The Song of Earendil

[kayleearafinwiel]

I am trying to get a mental picture of one of my favorite Peredhil (and the only one I can think of offhand, save the first Prince of Dol Amroth) who happens to be strictly *half* Elven (well, Luthien too, but she wasn't half *Mortal...* Anyway.) I was reading "The Song of Earendil" and realizing that half the descriptive words at least are things I know nothing about. So I looked them up, and got even *more* questions. (Many posts so the characters remaining thing doesn't explode.)

Piece by piece here...

"Eärendil was a mariner
that tarried in Arvernien;
he built a boat of timber felled
in Nimbrethil to journey in;
her sails he wove of silver fair,
of silver were her lanterns made,
her prow was fashioned like a swan,
and light upon her banners laid.

Fairly straightforward on the ship's colors and shape. Silver sails, silver lanterns, swanship. Nimbrethil...would that be birch trees? And where's Arvernien again? Also, what's "light upon her banners laid"? Unless that means the light of the Silmaril?

[kayleearafinwiel]

In panoply of ancient kings,
in chainéd rings he armoured him;
his shining shield was scored with runes
to ward all wounds and harm from him;
his bow was made of dragon-horn,
his arrows shorn of ebony;
of silver was his habergeon,
his scabbard of chalcedony;
his sword of steel was valiant,
of adamant his helmet tall,
an eagle-plume upon his crest,
upon his breast an emerald.

Panoply, I looked up. That means a full suit of armo(u)r. Ancient kings...does that mean it belonged to Turgon? To Fingolfin?

Would this shield be mithril?

Dragon-horn...didn't Earendil slay a dragon? Did that happen before or after this?

So the arrows were made of black wood, then?

habergeon - I looked this up too. Sleeveless chain mail shirt. I hope he has sleeves of some kind or his arms will be cold (and defenseless O.o)

scabbard of chalcedony - So wait...chalcedony is a gemstone, isn't it? Or one of several - agate, onyx...I know there's more. His sword's sheath is made of stone? What? *Kaylee has a very confused*

Stone scabbard, steel sword. Pretty heavy stuff here...

Adamant...a diamond helmet?

With an eagle plume on top no less (right?) Lol, what an image.

And the emerald (the Elfstone?) "upon his breast"...so what, attached to his chain mail shirt?

[kayleearafinwiel]

Beneath the Moon and under star
he wandered far from northern strands,
bewildered on enchanted ways
beyond the days of mortal lands.

So...he got very lost. Poor Earendil.

From gnashing of the Narrow Ice
where shadow lies on frozen hills,
from nether heats and burning waste
he turned in haste, and roving still
on starless waters far astray
at last he came to Night of Naught,
and passed, and never sight he saw
of shining shore nor light he sought.

Very very lost. Also, what's "Night of Naught", the Void? He went through the Void?? o.O

The winds of wrath came driving him,
and blindly in the foam he fled
from west to east and errandless,
unheralded he homeward sped.

...He should have asked for directions? Men...

[kayleearafinwiel]

There flying Elwing came to him,
and flame was in the darkness lit;
more bright than light of diamond
the fire on her carcanet.

I had to look up "Carcanet". Collar...I presume in this case, necklace, meaning the Nauglamir?

The Silmaril she bound on him
and crowned him with the living light
and dauntless then with burning brow
he turned his prow; and in the night
from Otherworld beyond the Sea
there strong and free a storm arose,
a wind of power in Tarmenel;

Tarmenel...would that be "high heavens"? The atmosphere? Outer space?

by paths that seldom mortal goes
his boat it bore with biting breath
as might of death across the grey
and long forsaken seas distressed;
from east to west he passed away.

So was it now or after the Valar did their "Earendil, you are now the Star of High Hope" thing that Vingilot began functioning as a spaceship?

[kayleearafinwiel]

Through Evernight he back was borne
on black and roaring waves that ran
o'er leagues unlit and foundered shores
that drowned before the Days began,

Is it just me who thinks they must have been freaking out?

until he heard on strands of pearl
where ends the world the music long,
where ever-foaming billows roll
the yellow gold and jewels wan.

Pearls and gold and jewels? Interesting image...but "wan"?

He saw the Mountain silent rise
where twilight lies upon the knees
of Valinor, and Eldamar
beheld afar beyond the seas.

I guess that would be Taniquetl?

A wanderer escaped from night
to haven white he came at last,
to Elvenhome the green and fair
where keen the air, where pale as glass
beneath the Hill of Ilmarin
a-glimmer in a valley sheer
the lamplit towers of Tirion
are mirrored on the Shadowmere.

Where's Elwing in all this, by the way, just along for the ride and quiet?

[kayleearafinwiel]

He tarried there from errantry,

Does that mean "he wasted time before finishing his mission"?

and melodies they taught to him,
and sages old him marvels told,
and harps of gold they brought to him.

Hey, that's nice ^_^

They clothed him then in elven-white,
and seven lights before him sent,
as through the Calacirian
to hidden land forlorn he went.

Seven lights? O.o?

He came unto the timeless halls
where shining fall the countless years,

*presumes these are different from "The Timeless Halls" where Iluvatar is*

and endless reigns the Elder King
in Ilmarin on Mountain sheer;
and words unheard were spoken then
of folk and Men and Elven-kin,
beyond the world were visions showed
forbid to those that dwell therein.

Hrm...What? *prods it, trying to figure that bit out*

[kayleearafinwiel]

A ship then new they built for him
of mithril and of elven-glass
with shining prow; no shaven oar
nor sail she bore on silver mast:
the Silmaril as lantern light
and banner bright with living flame
to gleam thereon by Elbereth
herself was set, who thither came
and wings immortal made for him,
and laid on him undying doom,
to sail the shoreless skies and come
behind the Sun and light of Moon.

But...but...what about the original, what happened to it? Did it stay in Aman forever? Was it donated to the Museum of Mortal Curiousities or something??? Also, what? Earendil gets wings? Or did the new Vingilot get them? Also, Earendil needs a hug. Does he at least get to come home every ten years or something? Will at least got that.

[kayleearafinwiel]

From Evereven's lofty hills
where softly silver fountains fall
his wings him bore, a wandering light,
beyond the mighty Mountain Wall.

Evereven?

From a World's End there he turned away,
and yearned again to find afar
his home through shadows journeying,
and burning as an island star
on high above the mists he came,
a distant flame before the Sun,
a wonder ere the waking dawn
where grey the Norland waters run.

World's End! I KNEW there were pirates involved! That's what happens when Elves go around with pirates...

Also, Norland?

[kayleearafinwiel]

And over Middle-earth he passed
and heard at last the weeping sore
of women and of elven-maids
in Elder Days, in years of yore.



But on him mighty doom was laid,
till Moon should fade, an orbéd star
to pass, and tarry never more
on Hither Shores where Mortals are;

Is it just me who thinks he and Tilion should get to hang out while he's up there, at least?

for ever still a herald on
an errand that should never rest
to bear his shining lamp afar,
the Flammifer of Westernesse."

Flammi-whatnow?

― The Fellowship of the Ring, Many Meetings

And Bilbo translated this, or came up with it, right?

[randy]

One of Tolkien's books -- I think it was The Unfinished Tales -- has a glossary of archaic terms like flammifer, fain, flittermice, etc. that he used in his poetry for effect. Ironically, I use some of them in everyday speech.

[kayleearafinwiel]

Sept 6, 2012 9:19:35 GMT -6 randy said:

One of Tolkien's books -- I think it was The Unfinished Tales -- has a glossary of archaic terms like flammifer, fain, flittermice, etc. that he used in his poetry for effect. Ironically, I use some of them in everyday speech.

Really? O.o which ones? and what do they mean?

[kimberleighe]

Sept 6, 2012 9:19:35 GMT -6 randy said:

One of Tolkien's books -- I think it was The Unfinished Tales -- has a glossary of archaic terms like flammifer, fain, flittermice, etc. that he used in his poetry for effect. Ironically, I use some of them in everyday speech.

I intend to re-find my copy just for this glossary! Thanks for sharing that!