Lantarion
11-01-2003, 02:43 PM
Right, here is the biography of Ar-Pharazôn the Golden. I have not been privvy to the knowledge in HoME 12, for example, which might pertain to this unscrupulous King; all information is taken directly from the Silmarillion or Unfinished Tales (with extra info from websites, listed in the bibliography).
Ar-Pharazôn (Tar-Calion)
Last King of Númenórë
Introduction
Even before the reign of Tar-Calion (who took an Adûnaic title, continuing the traditional defiance against Valar and Eldar begun by Ar-Adunakhôr), the Land of the Star had been undergoing a steady decline and deterioration, even to the point where all things Elven or connected with their lords the Valar had been banned under threat of death (Ar-Gimilzôr, SA 2960-3177). This corruption, begun in the reign of Tar-Atanamir the Great, had continued slowly but steadily until the reign of Tar-Palantir (Ar-Inziladûn), who once again honoured the ancient customs and visited the Hallow of Eru upon Meneltarma at due times; and the Faithful had relative peace for some seventy-five years.
But on the death of Tar-Palantir, his daughter Míriel (Ar-Zimraphel) was taken forcibly to wife by Pharazôn son of Gimilkhâd, who was of like mind with his father, and he took the sceptre of Númenor. His reign is said to have been the mightiest and strongest, but in his time the same open hostility towards the Faithful that had been rampant in the reign of Ar-Gimilzôr was again present. And, by the perverted counsels of Sauron as his advisor, Ar-Pharazôn went to war against the Valar, building a colossal armada of ships (the flagship of which was called Alcarondas) and sailing to Aman. But even as he set foot on the Holy Land, Eru Ilúvatar intervened; and showing forth his wrath and power he destroyed not only Ar-Pharazôn’s blasphemous armada, but the entire island of Númenor, once the pinnacle of all kingdoms of Men. Yet he allowed some few of the Faithful, led by Elendil the Tall and his two sons, Anárion and Isildur, to escape the Downfall; and they went on to form great kingdoms in Middle-earth, continuing the true Númenórean traditions begun by Tar-Minastir.
It is very difficult to not see the resemblances between Tolkien’s Númenor and the mythical island of Atlantis, as told by Plato in his Republic. Both islands had a highly advanced population (the Númenóreans were praised for their skills and knowledge in Middle-earth after the Downfall*, and people of Númenórean descent were held in honour), both had a rare metal present in the land (mithril was present and was mined by Tar-Telemmaitë; Plato mentions an advanced metal called ‘oricalchum’ on Atlantis), and perhaps most importantly, both islands are said to have fallen in war or battle. Where Atlantis is said to have ended in a great struggle between Good and Evil, Tolkien seems to twist this slightly (with or without intention): Ar-Pharazôn was not wholly evil, being for a part twisted by Sauron’s counsel; and he was not a fantastically brave or steadfast King.
For Ar-Pharazôn wavered at the end, and almost he turned back. His heart misgave him when he looked upon the soundless shores and saw Taniquetil shining, whiter than snow, colder than death, silent, immutable, terrible as the shadow of the light of Ilúvatar. But pride was now his master, and at last he left his ship and strode upon the shore…
The Silmarillion, p. 335 (Akallabêth)
But he went against the Gods in force, and challenged their authority with short-sightedness, incomprehension and jealousy. The Aristotelian term for this act of utter defiance is hamartia, the grave error or misjudgment by which a person dooms himself. And truly enough, Ar-Pharazôn payed the price.
* For the Dúnedain became mighty in crafts, so that if they had had the mind they could easily have surpassed the evil kings of Middle-earth in the making of war and the forging of weapons; but they were men of peace.
The Silmarillion, p. 315 (Akallabêth)
Life and Reign
The mightiest and proudest was Ar-Pharazôn the Golden of all those that had wielded the Sceptre of the Sea-Kings since the foundation of Númenor; and four and twenty King and Queens had ruled the Númenóreans before, and slept now in their deep tombs under the mount of Meneltarma, lying upon beds of gold.
The Silmarillion, p. 324 (Akallabêth)
A half of the Akallabêth presented in The Silmarillion is devoted to Ar-Pharazôn and his wiles as King of the Land of the Star; for under this the last King of Yôzâyan (‘Land of Gift’) a change comparable to the War of Wrath occurred, largely due to this unscrupulous and yet weak-hearted ruler.
As beforementioned, Pharazôn forcibly took to wife Míriel the daughter and only child of Ar-Inziladûn, who would have been the rightful Queen of Númenor.
But Pharazôn took her to wife against her will, doing evil in this and evil also in that the laws of Númenor did not permit the marriage, even in the royal house, of those more nearly akin than cousins in the second degree. And when they were wedded, he seized the sceptre into his own hand, taking the title of Ar-Pharazôn (Tar-Calion in the Elven tongue); and the name of his queen he changed to Zimraphel.
The Silmarillion, p. 324 (Akallabêth)
This foul act Pharazôn committed of his own accord, his mind as yet being without the whisperings of Sauron. For only later was Sauron sent to the feet of Ar-Pharazôn; and his pride, greed and desire for power were turned against him by the cunning counsels of the fair-seeming Sauron.
And sitting upon his carven throne in the city of Armenelos in the glory of his power, he brooded darkly, thinking of war. For he had learned in Middle-earth of the strength of the realm of Sauron, and of his hatred of Westernesse. And now there came to him the masters of ships and captains returning out of the East, and they reported that Sauron was putting forth his might, since Ar-Pharazôn had gone back from Middle-earth, and he was pressing down upon the cities by the coasts; and he had taken now the title of King of Men, and declared his purpose to drive the Númenóreans into the sea, and destroy even Númenor, if that might be.
Great was the anger of Ar-Pharazôn at these tidings, and as he pondered long in secret, his heart was filled with the desire of power unbounded and the sole dominion of his will. And he determined without counsel of the Valar, or the aid of any wisdom but his own, that the title of King of Men he himself would claim, and would compel Sauron to become his vassal and servant; for in his pride he deemed that no king could ever arise so mighty as to vie with the Heir of Eärendil.
The Silmarillion, pp. 324-325 (Akallabêth)
Here Pharazôn’s true nature was shown, for he allowed his pride and glamorous greed to blind him; and smithying weapons and a great army he went to Sauron and challenged him. What is interesting is that Sauron did have a plan all along (i.e. to make the Númenóreans believe he was on their side), but he also recognized the awesome power that the Dúnedain held. So he put on a fair face and sweetened his tongue, confusing the Men of Westernesse.
But Ar-Pharazôn was not yet deceived, and it came into his mind that, for the better keeping of Sauron and of his oaths of fealty, he should be brought to Númenor, there to dwell as a hostage for himself and all his servants in Middle-earth. To this Sauron assented as one constrained, yet in his secret thought he received it gladly, for it chimed indeed with his desire. And Sauron passed over the sea and looked upon the land of Númenor, and on the city of Armenelos in the days of its glory, and he was astounded; but his heart within was filled the more with envy and hate.
The Silmarillion, p. 326 (Akallabêth)
Now Sauron perceived that Ar-Pharazôn, though a mighty king and lord, was greedy and evil of heart; and he lied to him, telling him that Melkor alone was the Lord of All. And so Ar-Pharazôn began the glorifying and worship of the Dark, “first in secret, but ere long openly and in the face of his people; and they for the most part followed him” (The Silmarillion, p.327).
Now as Ar-Pharazôn’s already diseased mind was further poisoned by Sauron’s lies, the Faithful gathered in Rómenna; for they foreboded that evil times were near, for them and for all.
And now Sauron ordered a great temple to be built for Melkor, where the Men of Westernesse, ironically, prayed to that Dark Lord to make them immortal. But to add to the irony, the days of Men were far shorter in those days than in the days of Elros Tar-Minyatur; but the Dúnedain under Ar-Pharazôn and the King’s Men were blind, and could not be gainsaid. And when before they had sailed to Middle-earth first as givers of gifts, then as lords, now they went as thieves and cruel, looting warriors.
Nonetheless for long it seemed to the Númenóreans that they prospered, and if they were not increased in happiness, yet they grew more strong, and their rich men ever richer. For with the aid and counsel of Sauron they multiplied their possessions, and they devised engines, and they built ever greater ships. And they sailed now with power and armoury to Middle-earth, and they came no longer as givers of gifts, nor even as rulers, but as fierce men of war. And they hunted the men of Middle-earth and took their goods and enslaved them, and many they slew cruelly upon their altars. For they built in their fortresses temples and great tombs in those days; and men feared them, and the memory of the kindly kings of the ancient days faded from the world and was darkened by many a tale of dread.
The Silmarillion, pp. 329-330 (Akallabêth)
Ar-Pharazôn (Tar-Calion)
Last King of Númenórë
Introduction
Even before the reign of Tar-Calion (who took an Adûnaic title, continuing the traditional defiance against Valar and Eldar begun by Ar-Adunakhôr), the Land of the Star had been undergoing a steady decline and deterioration, even to the point where all things Elven or connected with their lords the Valar had been banned under threat of death (Ar-Gimilzôr, SA 2960-3177). This corruption, begun in the reign of Tar-Atanamir the Great, had continued slowly but steadily until the reign of Tar-Palantir (Ar-Inziladûn), who once again honoured the ancient customs and visited the Hallow of Eru upon Meneltarma at due times; and the Faithful had relative peace for some seventy-five years.
But on the death of Tar-Palantir, his daughter Míriel (Ar-Zimraphel) was taken forcibly to wife by Pharazôn son of Gimilkhâd, who was of like mind with his father, and he took the sceptre of Númenor. His reign is said to have been the mightiest and strongest, but in his time the same open hostility towards the Faithful that had been rampant in the reign of Ar-Gimilzôr was again present. And, by the perverted counsels of Sauron as his advisor, Ar-Pharazôn went to war against the Valar, building a colossal armada of ships (the flagship of which was called Alcarondas) and sailing to Aman. But even as he set foot on the Holy Land, Eru Ilúvatar intervened; and showing forth his wrath and power he destroyed not only Ar-Pharazôn’s blasphemous armada, but the entire island of Númenor, once the pinnacle of all kingdoms of Men. Yet he allowed some few of the Faithful, led by Elendil the Tall and his two sons, Anárion and Isildur, to escape the Downfall; and they went on to form great kingdoms in Middle-earth, continuing the true Númenórean traditions begun by Tar-Minastir.
It is very difficult to not see the resemblances between Tolkien’s Númenor and the mythical island of Atlantis, as told by Plato in his Republic. Both islands had a highly advanced population (the Númenóreans were praised for their skills and knowledge in Middle-earth after the Downfall*, and people of Númenórean descent were held in honour), both had a rare metal present in the land (mithril was present and was mined by Tar-Telemmaitë; Plato mentions an advanced metal called ‘oricalchum’ on Atlantis), and perhaps most importantly, both islands are said to have fallen in war or battle. Where Atlantis is said to have ended in a great struggle between Good and Evil, Tolkien seems to twist this slightly (with or without intention): Ar-Pharazôn was not wholly evil, being for a part twisted by Sauron’s counsel; and he was not a fantastically brave or steadfast King.
For Ar-Pharazôn wavered at the end, and almost he turned back. His heart misgave him when he looked upon the soundless shores and saw Taniquetil shining, whiter than snow, colder than death, silent, immutable, terrible as the shadow of the light of Ilúvatar. But pride was now his master, and at last he left his ship and strode upon the shore…
The Silmarillion, p. 335 (Akallabêth)
But he went against the Gods in force, and challenged their authority with short-sightedness, incomprehension and jealousy. The Aristotelian term for this act of utter defiance is hamartia, the grave error or misjudgment by which a person dooms himself. And truly enough, Ar-Pharazôn payed the price.
* For the Dúnedain became mighty in crafts, so that if they had had the mind they could easily have surpassed the evil kings of Middle-earth in the making of war and the forging of weapons; but they were men of peace.
The Silmarillion, p. 315 (Akallabêth)
Life and Reign
The mightiest and proudest was Ar-Pharazôn the Golden of all those that had wielded the Sceptre of the Sea-Kings since the foundation of Númenor; and four and twenty King and Queens had ruled the Númenóreans before, and slept now in their deep tombs under the mount of Meneltarma, lying upon beds of gold.
The Silmarillion, p. 324 (Akallabêth)
A half of the Akallabêth presented in The Silmarillion is devoted to Ar-Pharazôn and his wiles as King of the Land of the Star; for under this the last King of Yôzâyan (‘Land of Gift’) a change comparable to the War of Wrath occurred, largely due to this unscrupulous and yet weak-hearted ruler.
As beforementioned, Pharazôn forcibly took to wife Míriel the daughter and only child of Ar-Inziladûn, who would have been the rightful Queen of Númenor.
But Pharazôn took her to wife against her will, doing evil in this and evil also in that the laws of Númenor did not permit the marriage, even in the royal house, of those more nearly akin than cousins in the second degree. And when they were wedded, he seized the sceptre into his own hand, taking the title of Ar-Pharazôn (Tar-Calion in the Elven tongue); and the name of his queen he changed to Zimraphel.
The Silmarillion, p. 324 (Akallabêth)
This foul act Pharazôn committed of his own accord, his mind as yet being without the whisperings of Sauron. For only later was Sauron sent to the feet of Ar-Pharazôn; and his pride, greed and desire for power were turned against him by the cunning counsels of the fair-seeming Sauron.
And sitting upon his carven throne in the city of Armenelos in the glory of his power, he brooded darkly, thinking of war. For he had learned in Middle-earth of the strength of the realm of Sauron, and of his hatred of Westernesse. And now there came to him the masters of ships and captains returning out of the East, and they reported that Sauron was putting forth his might, since Ar-Pharazôn had gone back from Middle-earth, and he was pressing down upon the cities by the coasts; and he had taken now the title of King of Men, and declared his purpose to drive the Númenóreans into the sea, and destroy even Númenor, if that might be.
Great was the anger of Ar-Pharazôn at these tidings, and as he pondered long in secret, his heart was filled with the desire of power unbounded and the sole dominion of his will. And he determined without counsel of the Valar, or the aid of any wisdom but his own, that the title of King of Men he himself would claim, and would compel Sauron to become his vassal and servant; for in his pride he deemed that no king could ever arise so mighty as to vie with the Heir of Eärendil.
The Silmarillion, pp. 324-325 (Akallabêth)
Here Pharazôn’s true nature was shown, for he allowed his pride and glamorous greed to blind him; and smithying weapons and a great army he went to Sauron and challenged him. What is interesting is that Sauron did have a plan all along (i.e. to make the Númenóreans believe he was on their side), but he also recognized the awesome power that the Dúnedain held. So he put on a fair face and sweetened his tongue, confusing the Men of Westernesse.
But Ar-Pharazôn was not yet deceived, and it came into his mind that, for the better keeping of Sauron and of his oaths of fealty, he should be brought to Númenor, there to dwell as a hostage for himself and all his servants in Middle-earth. To this Sauron assented as one constrained, yet in his secret thought he received it gladly, for it chimed indeed with his desire. And Sauron passed over the sea and looked upon the land of Númenor, and on the city of Armenelos in the days of its glory, and he was astounded; but his heart within was filled the more with envy and hate.
The Silmarillion, p. 326 (Akallabêth)
Now Sauron perceived that Ar-Pharazôn, though a mighty king and lord, was greedy and evil of heart; and he lied to him, telling him that Melkor alone was the Lord of All. And so Ar-Pharazôn began the glorifying and worship of the Dark, “first in secret, but ere long openly and in the face of his people; and they for the most part followed him” (The Silmarillion, p.327).
Now as Ar-Pharazôn’s already diseased mind was further poisoned by Sauron’s lies, the Faithful gathered in Rómenna; for they foreboded that evil times were near, for them and for all.
And now Sauron ordered a great temple to be built for Melkor, where the Men of Westernesse, ironically, prayed to that Dark Lord to make them immortal. But to add to the irony, the days of Men were far shorter in those days than in the days of Elros Tar-Minyatur; but the Dúnedain under Ar-Pharazôn and the King’s Men were blind, and could not be gainsaid. And when before they had sailed to Middle-earth first as givers of gifts, then as lords, now they went as thieves and cruel, looting warriors.
Nonetheless for long it seemed to the Númenóreans that they prospered, and if they were not increased in happiness, yet they grew more strong, and their rich men ever richer. For with the aid and counsel of Sauron they multiplied their possessions, and they devised engines, and they built ever greater ships. And they sailed now with power and armoury to Middle-earth, and they came no longer as givers of gifts, nor even as rulers, but as fierce men of war. And they hunted the men of Middle-earth and took their goods and enslaved them, and many they slew cruelly upon their altars. For they built in their fortresses temples and great tombs in those days; and men feared them, and the memory of the kindly kings of the ancient days faded from the world and was darkened by many a tale of dread.
The Silmarillion, pp. 329-330 (Akallabêth)