The Nature of Middle-earth

by J. R. R. Tolkien

  The naming had probably come down from the early days of Gondor when the rocky hill of Amon Anor was yet uninhabited, except by a small fort on its summit reached by winding paths and rough-hewn steps. It was in those days of less importance than Minas Ithil, the centre of the Watch that was kept on the deserted land of Mordor. The chief purpose of the fort (Minas Anor) was then to guard the place of the Tombs of the Kings which were built on a long pier of rock which joined the outlier, Amon Anor, to the main mass of the great Mindolluin behind it. Thus one of the oldest of the raths of Minas Tirith must have been the steep winding way that led down to the Tombs and then along the rocky way between them: the Rath Dínen, the Silent Street, as it was called; though in the time of the L.R. this name was applied only to the great way between the numerous tombs. The ancient rath had been replaced by a broad winding way, cut in the rock of the hill, that wound down without steps, and fenced on the outward edge with a low wall and carved balusters: Dúnad in Gyrth, the Descent of the Dead.

  XVIII

  NOTE ON THE DELAY OF GIL-GALAD AND THE NÚMENÓREANS

  This text is written in a fairly clear hand in black nib-pen on a single page of a printed Allen & Unwin publication notice dated 19th Jan. 1970.

  Note on the delay of Gil-galad and the Númenóreans

  in attacking Sauron, before he could gather his forces.

  It is now vain, and indeed unjust, to judge them foolish not to do, as in the end they were obliged to do, to have quickly gathered their forces and assailed Sauron. (See the Debate of the Loremasters upon the Ban of Manwë and his conduct as the Lord of Arda.)[1] They could not have any certain knowledge of Sauron’s intentions, or his power, and it was one of the successes of his cunning and deceits that they were unaware of his actual weakness, and his need for a long time in which to gather armies sufficient to assail an alliance of the Elves and Western Men. His occupation of Mordor he no doubt would have kept secret if he could, and it would appear from later events that he had secured the allegiance of Men that dwelt in lands adjacent, even those west of Anduin, in those regions where afterwards was Gondor in the Ered Nimrais and Calenardhon. But the Númenóreans occupying the Mouths of Anduin and the shorelands of Lebennin had discovered his devices, and revealed them to Gil-galad. But until [S.A.] 1600 he was still using the disguise of beneficent friend, and often journeyed at will in Eriador with few attendants, and so could not risk any rumour that he was gathering armies. At this time he perforce neglected the East (where Morgoth’s ancient power had been) and though his emissaries were busy among the multiplying tribes of eastern Men, he dared not permit any of them to come within sight of the Númenóreans, or of Western Men.[fn1]

  The Orcs of various kind (creatures of Morgoth) were to prove the most numerous and terrible of his soldiers and servants; but great hosts of them had been destroyed in the war against Morgoth, and in the destruction of Beleriand. Some remnant had escaped to hidings in the northern parts of the Misty Mountains and the Grey Mountains, and were now multiplying again. But further East there were more and stronger kinds, descendants of Morgoth’s kingship, but long masterless during his occupation of Thangorodrim, they were yet wild and ungovernable, preying upon one another and upon Men (whether good or evil). But not until Mordor and the Barad-dûr were ready could he allow them to come out of hiding, while the Eastern Orcs, who had not experienced the power and terror of the Eldar, or the valour of the Edain, were not subservient to Sauron – while he was obliged for the cozening of Western Men and Elves to wear as fair a form and countenance as he could, they despised him and laughed at him. Thus it was that though, as soon as his disguise was pierced and he was recognized as an enemy, he exerted all his time and strength to gathering and training armies, it took some ninety years before he felt ready to open war. And he misjudged this, as we see in his final defeat, when the great host of Minastir from Númenor landed in Middle-earth. His gathering of armies had not been unopposed, and his success had been much less than his hope. But this is a matter spoken of in notes on “The Five Wizards”.[2] He had powerful enemies behind his back, the East, and in the Southern lands to which he had not yet given sufficient thought.

  XIX

  NOTE ON DWARVISH VOICES

  This note is found on two sides of a narrow strip of paper located with papers dating from c. 1969. It is written in a very hasty hand in black fountain and ball-point pen.

  It is false to make Dwarves [?uncreative] or poor linguists. They had great interest in languages – which was more or less dormant until they began to associate with other peoples – but they could not conceal their voices. Phonetically they were acute and could pronounce learned languages well, but their voices were very deep in tone with laryngeal coloration, and they among themselves spoke in a laryngeal whisper.

  They started with a [?purely] spoken language [?but????]

  But it is said in L.R. App[1] that the Cirth were first devised in Beleriand by the Sindar – in a simple form they spread to the Dwarves; the [?elaborating] of the Cirth under the influence of the Tengwar is attributed to Daeron.

  NB: the invention ascribed to Dwarves by Elrond[2] was of the invisible runes in moonletters only. All the same do not exaggerate Dwarvish linguistic ability. Though devised by the Sindar (owing to their enmity with the Dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost) it is probable (and was held true by the Noldor) that the idea of runes cut in stone etc. was derived ultimately from the Dwarves who had friendship with the sons of Fëanor.

  XX

  NOTE ON THE DWARF ROAD

  This typescript text, located in Tolkien’s linguistic papers, is associated with but now separated from the late text, The Disaster of the Gladden Fields (UT:271–87).[1] It is typed on the verso of a sheet of a printed Allen & Unwin publication notice dated 1968. An apparently later version was paraphrased and partially quoted at UT:280–1 n.14, but this draft gives additional details on the history of the Dwarf Road. In the UT text there is no indication that the Dwarf Road extended south to Moria, but instead it descends from the Pass of Imladris.

  The Dwarf Road, Menn-i-Naugrim had been made with great labour by the Longbeard Dwarves of Moria and their kin in the Iron Hills (Emyn Engrin) in the North-east.[2] The Dwarves of Moria had made a road from their gates north along the east skirts of the Misty Mountains, over the upper course of the Gladden, and so to the lowest point at which the Anduin could be bridged, somewhat above the beginning of its sudden descent. There they built a stone-bridge from which the Dwarf Road ran, straight and due east, across the vale and through the Forest to a bridge across the Celduin (River Running) made by the Dwarves of the Iron Hills, whence it ran on over open land, north-east to their iron mines.[3]

  The making of the bridges and the first miles of the road through the forest was work of the First Age; the road was completed early in the Second Age when the population of Moria (and to a less extent also of the Iron Mines) was much increased by emigrants from the mansions in the Ered Luin. There was great traffic on the road in those days, until the forging of the Great Ring and the war between Sauron and the Elves and their Númenórean allies, in which the Dwarves of Moria became involved because of their close friendship with the Noldor of Eregion. Sauron’s power was however not full grown, and was far to the south and east. He invaded Eriador from the south and did not greatly trouble the north-lands.

  XXI

  FROM THE HUNT FOR THE RING

  This text, written in a clear hand in brown nib-pen, is associated with the mass of writings that Christopher Tolkien published as The Hunt for the Ring in Unfinished Tales, and describes as being “written after the publication of the first volume [of The Lord of the Rings] but before that of the third” (UT:11). Cf. LR:1091. The two Nazgûl involved are distinguished here as “E” (elsewhere identified as Khamûl, UT:348) and “F’.

  Sat. Sept. 24 [3018]. (Gandalf speeds across Enedwaith.) E picks up the Stock Road and overtakes Frodo at approaches to Woody End – probably by accident; he becomes unea
sily aware of the Ring, but is hesitant and uncertain because of the bright sun. He turns into the woods and waits for night. After dark, becoming acutely aware of the Ring, he goes in pursuit; but is daunted by the sudden appearance of the Elves and the song of Elbereth.[1] While Frodo is surrounded by the Elves he cannot perceive the Ring clearly.

  Sun. 25th. As soon as the Elves depart he renewed his hunt, and reaching the ridge above Woodhall is aware that the Ring has been there. Failing to find the Bearer and feeling that he is drawing away, E summons F by cries. E is aware of the general direction that the Ring has taken, but not knowing of Frodo’s rest in the wood, and believing him to have made straight eastwards, he and F ride over the fields. They visit Maggot while Frodo is still under the trees. E then makes a mistake (probably because he imagines the Ringbearer as some mighty man, strong and swift): he does not lurk near the farm, but sends F down the Causeway towards Overbourn, while he goes north along it towards the Bridge. They tryst to return and meet one another at night; but do so just too late. F joins him soon after.

  E is now well aware that the Ring has crossed the river; but the river is a barrier to his sense of movement. Also E and F (and all the Nazgûl) hate water; and they will not touch the Baranduin: its waters were to them “elvish”, for it rose in Nenuial, which the Elves still controlled. (Frodo spends night at Crickhollow; Gandalf is drawing near to Tharbad.)

  XXII

  THE RIVERS AND BEACON-HILLS OF GONDOR

  This text has been previously published in Vinyar Tengwar 42 (2001). I describe and present it here much as I did in VT, though I have reduced considerably the more strictly linguistic and etymological content and (my own) commentary, without indication, and updated the editorial cross-references to The Lord of the Rings to match the current standard edition (which has continuous page-numbering).

  This historical and etymological essay, titled only “Nomenclature” by its author, belongs with other, similar writings that Christopher Tolkien has dated to c. 1967–9 (XII:293–4) – including Of Dwarves and Men, The Shibboleth of Fëanor, and The History of Galadriel and Celeborn – and that were published, in whole or in part, in Unfinished Tales and The Peoples of Middle-earth. Indeed, Christopher Tolkien gave numerous excerpts from this essay as well in Unfinished Tales. He prepared a fuller presentation of the text for The Peoples of Middle-earth, but it was omitted from that volume on consideration of length. Christopher kindly provided me with both the full text of the essay and of his own edited version intended for The Peoples of Middle-earth. I have retained, with his gracious consent, as much of Christopher’s own commentary as practicable, clearly identified as such throughout, while providing some additional commentary and notes of my own.

  The essay consists of thirteen typescript pages, numbered 1 to 13 by Tolkien. A torn, unnumbered half-sheet bearing a manuscript note headed “Far too complicated” (amidst and referring to a lengthy, discursive discussion of the Eldarin number system, in particular the explanation of the numeral 5) was placed between pages 8 and 9 of the typescript. Another unnumbered sheet follows the last page of the typescript, bearing a manuscript note on the name Belfalas (which is paraphrased at UT:247). All of these sheets are various forms of printed Allen & Unwin notices, with Tolkien’s writing confined to the blank sides, except in the case of the last sheet. Here, the printed side was used for manuscript drafting of Cirion’s Oath in Quenya (already very near to the published version; cf. UT:305), which was continued on the top (relative to the printing) of the blank side. The note on Belfalas is written upside-down beginning at the bottom of the sheet (with respect to this drafting and the printing).

  Concerning the origin and date of this essay, Christopher Tolkien writes: “On 30 June 1969 my father wrote a letter to Mr Paul Bibire, who had written to him a week before, telling him that he had passed the Bachelor of Philosophy examination in Old English at Oxford: he referred a little disparagingly to his success, achieved despite neglect of certain parts of the course which he found less appealing, and notably the works of the Old English poet Cynewulf (see Sauron Defeated, p. 285 note 36). At the end of his letter Mr Bibire said: ‘Incidentally, there’s something that I’ve been wondering about since I saw the relevant addition to the second edition [of The Lord of the Rings]: whether the River Glanduin is the same as the Swanfleet’ (for the reference see Sauron Defeated, p. 70 and note 15).” Christopher Tolkien has provided the relevant portions of his father’s reply (which was not included in the collection of letters edited with Humphrey Carpenter):

  It was kind of you to write to me again. I was very interested in your news of yourself, and very sympathetic. I found and find dear Cynewulf a lamentable bore – lamentable, because it is a matter for tears that a man (or men) with talent in word-spinning, who must have heard (or read) so much now lost, should spend their time composing such uninspired stuff.[1] Also at more than one point in my life I have endangered my prospects by neglecting things that I did not at that time find amusing! …

  I am grateful to you for pointing out the use of Glanduin in the Appendix A, III, p. 319.[2] I have no index of the Appendices and must get one made. The Glanduin is the same river as the Swanfleet, but the names are not related. I find on the map with corrections that are to be made for the new edition to appear at the end of this year that this river is marked by me as both Glanduin and various compounds with alph ‘swan’.[3] The name Glanduin was meant to be ‘border-river’, a name given as far back as the Second Age when it was the southern border of Eregion, beyond which were the unfriendly people of Dunland. In the earlier centuries of the Two Kingdoms Enedwaith (Middle-folk) was a region between the realm of Gondor and the slowly receding realm of Arnor (it originally included Minhiriath (Mesopotamia)). Both kingdoms shared an interest in the region, but were mainly concerned with the upkeep of the great road that was their main way of communication except by sea, and the bridge at Tharbad. People of Númenórean origin did not live there, except at Tharbad, where a large garrison of soldiers and river-wardens was once maintained. In those days there were drainage works, and the banks of the Hoarwell and Greyflood were strengthened. But in the days of The Lord of the Rings the region had long become ruinous and lapsed into its primitive state: a slow wide river running through a network of swamps, pools and eyots: the haunt of hosts of swans and other water-birds.

  If the name Glanduin was still remembered it would apply only to the upper course where the river ran down swiftly, but was soon lost in the plains and disappeared into the fens. I think I may keep Glanduin on the map for the upper part, and mark the lower part as fenlands with the name Nîn-in-Eilph (water-lands of the Swans), which will adequately explain Swanfleet river, III.263.[4]

  alph ‘swan’ occurs as far as I remember only on III, p. 392.[5] It could not be Quenya, as ph is not used in my transcription of Quenya, and Quenya does not tolerate final consonants other than the dentals, t, n, l, r after a vowel.[6] Quenya for ‘swan’ was alqua (alkwā). The “Celtic” branch of Eldarin (Telerin and Sindarin) turned kw > p, but did not, as Celtic did, alter original p. The much changed Sindarin of Middle-earth turned the stops to spirants after l, r, as did Welsh: so *alkwā > alpa (Telerin) > S. alf (spelt alph in my transcription).[7]

  At the end of the letter Tolkien added a postscript:

  I am myself much recovered – though it has taken a year, which I could ill afford.[8] I can walk about fairly normally now, up to two miles or so (occasionally), and have some energy. But not enough to cope with both continued composition and the endless “escalation” of my business.

  At the head of the present essay, Tolkien wrote “Nomenclature”, followed by: “Swanfleet river (L.R. rev. edition, III 263) and Glanduin, III App. A. 319”; and then by: “Queried by P. Bibire (letter June 23, 1969; ans. June 30). As more briefly stated in my reply: Glanduin means ‘border-river’.” The essay is thus seen to have arisen as an expansion and elaboration of the remarks in his reply.

  The names of the Rivers


  The essay begins with the lengthy excerpt and author’s note given at UT:264–5 (and so not reproduced here). A few variances between the published text and the typescript are noteworthy: where the published text has Enedwaith the typescript reads Enedhwaith (this was an editorial change made in all excerpts from this essay containing the name in Unfinished Tales; cf. XII:328–9 n.66); and where the published text has Ethraid Engrin, the typescript has Ethraid Engren. In addition, a sentence referring to the ancient port called Lond Daer Enedh was omitted before the last sentence of the author’s note on UT:264; it reads: “It was the main entry for the Númenóreans in the War against Sauron (Second Age 1693–1701)” (cf. LR:1083; and UT:239, 261–5). Also, against the discussion of the approach to Tharbad that closes the first paragraph on UT:264, Tolkien provided the cross-reference “I 287, 390”.[9]

  Tolkien then comments: “The names of the Rivers give some trouble; they were made up in a hurry without sufficient consideration”, before embarking upon a consideration of each name in turn. Significant portions of this section of the essay have been given in Unfinished Tales. Extended passages are not repeated here, but their places in the essay are indicated.

  Adorn

  This is not on the map, but is given as the name of the short river flowing into the Isen[10] from the west of Ered Nimrais in App. A, III 346.[11] It is, as would be expected in any name in the region not of Rohanese origin, of a form suitable to Sindarin; but it is not interpretable in Sindarin. It must be supposed to be of Pre-Númenórean origin adapted to Sindarin.[12]