1 As first written, this read: “pre-destined spouse”.
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2 The qualifier “elf” in “elf-man” was a later insertion.
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3 For other Eldarin traditions concerning the numerals, see “Eldarin Hands, Fingers, and Numerals” in chap. III in part two of this book.
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4 As first written, what became these two sentences read: “the first thing that each saw was his destined spouse lying asleep on the green sward”.
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5 As first written, this sentence originally ended: “sooner than Elf-men; and were usually wedded to Elf-men a little older than themselves”.
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6 The words “the stars were again shining in the morrow-dim, and” were a marginal insertion in black nib-pen. As first written, the last phrase of the sentence began: “six pairs of Quendi, still asleep, but”.
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7 As first written, this phrase read: “devised many new words and artifices of speech”.
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8 The end of this sentence, “crying to them” etc., entered as a marginal insertion, apparently not long after the original composition.
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9 As first written, this paragraph ended with the partial sentence: “But though they loved all that they yet had seen”, before this was struck out.
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10 As first written, this read: “for which reason it was called Cuiviénen”.
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11 As first written, this sentence began: “And so it came about”.
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12 As first written, the text continued with: “And the Lindar from the beginning were most in love with water (by which they awakened); but all the Quendi, although they loved [?A]”, ending abruptly there, before this passage was struck through.
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13 As first written, this sentence began: “Now the Quendi, although they loved all of Arda that they had yet seen, and green things that grow were their delight”.
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* * *
* * *
IX Time-scales and Rates of Growth
1 Tolkien at some later point wrote in the margin against this paragraph in red ball-point pen: “no quickening”; and apparently at the same time wrote in the space between the initial table and the first paragraph: “All this needs revision to duodecimal”, also in red ball-point pen. This indicates that Tolkien had decided that the Quendian growth-rate ought not in fact, as here, generally increase outside of Aman from 144 (duodecimal) to 100 (decimal).
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2 There is no indication in the text of just when “these latter days” are meant to be.
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3 As will be seen below, at the time of writing Tolkien still regarded Aragorn as having died at age 190, not, as later, 210.
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4 In the c. 1951–2 “Tale of Years”, as emended, Elrond and Elros are said to have been born in YS 532 (XI:348), which makes him 58, as here, when the First Age ended in YS 590 (XI:346).
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5 This is the year given in App. B in the first edition (1955) of The Return of the King. This was changed to 109 in the second edition (1966).
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6 Cf. LR:243.
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7 The words “and still at full vigour” were a later addition in red ball-point pen.
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8 Both App. A and B to The Lord of the Rings say that while Celebrían was attacked by Orcs and poisoned in TA 2509, she departed over Sea in 2510 (LR:1043, 1087).
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9 Tolkien subsequently pencilled in – but did not actually adopt here – alterations of various dates and consequent ages for Arwen (changes that in part anticipate the scheme adopted in chap. XI, “Ageing of Elves”, below), thus suggesting that Arwen be born in TA 341 and so 2,678 sun-years old = 27 age-years at her marriage to Aragorn in TA 3019; that she was 2,610 or 26 when she met Aragorn in TA 2951.
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10 In the first edition (1955) of RotK App. B, Aragorn (born March 1, 2931) was said to have died on March 1, 1521, thus aged (exactly) 190 years, as here. In the second edition (1966) the year was altered to 1541, with Aragorn thus departing precisely at the age of 210 (which, it may be noted, is precisely three times 70; cf. Psalm 89 [90] verse 10: “The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong”).
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11 As with Arwen’s ages, Tolkien subsequently pencilled in – but did not adopt – suggested changes, in this case to Aragorn’s rate of growth and consequent “normal” human equivalent ages (and similarly in part anticipating the scheme adopted in chap. XI, “Ageing of Elves”, below) In the margin against this paragraph, Tolkien wrote:
Aragorn grew up [to] adult[hood] in [the] normal rate, he was adult at 20. He then [?endured] at Númenórean rate of 3 : 1. So when 49 in [sun-]years he was 20 + 29/3 = about 30 in [?fact].
Tolkien then calculated Aragorn’s ages on this 3 : 1 basis: so that he was 20 + 68/3 = 43 at his wedding in TA 3019, and 20 + 170/3 = 77 at his death in 4A 100.
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12 Tolkien elaborates on this matter in chaps. XI, “Lives of the Númenóreans”, and XII, “The Ageing of Númenóreans”, in part three of this book.
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13 In the c. 1950–1 “Grey Annals” the Siege of Angband is said to have begun in YS 60 and to have been broken in YS 455 (XI:39, 52).
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14 For the problematic question of the history of Galadriel and Celeborn in Tolkien’s writings, before, within, and after the publication of The Lord of the Rings, see Christopher Tolkien’s summary at UT:228 ff. The situation portrayed here agrees with what little is said of the matter in App. B (LR:1082), though the account here ascribes motives to Galadriel that App. B does not state explicitly: both love and pride.
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15 Tolkien has made a mathematical error here: (3441 + 3021) = 6462 ÷ 100 = 64.62 + 20 = 84.62 life-years.
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16 Tolkien here is apparently regarding the period of gestation as equal to one life-year in Middle-earth, sc. 100 löar. But see the later marginal note presented near the end of this text, it which he corrects this to 8 löar. It remains, though, that even after the 1966 revisions to App. B, in which Elrond and Celebrían wed in TA 109 and the twins are born in 130, 21 löar elapse between the events.
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* * *
X Difficulties in Chronology
1 The dates given here for the occupation of Gondolin (Bel. 116) and of Tuor’s coming to Gondolin (495) agree with those given in the Grey Annals of c. 1951 (XI:44, 89, respectively).
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2 Regarding the (relatively late) arising (after c. 1951) of the form of the name “Maeglin” (from prior “Meglin” and “Glindûr”), and the still later substitution of “Aredhel” for “Isfin” see XI:48, 122–3 §§119–20, and 316.
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3 In the c. 1951 Annals of Aman, 5 VY elapse between the death of the Two Trees in VY 1495 (X:98) and the first rising of the moon and sun in VY 1500 (X:131), which coincided with the arrival in Middle-earth of the Exiles that had crossed the Helkaraxë (XI:29–30).
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4 In chap. IV, “Time-scales”, above (c. 1959), Anairë is said to have been the Vanya wife of Turgon who “would not go with the Ñoldor into exile”. In all other published sources that name her, Anairë is the wife of Fingolfin and thus Idril’s grandmother, not mother (cf. XI:323, XII:363).
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5 As first written the text from “in Aman was 50 = 1” continued thus: “in early years after leaving Valinor: sc. 50 years from 1495 = 1 year of life. Thus Finduilas (cleaving to her father and brother) was the youngest Exile, being only
12 in 1495. She then needed 8 years of life to become 20, that is”. These lines were then all struck out in the act of writing and replaced with “in Beleriand”.
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6 As originally written the rate began to increase for the Exiles as soon as they left “the light of the Trees”.
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7 I take this to mean that while crossing the Ice the Elvish rate of ageing had increased from 144 = 1 in Aman to 72 = 1, thus adding 2 life-years in the 144 Sun-years it took to cross the ice. Upon arriving in Middle-earth, this rate increased again to 50 = 1.
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8 If the rate in Beleriand was 50 = 1, then in the 122 years in Beleriand lived after reaching 20 in Bel. 350, she should have aged in Bel. 472 nearly 2½ life-years and been 22½. Similarly, in 490 she should have aged a further ½ life year and been 23. I cannot explain this discrepancy.
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9 In The Lord of the Rings it is said that “ere the fall of Nargothrond or Gondolin [Galadriel] passed over the mountains” into Eriador (LR:357). For the much-vexed history of Galadriel and Celeborn, see UT:228ff.
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10 As originally written the gestation time was 12 Sun-years.
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11 Tolkien elaborates on this point in the next chapter.
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* * *
XI Ageing of Elves
1 In the c. 1951 Grey Annals, Eöl “took [Isfin, Maeglin’s mother] to wife” in Bel. 316, and Maeglin was born in Bel. 320 (XI:47–8); and (as emended) Tuor came to Gondolin in Bel. 495, as here (XI:91). That would make Maeglin 175 sun-years old at that time.
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2 Cf. XI:44.
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3 That is, at the departure of the Ñoldor from Beleriand to Aman in VY 1132, as in chap. VII, “The March of the Quendi”, above.
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4 In red ball-point pen, Tolkien subsequently wrote a vertical line against these two sentences, as well as a check-mark, and the words: “Keep this”.
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5 Regarding the “domes of Varda” in the “Round World” version of the mythology, see X:369–72, 375–8, 385–90.
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6 In the first edition (1955) of RotK, App. B gives TA 100 as the year that Elrond wed Celebrían. This was changed to TA 109 in the second edition (1966).
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7 In contemporary draft materials it is said that Celebrían:
should be older [at her wedding] than early in maturity, because of the delay of the wedding by the troubles of the end of the Second Age.
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8 In LR App. B Arwen’s birth-year is given as TA 241.
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9 In the first edition (1955) of RotK, App. B, Aragorn (born March 1, 2931) was said to have died on March 1, 1521, thus aged (exactly) 190 years, as here. In the second edition (1966) the year was altered to 1541, with Aragorn thus departing precisely at the age of 210.
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10 This last sentence entered as a marginal note in red ball-point pen.
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11 As first written, this passage read:
Eärendil was not allowed to return to Middle-earth. The Half-elven / since their mothers took on mortality at their wedding (or conception) – i.e. then aged at human rate / lived at human rate.
I have taken the slashes to be an indication that Tolkien considered deleting the text between them, and since that passage is moreover an incomplete thought, I have removed it editorially to render the passage grammatical. I have also joined the passage on Eärendil to the discussion that follows.
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12 As first written, this passage read:
and that this should extend to the third generation: thus Elrond : Arwen : Eldarion and Elros : Vardamir : Tar-Amandil.
This appears to be the only suggestion in Tolkien’s writings that Vardamir was like Arwen among the Half-elven and so likewise had a “choice of kindred”.
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13 As first written, this passage began:
Eldarion was mortal, so that his “long youth” was of modest scale: He reached “maturity” at 60 and then lived another 65 years …
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14 According to “The Line of Elros”, Vardamir lived to be 410 (UT:218).
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15 A rough note in red ball-point pen in the top margin of the page apparently refers to this passage:
These reckonings are defective as they do not realize the growth rate was double in 1496.
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16 Cf. XI:83.
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17 Cf. chap. VII, “The March of the Quendi”, above.
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18 Cf. XI:79 §251.
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19 This calculation implies that the doubled growth-rate of 6 : 1 for the immature Exiles continued for at least six years after reaching Middle-earth.
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XII Concerning the Quendi in their Mode of Life and Growth
1 With this footnote cf. chap. VIII, “Eldarin Traditions Concerning the ‘Awakening’”, above.
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2 Regarding the perception of time, cf. chaps. IV, “Time-scales”, above, and XX, “Time and its Perception”, below.
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3 In this footnote the phrase “between men and women” is a later insertion in red ball-point pen.
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4 With the essekilmë cf. X:214–15, 217, 229.
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5 Cf. X:213.
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6 With the unfallen state of Elves, cf. chaps. V, “Natural Youth and Growth of the Quendi” and VI, “The Awaking of the Quendi”, above. With the fallen nature of Men, in Elvish and Mannish thought, cf. the Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth in Morgoth’s Ring, and chap. X, “Notes on Órë”, in part two of this book. See also THE FALL OF MAN in App. I.
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7 With the Marring of Arda and the consequent tainting of the “flesh of Arda”, cf. X:399–401.
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8 For “Máyar” as a seldom-used form of the name “Maiar” see n.11 to chap. VII, “The March of the Quendi”, above.
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9 As previously mentioned, the cover/title page of this bundle is a torn half-sheet. This sheet appears to have originally been the same size and nature as the other sheets in this bundle, before being torn roughly in half. The verso of the sheet demonstrates that it was in fact extracted from a prior version of this text, as on it is written, in the same hand and with the same ink and instrument as the rest of the bundle, passages clearly related to this discussion of “the situation in Aman”:
[The] Elvish rate of life or ‘ageing’ (coivië) was the same as the Valian, being designed to endure with Arda. No difference, therefore, was discoverable in the process of the coivië of the Quendi in Aman.
But Aman had, inevitably, an effect on their olmië or process of growth, which would be felt by all those not yet adult or entering it, or later born there. In Aman, by the act of the Valar all living things, such as beasts and plants, with corporeal forms were unaltered in these forms, but used the Valian Year as the equivalent of 1 year in their growth, natural to each kind. Thus a flower whose nature in Middle-earth was to grow from a seed sown in the autumn, to appear in the next spring, and reach its full
The text ends here, mid-sentence, at the bottom of the sheet.
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10 See BODY AND SPIRIT in App. I.
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XIII Key Dates
1 Tolkien altered this year from original “c. 600”. The revised year reflects a rate of 1 Valian Year = 144 sun-years (löar), thus FA 576 = VY 854 – VY 850 = VY 4 × 144 SY = SY 576 from FA 1.
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2 That the 12th generation first appears in 576 implies an average of 48 sun-years between the generations.
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3 Tolkien altered this date from original “c. 1200”, This reflects a calculation of FA 1152 = VY 858 – VY 850 = VY 8 × 144 SY = SY 1152 from FA 1.
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4 This entry and the following two, giving the years of birth of Ingwë, Finwë and Elwë, are later additions in green ball-point pen.
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5 Tolkien subsequently changed this year to 2161 in green ball-point pen, but he did not carry through the change in subsequent years, so I have left it as first written.
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6 A passage later struck through in green ball-point pen originally followed:
[Ulmo >>] Manwë decrees advice that ambassadors should be brought to see Valinor and the Valar – though Ulmo thinks this is perilously like overaweing their wills by sight of splendour.
Cf. the entry below for DB 866/49 = FA 2211.
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7 Aside from the name Olórin for Gandalf, these Quenya names of (apparently) the Istari are nowhere else recorded. They apparently mean: Tarindor *‘High/wise-mind(ed)-one’, Hrávandil *‘Wild-beast-friend’, Palacendo *‘Far-sight(ed)-one’, Haimenar *‘Far-farer’.
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8 The description of the election of the Three Ambassadors was originally the end of the entry for DB 866/13 = FA 2175, where it was preceded by a sentence stuck through in green ball-point pen:
Oromë (and Tulkas?) return, taking Three Ambassadors.
Tolkien indicated in green ball-point pen that the remainder of the description should be moved to this entry instead, some 37 years later.
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9 Tolkien here first wrote “knowledge” (in apparent anticipation of Finwë’s response), but replaced it with “beauty” in the act of writing.
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10 A deleted final paragraph reads:
Imin looks up at the stars. He says, “I will remain if any of my folk do”. Tata and Enel say the same. In the end 2/3 decide to go. The Imillië numbered about 2,625; the Tatalië 10,500; the Enellië 13,875. The greatest population of “Eldar” are from Tatalië.
The Nature of Middle-earth Page 41
