What the Silmarillion misses from HOME

[gate7ole]

Starting an effort to track the information found in Tolkien's later work (found in the 3 last volumes of HOME series Morgoth's Ring - The War of Jewels - The Peoples of Middle Earth) which did not survive in the published Silmarillion, I open this thread where anyone interested can post such info that s/he has found.
For the moment there will be no organization. If there is much interest and many posts lead to a chaotic situation, we may organize them.
But for now, if someone is interested, s/he is welcome to contribute. I just ask to check first if what you are about to post has already been posted.

I have started re-reading Morgoth's Ring and so far (half book) I have found only a few new differences (minor ones). I will post some of them now, to show what I have in mind.
Later on the book, there are many new and interesting pieces of info (the first fall of men, the laws of the elves etc.) It would be nice to introduce here an essay on them, since none of them is found in the published Silmarillion.

Note
We don't look here for differences, since this is a much more difficult job. We look for omissions, that means info that Christopher decided not to put into the published Silmarillion. So, every volume of HOME is an acceptable source, but the earlier the info is, the more possible is that it is not consistent with the final layer of Tolkien's work.

[gate7ole]

Differences found in Valaquenta (HOME X)

a. about Varda, later omitted
She speaks seldom in words, save to Manwë
b. passage about Ulmo omitted in later emendations
it is said that Ulmo 'had less need of the light of the Trees or of any resting-place', and that 'his counsels grew ever away from the mind of Manwë (whom nonetheless he obeyed)'
c. passage about Olórin not found in Silmarillion
He [Olórin] was humble in the Land of the Blessed; and in Middle-earth he sought no renown. His triumph was in the uprising of the fallen, and his joy was in the renewal of hope.
d. past/present tense
Tolkien used past and present tense interchangeably in Valaquenta, which confused Christopher who decided to make them all consistently present tenses.
In HoME though, he comments that this use of past tense may show 2 kinds of things:
i. that some “unions” between Valar were before entering Arda (Manwë-Varda) and other after entering (Aulë-Yavanna).
ii. that the Valar were once “present” and active in the world, but now they are remote a vanished known only to memory [quote from Silmarillion foreword].

[gate7ole]

The numbers of Balrogs (HOME X)

From HOME X: Morgoth’s Ring, the conception of the making of Balrogs changes from their breeding by Melkor to their demonic immortal descent. Before acquiring an immortal status (Maiar), Tolkien considered them to multiply in many numbers:
he [Melkor] sent forth on a sudden a host of Balrogs, the last of his servants that remained
But after the shifting in his theory, the number of the Balrogs changed too. They could no more be “a host”. And this very interesting marginal note can be found:
There should not he supposed more than say 3 or at most 7 ever existed.
Now, this info is interesting, especially when we link it with the known data. The Balrogs we know are 3 (Gothmog, Durin’s Bane, Glorfindel’s Balrog). It is suggested that there can be at most 7, which leaves room for 4 more Balrogs. Certainly a very small number, but what would someone expect from Maiar that don’t multiply? This gives much more value to the deeds of Ecthelion and Glorfindel.

[gate7ole]

Fëanor the eldest of the second generation (HOME X)

A very interesting note that Tolkien struck out immediately can be found in the Annals of Aman.
Here they dwelt for a year, and here Indis wife of Finwë bore him a son, eldest of all the second generation of the Eldar. He was first named Minyon First-begotten, but afterwards Curufinwë or Fëanor.
The fact that it was immediately rejected leaves the question whether he rejected that Fëanor was born during the Great Journey, or that he was the eldest. I suspect it is the first. If this is the case, then it means that all the others should have awoken in Cuiviénen (Finwë, Ingwë, Thingol, Olwë, Míriel, Rúmil etc).
It was an early effort to make Fëanor “special”, by placing him as the first of the second generation. Anyway, since it was rejected, we cannot use it as a correct info, but can only consider it a direction with some risk.

[gate7ole]

Yavanna seen as a tree (HOME X)

The following passage can only be found in a version of Ainulindalë, and it refers to the raiments/shapes that the Valar took. Pengolod (the narrator of the tale) speaks to AElfwine (who still is the English traveler coming to Tol Eressëa, though his role is much less significant than in the Lost Tales and will soon be completely abandoned):
But think not, AElfwine, that the shapes wherein the Great Ones array themselves are at all times like unto the shapes of kings and queens of the Children of Ilúvatar; for at whiles they may clothe them in their own thought, made visible in forms terrible and wonderful. And I myself, long years agone, in the land of the Valar have seen Yavanna in the likeness of a Tree; and the beauty and majesty of that form could not be told in words, not unless all the things that grow in the earth, from the least unto the greatest, should sing in choir together, making unto their queen an offering of song to be laid before the throne of Ilúvatar.

[Inderjit S]

Eol as a Tatayarin Avar, he latter became a Sindar, and a probable relative of Elwe.

Eöl was a Mornedhel, and is said to have belonged to the Second Clan (whose representatives among the Eldar were the Ñoldor).# He dwelt in East Beleriand not far from the borders of Doriath. He had great smith-craft, especially in the making of swords, in which work he surpassed even the Ñoldor of Aman; and many therefore believed that he used the morgul, the black arts taught by Morgoth. Quendi and Eldar; HoME 11

I prefered this version since the Tatyarin Avari (The pre-Noldor) held a grudge against the Noldor and the Eldar in general because they were jealous of their power and prestige and felt they had deserted them, thus Eol's anti Noldorin attitude.


AElfwine (who still is the English traveler coming to Tol Eressëa, though his role is much less significant than in the Lost Tales and will soon be completely abandoned):

hm..he still appears in late philosopical writings such as the Dangweth Pengolod (HoME 12) and he is attributed as translating the Narn i Hin Hurin in to English prose from Dirhavael's Sindairn lay, so I wouldn't say he completely dissapeared.

Though his role as compiler of the Silmarillion was prolly given to Bilbo/Frodo. Shame, I prefered the version where he got information from Rumil, Pengolod and Quennar Onotimo.

[gate7ole]

Inderjit S, thanks for participating. Would you be kind to edit your post providing a quote for what you said (about Eol)?
It would be good to give the quotes, along with the book they are taken from.

[gate7ole]

Of Finwë (HOME X)

a. his children
It seems from the Silmarillion that the children of Finwë were only three sons, which is not correct, according to this extract found in an early version of the story of Finwë and Míriel in HOME X.
and she [Indis] bore five fair children of whom her two sons are most renowned in the histories of the Noldor. But her eldest child was a daughter, Findis, and she bore also two other daughters: Irimë and Faniel.
From a next version, we see the actual order of their birth.
Five children she bore, three daughters and two sons, in this order: Findis, Nolofinwë, Faniel, Arafinwë, and Irime.
*Nolofinwë and Arafinwë are the father-names of Fingolfin and Finarfin

b. Míriel and Finwë
The story of Míriel was one of the most significant developments of Tolkien’s post-Lotr work on his mythology. It was a fundamental change in the events that actually drove the Noldor into Exile; that is, the strife among the sons of Finwë. Earlier, this strife was not adequately explained. So, the death of Míriel and the new marriage of Finwë gave a better reasoning to Fëanor’s later actions.
Concerning the severance of the marriage between Finwë and Míriel, there are several extracts not found in the Silmarillion that deal with it (the Stature, the discussion among the Valar, etc). We will not deal with these at the moment.
After the death of Finwë, there is no mention on the Silmarillion about the fate of Míriel. In the end of the “Laws” found in HOME X, we read that when Finwë went to the Halls of Mandos, he asked to take the place of Míriel and stay forever with the Dead, while Míriel would be re-born, and the Stature still would stay valid. Mandos granted this favour to Finwë and
the fëa of Míriel was released and came before Manwë and received his blessing; and she went then to Lorien and re-entered her body, and awoke again, as one that cometh out of a deep sleep; and she arose and her body was refreshed. But after she had stood in the twilight of Lorien a long while in thought, remembering her former life, and all the tidings that she had learned, her heart was still sad, and she had no desire to return to her own people. Therefore she went to the doors of the House of Vairë and prayed to be admitted; and this prayer was granted, although in that House none of the Living dwelt nor have others ever entered it in the body. But Míriel was accepted by Vairë and became her chief handmaid; and all tidings of the Noldor down the years from their beginning were brought to her, and she wove them in webs historial, so fair and skilled that they seemed to live, imperishable, shining with a light of many hues fairer than are known in Middle-earth. This labour Finwë is at times permitted to look upon. And still she is at work, though her name has been changed. For now she is named Firiel, which to the Eldar signifies 'She that died', and also 'She that sighed'. As fair as the webs of Firiel is praise that is given seldom even to works of the Eldar.
In later writings, Tolkien seemed uncertain about this fate of Finwë and Míriel. But I believe that it could be incorporated into the Silmarillion.
Finwë is still waiting in the Halls of Mandos for the end of Time.

[Elendil3119]

Angaino(r) (BoLT1, 'The Chaining of Melko')

Although it's a rather minor 'detail', and not essential to the history, I really liked the description of the chain Angainor in BoLT1.
Behold, Aule now gathered six metals, copper, silver, tin,
lead, iron, and gold, and taking a portion of each made with
his magic a seventh which he named therefore tilkal,* and
this had all the properties of the six and many of its own. Its
colour was bright green or red in varying lights and it could
not be broken, and Aule alone could forge it. Thereafter he
forged a mighty chain, making it of all seven metals welded
with spells to a substance of uttermost hardness and bright-
ness and smoothness, but of tilkal he had not sufficient to
add more than a little to each link. Nonetheless he made two
manacles of tilkal only and four fetters likewise. Now the
chain was named Angaino, the oppressor, and the manacles
Vorotemnar that bind for ever, but the fetters Ilterendi for
they might not be filed or cleft.
* Footnote in the manuscript: 'T(ambë) I(lsa) L(atúken) K(anu) A(nga) L(aurë)

[Inderjit S]

Just like to correct Gate's list of Finwe's children, Faniel was dropped as attributed by the later corrections in Morgoths Ring and the Shibboleth of Feanor (HoME 12) so Finwe had five children with Indis, Findis, Fingolfin, Lalwende and Finarfin.

On the subject of Finwe and Miriel the Published Silmarillion states that she died when Feanor was just born but in a latter essay she died just before he reached manhood which Annals of Aman (problably) about V.Y 1185-ish.

Fëanor loved his mother dearly, though except in obstinacy their characters were widely different. He was not gentle. He was proud and hot-tempered, and opposition to his will he met not with the quiet steadfastness of his mother but with fierce resentment. He was restless in mind and body, though like Míriel he could become wholly absorbed in works of the finest skill of hand; but he left many things unfinished. Fëanáro was his mother-name, which Míriel gave him in recognition of his impetuous character (it meant 'spirit of fire'). While she lived she did much with gentle counsel to soften and restrain him. Shibboleth of Feanor; HoME 12

I cant find the quote that she died when he reached a adult age at the mo., sorry. :(

[gate7ole]

Originally posted by Inderjit S
Just like to correct Gate's list of Finwe's children, Faniel was dropped as attributed by the later corrections in Morgoths Ring and the Shibboleth of Feanor (HoME 12) so Finwe had five children with Indis, Findis, Fingolfin, Lalwende and Finarfin.


Thanks Inder for the correction :)
The problem is that I do the search book by book and I'm at Morgoth's Ring now. I hoped that there were not inconsistences with essays of later books, but I guess I was wrong :rolleyes: .

[gate7ole]

Differences found in
Ch 6. Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor
Ch 7. Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor (HOME X)

a. Fëanor: the only Elda with seven sons.
At the description of Nerdanel, we find this phrase that was omitted from the published Silmarillion for no obvious reason.
Seven sons she [Nerdanel] bore to Fëanor, and it is not recorded in the histories of old that any others of the Eldar had so many children.

b. the weapons of the Noldor.
In the Silmarillion it is told that the first weapons were made by the Noldor after the “counsels” of Melkor. This was not the last idea of Tolkien on the subject. At the latest version of the chapter, he changed the passage concerning the weapons as follows:
… Now the Quendi had possessed weapons in Middle-earth, but not of their own devising. They had been made by Aule and sent as gifts by the hand of Orome, when it became known to the Valar that the Quendi were beset by prowling evils that had discovered the places of their dwelling beside Cuivienen; and more were sent later for the defence of the Eldar upon the Great March to the shores of the Sea. But all these were long unused, and lay in hoard as memorials of old days half-forgotten; and since the chaining of Melkor the armouries of the Valar also had been shut.
But now the lords of the Noldor took out their swords and spears and sharpened them, re-strung their bows and filled their quivers with arrows. And they made shields in those days and emblazoned them with devices of silver and gold and gems...
Aulë had sent, thus, weapons to the Eldar to defend themselves against the evils that lurked in Middle-Earth, during the Great Journey. And the Noldor later improved these weapons and also made shields. Again, Christopher Tolkien decided to omit this from the published Silmarillion, although I can’t see the reason. Maybe he didn’t want to cause any discussions on how these weapons were transported Cuiviénen. (On this matter he commented that we shouldn’t expect an explanation on the movements of the Valar to Middle-Earth and back – or for example the journey of the three ambassadors to Valinor; for details see HOME X, p 281).

c. Fëanor’s interrogation by Mandos.
There is a seemingly insignificant passage about the judgment of Fëanor by Mandos, which was omitted:
… Great must be the power and will of any who would lie to Mandos, or even refuse his questioning. But Fëanor had no thought of it. He was so besotted with the lies of Melkor that had taken root in his proud heart (though he did not yet clearly perceive their source) that he judged himself justified in all points, and other judgement he scorned.
Here we learn two things:
i. it needed great power to be able to lie or refuse questioning to Mandos.
ii. that Fëanor actually lied to Mandos, but he was not aware of those lies, since they had taken root in his heart.

d. Nerdanel – Indis not at Formenos
But Nerdanel would not go with him, and she asked leave to abide with Indis, whom she had ever esteemed, though this had been little to the liking of Fëanor.
At Formenos did not go neither Nerdanel nor Indis. They did not follow their husbands, probably seeing their folly. This partly derives from the following phrase that survived in the Silmarillion:
from the Silmarillion
but his [Fëanor’s] later deeds grieved her [Nerdanel] and they became estranged.
Again, this info could easily be put into the Silmarillion without inconsistencies.

[Lhunithiliel]

I have a;ways admired an extract from BoLT about

The making of the Silmarils

Have a look at it.
It's such a pity it was not included in the Silmarillion ...if I'm not mistaken it is not:
BOLT:

“The coming of the elves and the making of Kôr”


But those of the Noldoli whom Aulë had most deeply taught laboured in secret unceasingly, and of Aulë they had wealth of metals and of stones and marbles, and of the leave of the Valar much store too was granted to them of the radiance of Kulullin and of Telimpë held in hidden bowls. Starlight they had of Varda and strands of the bluest ilwë Manwë gave them; water of the most limpid pools in that creek of Kôr, and crystal drops from all the sparkling founts in the courts of Valmar. Dews did they gather in the woods of Oromë, and flower-petals of all hues and honeys in Yavanna's gardens, and they chased the-beams of Laurelin and Silpion amongst the leaves. But when all this wealth of fair and radiant things was gathered, they got of the Solosimpi many shells white and pink, and purest foam, and lastly some few pearls. These pearls were their model, and the lore of Aulë and the magic of the Valar were their tools, and all the most lovely things of the substance of the Earth the matters of their craft – and therefrom did the Noldoli with great labour invent and fashion the first gems. Crystals did they make of the waters of the springs shot with the lights of Silpion; amber and chrysoprase and topaz glowed beneath their hands, and garnets and rubies they wrought, making their glassy substance as Aulë had taught them but dyeing them with the juices of roses and red flowers, and to each they gave a heart of fire. Emeralds some made of the water of the creek of Kôr and glints among the grassy glades of Valinor, and sapphires did they fashion in great profusion, [?tingeing] them with the airs of Manwë; amethysts there were and moonstones, beryls and onyx, agates of blended marbles and many lesser stones, and their hearts were very glad, nor were they content with a few, but made them jewels in immeasurable number till all the fair substances were well nigh exhausted and the great piles of those gems might not be concealed but blazed in the light like beds of brilliant flowers. Then took they those pearls that had and some of wellnigh all their jewels and made a new gem of a milky pallor shot with gleams like echoes of all other stones, and this they thought very fair, and they were opals; but still some laboured on, and of starlight and the purest water-drops, of the dew of Silpion, and the thinnest air, they made diamonds, and challenged any to make fairer.

Then arose Fëanor of the Noldoli and fared to the Solosimpi and begged a great pearl, and he got moreover an urn full of the most luminous phosphor-light gathered of foam in dark places, and with these he came home, and he took all the other gems and did gather their glint by the light of white lamps and silver candles, and he took the sheen of pearls and the faint half-colours of opals, and he [?bathed] them in phosphorescence and the radiant dew of Silpion, and but a single tiny drop of the light of Laurelin did he let fall therein, and giving all those magic lights a body to dwell in of such perfect glass as he alone could make nor even Aulë compass, so great was the slender dexterity of the fingers of Fëanor, he made a jewel -- and it shone of its own......... 10 radiance in the uttermost dark; and he set it therein and sat a very long while and gazed at its beauty. Then he made two more,and had no more stuffs: and he fetched the others to behold his handiwork, and they were utterly amazed, and those jewels he called Silmarilli, or as we say the name in the speech of the Noldoli today Silubrilthin.11 Wherefore though the Solosimpi held ever that none of the gems of the Noldoli, not even that majestic shimmer of diamonds, overpassed their tender pearls, yet have all held who ever saw them that the Silmarils of Fëanor were the most beautiful jewels that ever shone or [?glowed].

[Lantarion]

I was just going to post that! :eek:
I find it beautiful as well; and I think it a shame that Tolkien left it out of the Sil.. :(

[Inderjit S]

Well because that wasn't the method Feanor used to create the Silmaril in the latter legend.

[gate7ole]

8. Differences found in:
Ch 8. The Darkening of Valinor
and part of Ch 9. The Flight of the Noldor

a. Morgoth –Ungoliant
The meeting of Morgoth and Ungoliant in Avathar is greatly enlarged and I give it full here:
Now Melkor sought for her, and he put on again the form that he had worn as the tyrant of Utumno: a dark Lord, tall and terrible. In that form he remained ever after. And when Ungoliantë saw him coming she was afraid, knowing his hatred for all who tried to escape from him. She shrank into her deepest lair, and tried to shroud herself in new shadow; but such darkness as in her famine she could weave was no defence against the eyes of Melkor, Lord of Utumno and Angband.
'Come forth!' he said. 'Thrice fool: to leave me first, to dwell here languishing within reach of feasts untold, and now to shun me, Giver of Gifts, thy only hope! Come forth and see! I have brought thee an earnest of greater bounty to follow.' But Ungoliantë made no answer, and retreated deeper into the cloven rock. Then Melkor was angered, for he was in haste, having reckoned his times to a nicety. 'Come out!' he cried. 'I have need of thee and will not be denied. Either thou wilt serve me, or I will bury thee here and under black stone thou shalt wither into naught.' Then suddenly he held up in his hands two shining gems. They were green, and in that lightless place they reflected the dreadful light of his eyes, as if some ravening beast had come hunting there. Thus the great Thief set his lure for the lesser.
Slowly Ungoliantë came forth; but as she drew near Melkor withheld the lure. 'Nay, nay,' he said. 'I do not bring thee these Elvish sweets in love or in pity; they are to strengthen thee, when thou hast agreed to do my bidding.' 'What is your bidding, Master?' she said, and her eyes gloated upon the gems.
There in the black shadows, beyond the sight even of Manwë in his highest halls, Melkor with Ungoliantë plotted his revenge. But when Ungoliantë understood his purpose, she was torn between great lust and great fear. She would not dare the perils of Aman, or the power of the dreadful Lords, without a great reward; for she feared the eyes of Manwë and Varda more even than the wrath of Melkor. Therefore Melkor said to her: 'Do as I bid, and if thou art still hungry when we meet again, then, I vow, I will give to thee whatsoever thy lust may demand. Yea, with both hands!' Lightly he made this vow (as he ever did), thinking little of its fulfilment, and he laughed in his heart; for if she achieved his design, he would have no need, he thought, to appease her, or any one else in Arda, great or small.
'Come then!' he said. 'Here is the earnest!' And he delivered the gems to her, not only the first two but many others that he had stolen in Valinor.
And after this, we have a major difference in the development of the story.
But now upon the mountain-top dark Ungoliantë lay. For a while she rested, and with eyes faint from labour she saw the glimmer of the stars in the dome of Varda and the radiance of Valmar far away. Slowly her eyes wakened and took fire, and her lust increased until it overcame her fear. She began in stealth
to creep down into the Blessed Realm.
Still in the dark depths Melkor stood, gnawing his mind, between evil hope and doubt; but when he had stood, revolving his chances, as long as his urgency allowed, he turned away and went down to the shore. There he cursed the Sea, saying: 'Slime of Ulmo! I will conquer thee yet, shrivel thee to a stinking ooze. Yea, ere long Ulmo and Ossë shall wither, and Uinen crawl as a mud-worm at my feet!' With that suddenly he passed from Avathar and went to do his will.
We see that Melkor did not go with Ungoliant, but stayed outside of Aman, waiting for Ungoliant to do her “job” and destroy the Trees.
And when she did her work:
Outside he had lurked, until the failing of the Light announced that Ungoliantë had done her work. Then through the Kalakiryan, now only a dim ravine in walls of shadow, he came striding back, Lord of Utumno, a black shape of hate, visiting the places of his humiliation with revenge. All the land fell swiftly through grey twilight into night as Melkor stood within the Ring of Doom and cursed it; and he defiled the judgement seat of Manwë and threw down the thrones of the Valar.
Then he went on to his second mark, which he had kept secret in his mind; but Ungoliantë was aware of him, and turning swiftly she overtook him on his road. Aghast indeed was Melkor to see her, monstrous, grown to a lust and power that he could not master without aid. He could not contend with her, even if time allowed; and he could not escape. She took him into her Unlight, and they went on together to the one place in the land of the Valar that he would have hidden from her.
The rest is pretty much the same. The great development now is that Melkor is not present at the destruction of the Trees. Christopher Tolkien comments on this, saying that this was done for the following reason: Tolkien found it unacceptable that Melkor should have risked allowing Ungoliant to come anywhere near the Silmarils. But in the end Ungoliant understood his plan and followed him.

b. message to Fëanor at Formenos
A small detail is the message of Manwë to Fëanor inviting him at the festival:
Therefore he sent a messenger to Formenos, saying: Fëanor son of Finwë, come and do not deny my bidding! In my love thou remainest and wilt be honoured in my hall.'

c. Messengers from Formenos
The messengers from Formenos bringing the evil news of the rape of the Silmarils are no longer “Noldor”, as written in the published Silmarillion, but the sons of Fëanor:
But even as she mourned, there was heard the sound of feet hastening in the night. Then through the throng came the sons of Fëanor, flying from the North, and they bore new tidings of evil. Maedros spoke for them. 'Blood and darkness!' he cried.
Finwë the king is slain, and the Silmarils are gone!'
Then Fëanor fell upon his face and lay as one dead, until the full tale was told.
And not only the sons are messengers, but they also give a fuller account of what happened at Formenos:
'My lord,' said Maedros to Manwë, 'it was the day of festival, but the king was heavy with grief at the departure of my father, a foreboding was on him. He would not go from the house. We were irked by the idleness and silence of the day, and we went riding towards the Green Hills. Our faces were northward, but suddenly we were aware that all was growing dim. The Light was failing. In dread we turned and rode back in haste, seeing great shadows rise up before us. But even as we drew near to Formenos the darkness came upon us; and in the midst was a blackness like a cloud that enveloped the house of Fëanor.
'We heard the sound of great blows struck. Out of the cloud we saw a sudden flame of fire. And then there was one piercing cry. But when we urged on our horses they reared and cast us to the ground, and they fled away wild. We lay upon our faces without strength; for suddenly the cloud came on, and for a while we were blind. But it passed us by and moved away north at great speed. Melkor was there, we do not doubt. But not he alone! Some other power was with him, some huge evil: even as it passed it robbed us of all wit and will.
'Darkness and blood! When we could move again we came to the house. There we found the king slain at the door. His head was crushed as with a great mace of iron. We found no others: all had fled, and he had stood alone, defiant. That is plain; for his sword lay beside him, twisted and untempered as if by lightning-stroke. All the house was broken and ravaged. Naught is left. The treasuries are empty. The chamber of iron is torn apart. The Silmarils are taken!'
Very interesting passage that I wish had survived in the Silmarillion. Especially the foresight of Finwë.
And after Fëanor cursing Melkor and he fled into the night,
After him Maedros and his brethren went in haste, dismayed, for they had not known that he was present when Maedros spoke; and now they feared that he might slay himself. All those who saw Fëanor's anguish grieved for him and forgave all his bitterness.

d. Thieves’ Quarrel
Following the changes of Melkor’s plan, there are a few differences here too, since now Ungoliant is not supposed to have known the treasures of Formenos. So, the following words are spoken between them, which are mostly same with the published, but with a few alterations.
'Not so much,' said she. 'But there was a great treasury, of which you said naught to me, and would have said naught even now, if I had not watched you. I will have all that. Yea, with both hands you shall give it!'
'Thou hast had the half already,' said Morgoth. For when she was with him (against his will) at the sack of Formenos, he had let her feast awhile upon the gems of Feanor, so that she should not come to the chamber of iron.
'I hunger,' she said. 'I will have the other half!'
Then perforce Morgoth surrendered to her the gems that he bore with him, one by one and grudgingly; and she devoured them, and their beauty perished from the world. Then her strength was renewed, but her lust unsated.
'With one hand you give,' she said, 'with the left only. Open your right hand!'…

[Lhunithiliel]

I was re-reading the chapter "The coming of the Valar and the Building of Valinor" from BOLT1, and I again thought:
What a pity so many beautiful descriptions did not survive in the last variant of the Ainulindale!

I will not quote, because it would mean to c&p almost the whole chapter. But I do recommend it for reading! :)

To say it is beautiful is only but so weak to describe what one can find in that chapter.

[Celebithil]

Gate when referring to the Balrogs are you saying that JRR later on decided that there were only 7 Balrogs total? Im only on the Fall of Gondolin in BOLT2 which says Tuor kills 5 Balrogs and Ecthelion takes 3 + Gothmog.

[Beleg]

Yes.
In the later mythology there were only seven balrogs.

[gate7ole]

Originally posted by Celebithil
Gate when referring to the Balrogs are you saying that JRR later on decided that there were only 7 Balrogs total? Im only on the Fall of Gondolin in BOLT2 which says Tuor kills 5 Balrogs and Ecthelion takes 3 + Gothmog.
At that period the Balrogs were beasts created by Morgoth which could multiply. They did not belong to the divine race of the Maiar. And tolkien thought of having "hosts" of them. Very late did the Balrogs get this important characteristic and then Tolkien decided to lower their numbers in 3-7 as he said.

[gate7ole]

Two notes on Beleriand (HOME XI)

a. Beleriand – naming
Concerning the name Beleriand we read:
The name signifies in the language of that land: the country of Balar. For this name the Sindar gave to Ossë, who came often to those coasts, and there befriended them.
Note that at the early stages of mythology Ossë was a Vala and the Sindar named him Bala(r). Thus, -> Beleriand.
After the removal of Ossë from the Valarin race, the origin of the name of Beleriand was preserved.

b. growth in Beleriand
At first these lands upon either side of Sirion were ruinous and desolate because of the War of the Powers, but soon growth began there, while most of Middle- earth slept in the Sleep of Yavanna, because the Valar of the Blessed Realm had set foot there.
and though Middle-earth for the most lay in the Sleep of Yavanna, in Beleriand under the power of Melian there was life and joy and the bright stars shone like silver fires.
Those two passages show that indeed in Beleriand growth had began because i) the Valar had set foot there and ii)of Melian’ s powers.

[gate7ole]

Axe-Elves, Guest-Elves (HOME XI)

a. Axe-Elves
At this time therefore the Sindar were well armed, and they drove off all creatures of evil, and had peace again; but Thingol's armouries were stored with axes (the chief weapons of the Naugrim, and of the Sindar), and with spears and swords, and tall helms, and long coats of bright mail.
The highlighted phrase is not present in the Silmarillion, showing that the Sindar used the axe as their chief weapon (thus called also Axe-Elves).

b. Guest Elves
A very interesting conception of the Green-Elves arises:
‘The Nandor had turned away, never seen the Sea or even Ossë, and had become virtually Avari. They had also picked up various Avari before they came back west to Ossiriand.'
Of those Nandor who took refuge in Doriath after the fall of Denethor it is said: 'In the event they did not mingle happily with the Teleri of Doriath, and so dwelt mostly in the small land Eglamar, Arthorien under their own chief. Some of them were "darkhearted", though this did not necessarily appear, except under strain or provocation.'
'The chief of the "Guest-elves", as they were called, was given a permanent place in Thingol's council';
Saeros was 'the son of the chief of the Guest-elves, and had been for a long time resident in Menegroth'.
So, some Nandor after the fall of their lord, had become Guest-elves, dwelling next to Doriath in the land called Arthonien (the small land between Aros and Celon, outside the Girdle of Melian). And they were “dark-hearted”. Thus the “dark” behaviour of Saeros who was one of these Guest-Elves and actually the son of the chief.

[gate7ole]

Thingol – Finrod – Círdan – Fingolfin (HOME XI)

a. Thingol second mightiest
The use of Tolkien for “mightiest” and “wisest” is not always consistent; but still it is interssting to read that:
Fingolfin acknowledged the high-kingship of Thingol and Menegroth, being indeed greatly in awe of that king, mightiest of the Eldar save Fëanor only.
So, Thingol is the second mightiest Elda after Fëanor.

b. Finrod’ s fate
The fate of Finrod after his death is found in this short passage, found in Beren’s tale, just after the death of Finrod:
Thus perished from Middle-earth the fairest of the children of Finwë, and returned never again; but dwells now in Valinor with Amarië.

c. Círdan’s ships
The following short passage refers to the ships of Círdan.
But among the Teleri were none yet so hardy of heart, and of their ships none so swift and strong that they might dare the deeps of the Great Sea or behold even from afar the Blessed Realm and the Light of the Trees of Valinor.
Note that this refers to the time before the Hiding of Valinor. Even then, the Teleri could not dare pass the Great Sea. This in a way explains why the Teleri stayed in Beleriand after Ulmo left with the Vanyar and the Noldor for Valinor.

d.Fingolfin’ s Wife
on the same table at the same time Anairë was entered as the wife of Fingolfin, with the note that she 'remained in Aman'

[gate7ole]

Details on various events of Beleriand (HOME XI)

a. Fëanor saved by Gothmog
Fëanor is taken from the field mortally wounded especially by Maedhros and three others sons (and not from his sons in general as said in the published Sil):
But at the last Gothmog, Lord of the Balrogs, smote him to the ground, and there he would have perished, but Maidros and three other of his sons in that moment came up with force to his aid, and the Balrogs fled back to Angband.

b. Rochallor
The following short passage mentions the fate of Rochallor, Fingolfin’s horse after his master’s fall by Morgoth.
Now Rochallor had stayed beside the king until the end, but the wolves of Angband assailed him, and he escaped from them because of his great swiftness, and ran at last to Hithlum, and broke his heart and died.
A very sad ending for a loyal horse that couldn’t stand the loss of its master.

c. Tol Sirion captured
Tol Sirion as we know was taken by Sauron after the fall of Fingolfin. At the Grey Annals though, Sauron attacks and takes Tol Sirion immediately after Dagor Bragollach and before Fingolfin’s death. This doesn’t change much from the chain of events, except that Orodreth (with his saviours Celegorm and Curufin) flee to Nargothrond immediately after the battle. Also, it gives more depth to Fingolfin’s despair since with Tol Sirion at the hands of the Enemy, the gates of Beleriand were open.

d. East Beleriand after Bragollach – Thingol and Maedhros.
Seven years after Dagor Bragollach, Morgoth assails Hithlum again and Fingon was saved by Círdan. But there is no mention of any battles on the eastern side of the battle-line (the sons of Fëanor). This short passage gives us just some hints:
Himring stood firm. The army that had driven into East Beleriand had been broken by Thingol on the borders of Doriath, and part had fled away south never to return to him, part retreating north had been stricken by a sortie of Maidros, while those that ventured near the mountains were hunted by the Dwarves.
This is one of the few mentions of Thingol participating in the battles with the Orcs (and this time it was just outside his borders).

e. Gwaihir and Landhroval
Here’s a reference to Gwihir and Lhandroval, even from the Elder Days:
Thorondor came with Lhandroval and Gwaihir, his mightiest vassals, and they lifted up Luthien and Beren and bore them south.
They are named as vassals of Thorondor.

f. Morwen/Niënor leave Hithlum
The reasons of Morwen and Niënor leaving from Hithlum as slightly different:
Morgoth stirs up the Eastrons to greater hatred of Elves and Edain, and sends Orcs to aid them and impel them. Lorgan hearing of Niënor's beauty is eager to take her by force. Morwen and Niënor flee the land and come to Doriath. They seek news of Turin.

[gate7ole]

Narn I Hîn Húrin - Dírhaval (HOME XI)

Here follow the origins of The Narn I Hîn Húrin (Tale of the Children of Húrin).
But here I will tell as I may a Tale of Men that Dirhaval of the Havens made in the days of Earendel long ago. Narn i Chîn Hurin he called it, the Tale of the Children of Hurin, which is the longest of all the lays that are now remem- bered in Eressea, though it was made by a man.
For such was Dirhaval. He came of the House of Hador, it is said, and the glory and sorrow of that House was nearest to his heart. Dwelling at the Havens of Sirion, he gathered there all the tidings and lore that he could; for in the last days of Beleriand there came thither remnants out of all the countries, both Men and Elves: from Hithlum and Dor-lomin, from Nargothrond and Doriath, from Gondolin and the realms of the Sons of Feanor in the east.
This lay was all that Dirhaval ever made, but it was prized by the Eldar, for Dirhaval used the Grey-elven tongue, in which he had great skill. He used that mode of Elvish verse which is called [long space left in typescript] which was of old proper to the narn;
The speaker is Elfwine, who has translated the elvish tale into English from Dírhaval’s original story. It is notable that this is in contrast with the idea that the tale of Húrin’s Children is of Númenórean origin. Personally I’m at a loss at which of the two is later or can be considered correct.

But except this, a very interesting note about Túrin’s (and Thingol’s) speech can be found:
The speech of Doriath, whether of the king or others, was even in the days of Turin more antique than that used elsewhere. One thing (as Mim observed) of which Turin never rid himself, despite his grievance against Doriath, was the speech he had acquired during his fostering. Though a Man, he spoke like an Elf of the Hidden Kingdom, which is as though a Man should now appear, whose speech and schooling until manhood had been that of some secluded country where the English had remained nearer that of the court of Elizabeth I than of Elizabeth II.

[gate7ole]

Roads of East Beleriand (HOME XI)

a. East Road
Eol's house (in the middle of Elmoth) was about 15 miles from the northmost point of the wood beside Celon. From that point it was about 65 miles N.W. to the Ford of Aros. At that time Curufin was dwelling at the S.E. corner of the Pass of Aglond about 45 miles N.E. from the Ford of Aros. The Himlad (cool-plain) behind Aglond and Himring, between the northern courses of the Rivers Aros and Celon, he claimed as his land. He and his people naturally kept watch on the Ford of Aros; but they did not prevent the few hardy travellers (Elves or Dwarves) that used the road West - East past the north fences of Doriath. (Beyond the Ford was an entirely uninhabited region between the mountains north Esgalduin and Aros and Doriath: not even birds came there. It was thus called Dor Dhinen the 'Silent Land'.)
Beyond the Aros (some 25 miles) lay the more formidable obstacle of the Esgalduin in which no fordable point was to be found. In the 'peaceful days' before the return of Morgoth and Ungoliant, when Doriath's north borders were the mountains of Fuin (not yet evil), the West - East road passed over the Esgalduin by a bridge outside the later fence of Melian. This stone-bridge, the Esgaliant or Iant Iaur (old bridge) was still in existence, and
watched by the wardens of Doriath, but its use by Eldar was not hindered. It was necessary therefore to fugitives crossing Aros to turn S.W. to the bridge; From there they would keep as close as they could to the Fences of Doriath (if Thingol and Melian were not hostile to them). At the time of this story, though many evils lurked in the Mountains the chief peril lay in passing Nan Dungortheb from which clouds and darkness would creep down almost to the Fences.

b. Dwarf-Road
From Elmoth to Gelion the land was, north of the Andram and the Falls below the last Ford over Gelion (just above the inflow of the River Ascar from the Mountains), mostly rolling plain, with large regions of big trees without thickets. There were several beaten tracks made originally by Dwarves from Belegost and Nogrod, the best (most used and widest) being from the Little Ford past the north of Elmoth and to the Ford of Aros, it crossed the Bridge of Esgalduin but went no further for, if the Dwarves wished to visit Menegroth

[gate7ole]

Ch. 16 Of Maeglin (HOME XI)

There are numerous small differences from the original manuscript and the published story, but here I record only the two most interesting:
$$15-16. “and telling the servants of Eol that they went to seek the sons of Feanor...:” becames: 'Therefore that night as secretly as they could they made provision for a journey, and they rode away at daybreak to the north-eaves of Nan Elmoth. There as they crossed the slender stream of Celon they spied a watchman, and Maeglin cried to him: "Tell your master that we go to visit our kin in Aglon." Then they rode on over the Himlad to the Fords of Aros, and then westward along the Fences of Doriath. But they had tarried overlong. For on the first night of the three days feast, as he slept, a dark shadow of ill foreboding visited Eol, and in the morning he forsook Nogrod without ceremony and rode homeward with all speed. Thus he returned some days earlier than Maeglin had expected, coming to Nan Elmoth at nightfall of the day after their flight. There he learned from his watchman that they had ridden north less than two days before and had passed into the Himlad, on their way to Aglon.
'Then so great was Eol's anger that he resolved to follow them at once; so staying only to take a fresh horse, the swiftest that he had, he rode away that night. But as he entered the Himlad he mastered his wrath...'
$22. “By the laws of the Eldar I may not slay you at this time”: here there is a footnote in the original: 'Because the Eldar (which included the Sindar) were forbidden to slay one another in revenge for any grievance however great. Also at this time Eol had ridden towards Aglon with no ill intent, and it was not unjust that he should seek news of Aredel and Maeglin.'

Maeglin’s Name-Mood
Maeglin’s character comes from an etymological reference to his name:
mik pierce, shard-pointed
glim gleam, glint (usually of fine slender but bright shafts of light}. Particularly applied to light of eyes
From these two is derived the name Maeglin, since Maeglin had, even more than his father, very bright eyes, and was both physically very keen-sighted and mentally very penetrant, and quick to interpret the looks and gestures of people, and perceive their thoughts and purposes. The name was only given to him in boyhood, when these characteristics were recognized. His father till then was contented to call him Ion, son. (His mother secretly gave him a N. Quenya name Lomion 'son of twilight'; and taught Maeglin the Quenya tongue, though Eol had forbidden it.)

[gate7ole]

Two late changes in the mythology (HOME XI)

a. From a late Tale of Years we read:
503. The Dwarves of Belegost and Nogrod invade Doriath. Thingol is slain, and his realm ended. The Dwarves carry off the Dragon-gold, but Melian escaped and carried off the Nauglamir and the Silmaril, and brought it to Beren and Luthien. Then she returned to Valinor; but Luthien wore the Silmaril. Now Curufin and Celegorm hearing of the sack of Menegroth ambushed the Dwarves at the fords of Ascar and defeated them; but the Dwarves cast the gold into the river, which was after named Rathloriel. Great was the chagrin of the Sons of Feanor to discover that the Silmaril was not with the Dwarves; but they dared not assail Luthien. Dior goes to Doriath and endeavours to reestablish the realm.
Here we have major new turns to the story. It is not Beren who takes the Nauglamír from the Dwarves but Melian, and the Dwarves are destroyed by Celegorm and Curufin and not Beren.


b.Five Fëanorean sons:
A late conception of the Fëanorean sons emerged as it can be seen by the following note from CT:
By this time the story had entered that one of the twin brothers Damrod and Diriel, later Amrod and Amras, the youngest of Feanor's sons, died in the burning of the ships of the Teleri at Losgar, because he 'had returned to sleep in his ship': this was stated in a pencilled note on the typescript of the Annals of Aman although no consequential alteration to any text was ever made. Possibly my father had come to believe that both Amrod and Amras died in the burning ship.
So, we have 5 Fëanorean sons alive in Beleriand.

Those two new ideas were never incorporated in the mythology, but the question is whether this was done because of lack of time.
The difficult question is whether we should consider those ideas valid or just directions of Tolkien’s mind without any further study of them.
The death of Amrod and Amras would not mean many changes in the existing story, its acceptance is very intriguing.
As for the new turn of the story of the Nauglamír, I prefer the published one, with the Ents helping Beren fight the Dwarves. But can we ignore those late ideas of the professor?

[gate7ole]

Sindar vs. other people (HOME XI)

The behaviour of the Sindar towards the other people (either Elves or Men) can be found in the two categories that they used to refer to other people, the Calben and the Morben:
Calben (Celbin) and Morben (Moerbin).
They had no reference to Elves, except by accident of circumstance. Celbin retained what was, as has been said, probably its original meaning: all Elves other than the Avari; and it included the Sindar. But it referred to Elves only because no other people qualified for the title. Moerbin was similarly an equivalent for Avari; but that it did not mean only 'Dark-elves' is seen by its ready application to other Incarnates, when they later became known. By the Sindar anyone dwelling outside Beleriand, or entering their realm from outside, was called a Morben. The first people of this kind to be met were the Nandor, who entered East Beleriand over the passes of the Mountains before the return of Morgoth; soon after his return came the first invasions of his Orcs from the North. Somewhat later the Sindar became aware of Avari, who had crept in small and secret groups into Beleriand from the South. Later came the Men of the Three Houses, who were friendly; and later still Men of other kinds. All these were at first acquaintance called Moerbin. But when the Nandor were recognized as kinsfolk of Lindarin origin and speech (as was still recognizable), they were received into the class of Celbin. The Men of the Three Houses were also soon removed from the class of Moerbin. (Note 8, p. 408) They were given their own name, Edain, and were seldom actually called Celbin, but they were recognized as belonging to this class, which became . practically equivalent to 'peoples in alliance in the War against Morgoth'. The Avari thus remained the chief examples of Moerbin.

[gate7ole]

Avari (HOME XI)

About the Avari in general much info can be found in the essay Quendi and Eldar. I gathered some of them here:

Somewhat later the Sindar became aware of Avari, who had crept in small and secret groups into Beleriand from the South.
…
Any individual Avar who joined with or was admitted among the Sindar (it rarely happened) became a Calben; but the Avari in general remained secretive, hostile to the Eldar, and untrustworthy; and they dwelt in hidden places in the deeper woods, or in caves.
…
No Elf of any kind ever sided with Morgoth of free will, though under torture or the stress of great fear, or deluded by lies, they might obey his commands: but this applied also to Celbin. The 'Dark-elves', however, often were hostile, and even treacherous, in their dealings with the Sindar and Noldor; and if they fought, as they did when themselves assailed by the Orcs, they never took any open part in the War on the side of the Celbin. They were, it seems, filled with an inherited bitterness against the Eldar, whom they regarded as deserters of their kin, and in Beleriand this feeling was increased by envy (especially of the Amanyar), and by resentment of their lordliness. The belief of the Celbin that, at the least, they were weaker in resistance to the pressures or lies of Morgoth, if this grievance was concerned, may have been justified;
…
The Loremasters of later days, when more friendly relations had been established with Avari of various kinds in Eriador and the Vale of Anduin, record that it was frequently to be found in Avarin dialects. These were numerous, and often as widely sundered from one another as they were from the Eldarin forms of Elvish speech,. but wherever the descendants of *kwendi were found, they meant not 'Elves in general', but were the names that the Avari gave to themselves. They had evidently continued to call themselves *kwendi, the People, regarding those who went away as deserters.
…
The Elves of the the Vale of Anduin were among the most friendly to the fugitives from Beleriand, and held themselves akin to the remnants of the Sindar.

[Lhunithiliel]

Now that I finally could get back to the books, I continued reading the BOLT1 and I keep being amazed of how many wonderful passages were "spared" in the Silmarillion!

Here is another one:

The making of the stars
for to each of the stars had she given a heart of silver flame set in vessels of crystals and pale glass and unimagined substances of faintest colours: and these vessels were some made like to boats, and buoyed by their hearts of light they fared ever about Ilwë, yet could they not soar into the dark and tenuous realm of Vaitya that is outside all. Now winged spirits of the utmost purity and beauty -- even the most ethereal of those bright choirs of the Mánir and the Súruli who fare about the halls of Manwë on Taniquetil or traverse all the airs that move upon the world -- sate in those starry boats and guided them on mazy courses high above the Earth, and Varda gave them names, but few of these are known.
Others there were whose vessels were like translucent lamps set quivering above the world, in Ilwë or on the very confines of Vilna and the airs we breathe, and they flickered and waned for the stirring of the upper winds, yet abode where they hung and moved not; and of these some were very great and beautiful and the Gods and Elves among all their riches loved them; and thence indeed the jewel-makers catch their inspiration...
Isn't it beautiful!

[Lhunithiliel]

I think that the Silmarillion misses the whole concept about the making of the Sun and the Moon as it was revealed in BoLT1!
I of course cannot post the whole respective chapter here, but I strongly reccommend it to everyone who is fond of beautiful fantasy.... Because it is exactly this - beautiful!

[Inderjit S]

BoLT is a completely different mythology-you cannot use it for the Quenta Silmarillion.

[Lhunithiliel]

Yet it does miss quite a lot of beautiful elements as we witness them in BoLT1!
- the making of the sun and moon
- the making of the stars
- the issue of time
- the making of the dwellings of the Valar
- the outstanding beauty in the descriptions of the Lonely Isle....

These are but a view that could have been included.... I feel a bit sorry for them not present in the Silmarillion... though I have read the comentaries of "why".

I guess that the Silmarillion would have been much more attractive and absorbing and fascinating even more if those elements were preserved...or at least if the author had found a way to weave them into his new mythology-concept, which I find now a bit "drier" and lacking the fascination of the unlimited fantasy in BoLT1.

Besides, we cannot also say that the Silmarillion is a completely different mythology. Completely would mean entirely different, while we know that there are lots of basic ideas kept preserved throughout all the further changes in Tolkien's concept. What was greatly missed IMHO in the Silmarillion was the beauty of the fantasy - replaced by more facts...perhaps trying to make the tales more.... who knows...closer to the truth? :rolleyes: Perhaps! After all, mush is said about how Tolkien had decided to do those changes in order to "defend" the intellect of the Elves.