Talk:Third Age 2990

2023-05-07T22:35:22Z

172.71.182.160: Created page with "== Breeding Orcs == Is it written anywhere that Saruman starts breeding orcs in T.A. 2990? The only passage I can find is Unfinished Tales: The Palantíri, Note 7, which says..."

== Breeding Orcs ==
Is it written anywhere that Saruman starts breeding orcs in T.A. 2990? The only passage I can find is Unfinished Tales: The Palantíri, Note 7, which says he can't have begun breeding "much before 2990 at earliest". So we don't know the exact year. Or is there another passage I'm not aware of? [[Special:Contributions/172.71.182.160|172.71.182.160]] 22:35, 7 May 2023 (UTC)

Ecthelion

2023-03-09T17:03:43Z

172.71.182.160: Corrected a typo; melko's is now melkor's

{{disambig-more|Ecthelion|[[Ecthelion (disambiguation)]]}}
{{noldor infobox
| name=Ecthelion
| image=[[Image:Anna Lee - Ecthelion.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Ecthelion" by [[Anna Lee]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| titles=Lord of the Fountains
| position=Warden of the Great Gate
| location=[[Gondolin]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Quenya]], [[Sindarin]]
| birth=
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| death={{FA|510}}
| deathlocation=[[Fall of Gondolin]]
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=[[House of the Fountain]]
| parentage=
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=Silver-spiked helmet, silver garb
| weapons=Sword
| steed=
}}
<center>{{quote|And high and noble as was Elemmakil, greater and more lordly was Ecthelion, Lord of the Fountains, at that time Warden of the Great Gate. All in silver was he clad, and upon his shining helm there was set a spike of steel pointed with a diamond; and as his esquire took his shield it shimmered as if it were bedewed with drops of rain, that were indeed a thousand studs of crystal.|''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', "[[Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin]]"}}</center>
'''Ecthelion''' was an [[Elves|Elf]]-lord of [[Gondolin]], leader of the [[People of the Fountain]] and slayer of [[Gothmog (balrog)|Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs]]. He was also at one point Warden of the [[Great Gate of Gondolin]]. Ecthelion had the most beautiful voice and greatest musical talent with the flute of all the people of Gondolin.

==History==
[[File:Turner Mohan - Glorfindel and Ecthelion.jpg|thumb|left|''Glorfindel and Ecthelion'' by [[:Category:Images by Turner Mohan|Turner Mohan]]]]
In the year {{FA|472}}, Ecthelion fought alongside [[Turgon]] in the battle [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]], leading a wing of Gondolin's forces. Upon the defeat of the Noldor, he defended a flank as Turgon retreated.<ref>{{S|20}}</ref> Surviving the disastrous battle, Ecthelion returned towards the Hidden City where he next appeared as Warden of the [[Great Gate of Gondolin|Great Gate]].

Twenty-three years after Nirnaeth Arnoediad, [[Tuor]] and [[Voronwë]] traveled towards the Hidden City. After being led by [[Elemmakil]] through the [[Seven Gates of Gondolin|Seven Gates]], Ecthelion appeared before them. He is portrayed as great and lordly, all clad in silver and having a bright glance. Upon his helm there was a spike with a diamond point, and he bore a shield which shimmered as "a thousand studs of crystal". At first denying passage for Tuor, he allows it after the latter shows the arms of [[Vinyamar]] and mentions [[Ulmo]], saying that the Lord of the Fountains should not oppose the Lord of the Waters.<ref>{{UT|1}}, pp. 50-51</ref>

In the year {{FA|510}}, [[Morgoth]] attacked the city. Ecthelion battled there against [[Gothmog (balrog)|Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs]] in the very square of the King, where they slew each other. His death is only mentioned in the ''[[Quenta Silmarillion]]'', but the own text explains that much more is told in ''[[The Fall of Gondolin (chapter)|The Fall of Gondolin]]''.<ref>{{S|Gondolin}}</ref>

==Other versions of the legendarium==
===The Book of Lost Tales===
The most detailed text about Ecthelion and his deeds during the Fall of Gondolin is the chapter "[[The Fall of Gondolin (chapter)|The Fall of Gondolin]]", in ''[[The Book of Lost Tales Part Two]]''. There it is told that he is the lord of the [[house of the Fountain]], one of the [[twelve houses of the Gondothlim]]. Its people found delight in diamonds and the silver of their arrays was most beautiful to the sight.<ref name=Gondolin>{{LT2|III}}</ref>{{rp|173}}
[[File:Mysilvergreen - Death of Ecthelion, Lord of the Fountain.jpg|thumb|right|''Death of Ecthelion, Lord of the Fountain'' by [[:Category:Images by Mysilvergreen|Mysilvergreen]]]]
During the siege of the city, Ecthelion led his folk into battle accompanied by the music of their flutes, and great were the damages caused to the enemy by their long, bright swords.<ref name=Gondolin/>{{rp|173}} He and his forces made their entrance from the South part of the city, after previously being held in reserve. So terrible was his voice when commanding the drawing of the swords and the killings which followed, that his name became a terror among the enemy and a war-cry to the [[Eldar]]. Valiantly fighting side by side with Tuor and his [[house of the Wing]], they drove away the [[orcs]] until the gate was almost regained. It is said that Ecthelion and his house of the Fountain slew more orcs than had ever been slain, in all the battles of elves and orcs combined. Ecthelion killed three [[Balrogs]] and his sword did "hurt to their fire". However, [[dragons]] reinforced [[Melkor]]'s army. Outnumbered, they had to retreat. When doing so, Ecthelion's left arm was wounded and his shield fell to earth. Tuor carried him away as they joined the remaining leaders in the [[Square of the King]].<ref name=Gondolin/>{{rp|180-2}}

In that place the great [[Fountain of the King]] stood and Ecthelion regained his strength by drinking from it. As seven dragons lead the enemy's forces towards the Square, the remaining army of Gondolin began retreat. All but Ecthelion, who remained near the fountain in a stand which was remembered as the most valiant "in all the songs or in any tale". There Gothmog lord of Balrogs beated down [[Egalmoth]], but Ecthelion came inbetween despite being pale as steel. During the duel, Ecthelion was wounded in the hand and lost his sword. Gothmog then was about to deliver a blow with his whip when Ecthelion jumped and drove the spike of his helmet into Gothmog's body. Twining his legs with the enemy's, both fell into the Fountain of the King. Gothmog died there with Ecthelion, sank because of his steel armor.<ref name=Gondolin/>{{rp|183-4}}

Later, during the escape of the [[Exiles of Gondolin]], the young [[Eärendel]] asked about him, saying that he wished Ecthelion were there, "''to play to me on his flute, or make me willow whistles! Perchance has he gone on ahead?''" After he was informed of Ecthelion's death he "wept bitterly" and said that he cared no more to see the streets of Gondolin.<ref name=Gondolin/>{{rp|191}}

===Aredhel's escort===
While composing the chapter about [[Maeglin]], [[Tolkien]] considered Ecthelion, [[Glorfindel]] and [[Egalmoth]] as the escort of Aredhel when she left the [[Gondolin|Hidden City]] in his way to visit [[Fingon]].<ref name=Maeglin/>{{rp|318}} However, in the published ''[[Silmarillion]]'', [[Christopher Tolkien]] did not mention any of the escorts of Aredhel, based on a note in which his father discuss about the motives of Celegorm and Curufin of not sending any message to Gondolin about Aredhel. Tolkien decided that it was necessary ''not'' to name the most eminent and bravest chieftains as Aredhel's escort, as they would have seek for her beyond the [[Bridge of Esgalduin]].<ref name=Maeglin>{{WJ|Maeglin}}</ref>{{rp|328}}

==Etymology==
{{Pronounce|Ecthelion.mp3|Ardamir}}
With the development of the [[Elvish]] languages, the name ''Ecthelion'' had its own evolution.

The early [[Gnomish]] conception meant "Lord of the Fountains",<ref>{{PE|11}}, p. 31</ref> from ''ecthel'' ("issue of water, spring").<ref>{{LT2|Appendix}}, entry "Ecthelion"</ref> Its [[Qenya]] cognate was '''''Ektelion'''''.<ref>{{PE|13}}, p. 104</ref>

In the [[Noldorin]] stage of the name, it is composed from ''[[ehtë]]'' ("spear") and ''[[thela]]'' ("point" of spear).<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}, entries "EK-", "STELEG-"</ref> Put together they could be translated as "Spear-point" or "Spear-head".

The [[Sindarin]] version should have been '''''Ægthelion''''', derived from ''[[aeg]]'' ("sharp") + ''[[Estel (philosophical concept)|thel]]'' ("intent, resolve") + ''[[-on]]'' (masculine suffix). However, Tolkien wrote that the early ''Ecthelion'' sounded good and it had already been used in publication (with the name of two [[Ecthelion (disambiguation)|ruling stewards]] in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''), so he let it as an archaic form of the proper Sindarin name.<ref name=Maeglin></ref>{{rp|318-9}} ''Ægthelion'' can be translated as "One with Sharp Will".<ref>{{HM|GS}}, p. 339</ref>

{{references}}
{{HousesofGondolin}}
[[Category:Battle cries]]
[[Category:Characters in The Book of Lost Tales]]
[[Category:Characters in The Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Gnomish names]]
[[Category:Gondolindrim]]
[[Category:First Age characters]]
[[Category:Noldor]]
[[Category:Noldorin names]]
[[Category:Sindarin names]]
[[de:Ecthelion (Hauptmann von Gondolin)]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:elfes:noldor:ecthelion]]
[[fi:Ecthelion (Gondolin)]]

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Talk:Third Age 2990

Ecthelion