatië, Enel and Enelyë walked together, and left the green dell of their waking, and they came soon to another dell and found there six pairs of Quendi, and the stars were again shining in the morrow-dim and the elf-men were just waking.[6]
Then Imin claimed to be the eldest and to have the right of first choice; and he said, “I choose these twelve to be my companions”. And the elf-men woke their spouses, and when the eighteen Elves had dwelt together a little and had learned many words and devised more, they walked on together, and soon in another even deeper and wider hollow they found nine pairs of Quendi, and the elf-men had just waked in the starlight.
Then Tata claimed the right of second choice, and he said: “I choose these eighteen to be my companions”. Then again the elf-men woke their spouses, and they dwelt and spoke together, and devised many new sounds and new and longer words;[7] and then the thirty-six walked abroad together, until they came to a grove of birches by a stream, and there they found twelve pairs of Quendi, and the elf-men likewise were just standing up, and looking at the stars through the birch boughs.
Then Enel claimed the right of third choice, and he said: “I choose these twenty-four to be my companions”. Again the elf-men woke their spouses; and for many days the sixty Elves dwelt by the stream, and soon they began to make verse and song to the music of the water.
At length they all set out together again. But Imin noticed that each time they had found more Quendi than before, and he thought to himself: “I have only twelve companions (although I am the eldest); I will take a later choice”. Soon they came to a sweet-smelling firwood on a hill-side, and there they found eighteen pairs of Quendi, and all were still sleeping. It was still night and clouds were in the sky. But before dawn a wind came, and roused the elf-men, and they woke and were amazed at the stars; for all the clouds were blown away and the stars were bright from east to west. And for a long time the eighteen new Quendi took no heed of the others, but looked at the light of Menel. But when at last they turned their eyes back to earth they beheld their spouses and woke them to look at the stars, crying to them elen, elen![8] And so the stars got their name.
Now Imin said: “I will not choose again yet”; and Tata, therefore, chose these thirty-six to be his own companions; and they were tall and dark-haired and strong like the fir-trees, and from them most of the Ñoldor later were sprung.
And the ninety-six Quendi now spoke together, and the newly-waked devised many new and beautiful words, and many cunning artifices of speech; and they laughed, and danced upon the hill-side, until at last they desired to find more companions. Then they all set out again together, until they came to a lake dark in the twilight, and there was a great cliff above it upon the east side, and a waterfall came down from the height, and the stars glittered on the foam. But the elf-men were already bathing in the waterfall, and they had waked their spouses. There were twenty-four pairs; but as yet they had no formed speech, though they sang sweetly and their voices echoed in the stone, mingling with the rush of the falls.
But again Imin withheld his choice, thinking “next time it will be a great company”. Therefore Enel said: “I have the choice, and I choose these forty-eight to be my companions”. And the hundred and forty-four Quendi dwelt long together by the lake, until they all became of one mind and speech, and were glad.[9]
At length Imin said: “It is time now that we should go on and seek more companions”. But most of the others were content. So Imin and Iminyë and their twelve companions set out, and they walked long by day and by twilight in all the country about the Lake, near which all the Quendi had awakened – for which reason it is called Cuiviénen.[10] But they never found any more companions: for the tale of the First Elves was complete.
And so it was that the Quendi ever after reckoned in twelves, and that 144 was for long their highest number, so that in none of their later tongues was there any common name for greater numbers.[11] And so also it came about that the “Companions of Imin” or the Eldest Company (of whom came the Ingar)[fn2] were nonetheless only 14 in all; and the smallest company; and the “Companions of Tata” (of whom came the Ñoldor) were 56 in all; but the “Companions of Enel” although the Youngest Company were the largest. From them came the Teleri (or Lindar), and they were in the beginning 74 in all.[12]
Now the Quendi loved all of Arda that they had yet seen, and green things that grow, and the sun of summer, were their delight; but nonetheless they were ever moved most in heart by the Stars, and the hours of twilight, at “morrow-dim” and “even-dim” in clear weather were the times of their greatest joy.[13] For in those hours in the spring of the year they had first awakened to life in Arda. But the Lindar, above all the other Quendi, from their beginning were most in love with water, and sang before they could speak.
IX
TIME-SCALES AND RATES OF GROWTH
This is a clear manuscript written for the most part in black nib-pen on six sides of three unlined sheets that Tolkien lettered, in red ball-point pen, a–f, and clipped together. Some corrections and additions were made by Tolkien in red and blue ball-point pen and in pencil. It dates from c. 1959.
For similar applications of the greatly increased rate of Sun-years to Valian Years of 144 : 1 to specific characters in the legendarium, see the texts presented here as chaps. X, “Difficulties in Chronology”; XI, “Agein
g of Elves”; and XVIII, “Elvish Ages & Númenórean”.
Time-scales and “rates of growth”
Valian Year of Ageing
Mortal Men
1
144
Original Quendian 1
144
Later
25/36
100
The Quendian rate originally corresponded to the Valian and it so remained in Aman. But by each act or choice which as it were allied the Quendi, or any group of them, more closely with “Arda Marred”, the rate of “growth” became quicker (for the tendency towards physical decay was increased).
It is said that the Avari quickened to 100 : 1 as soon as the Eldar had departed; that the Nandor did likewise as soon as they forsook the March; that the Sindar did so also when they chose to remain on the Western Shores; and that finally the exiled Ñoldor were quickened in the same way as soon as they left Aman, or rather as soon as the Doom of Mandos was spoken and they persisted in their rebellion.[1]
In all the earlier legends, therefore, the rate 100 : 1 can be used to determine approximately the age of any of the Eldar in human terms (except while they were in Aman where it is 144 : 1).
It is said that after the fall of Sauron, and the beginning of the Fourth Age and the Dominion of Men, those of the Elves who still lingered in Middle-earth were again “quickened” to a rate of about 72 : 1, or in these latter days to 48 : 1.[2]