Ecthelion

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Ecthelion of the Fountain
Noldo
Biographical Information
Titles	Lord of the House of the Fountain
Death	F.A. 510
Physical Description
Gender	Male
Hair color	Dark
Gallery	Images of Ecthelion of the Fountain

File:Ecthelion.mp3
	File:Ecthelion.mp3
	By Ardamir. (Media help)

"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

Ecthelion was an Elf-lord of Gondolin, leader of the People of the Fountain and slayer of 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. He led a wing of Gondolin's forces during the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, "The Battle of Unnumbered Tears".

History and creation

Perhaps the earliest J.R.R. Tolkien writing, The Fall of Gondolin was written during a leave of absence from the World War I, in the year 1916. It is in that story, published posthumously by Christopher Tolkien in the volume The Book of Lost Tales Part 2 that Ecthelion first appears. Thus he is one of the first characters Tolkien ever created.

However, from a chronological point of view, the first account of his presence is the chapter Of Maeglin from The Silmarillion. The events described here took place more than one hundred years before those of Gondolin's fall. Along with Glorfindel and Egalmoth, he was assigned by Turgon as Aredhel's escort on her ill-fated journey. Though no name is mentioned, only that "Turgon appointed three lords of his household", an explanatory note in the volume The War of the Jewels, chapter called Maeglin, sheds light on the escorts' identities.

Aredhel's Escort

Two hundred years after Gondolin was wrought, Ecthelion, Glorfindel and Egalmoth, along with the White Lady of the Ñoldor left the Hidden City due to Aredhel's yearning for the freedom she once had in Valinor. Their orders were to lead her towards Hithlum, where she would meet her elder brother Fingon. When coming upon the Ford of Brithiach, Aredhel ordered them to turn South, for she desired to see the Sons of Fëanor. Thus Ecthelion and his companions sougth admitance to Doriath, but the wardens refused them entrance inside the Girdle of Melian. Having no other choice, they took the dangerous road between the haunted valleys of Ered Gorgoroth. Near Nan Dungortheb, the Valley of Dreadful Death, the riders were caught in a mesh of shadows and they were lost from Aredhel. In vain they sought her afterwards, but the fell offsprings of Ungoliant that dwelt in that place pursued them. Barely escaping alive, the three lords returned to Gondolin without the Princess, where they were received in sorrow.

Lord of Gondolin

In the year F.A. 472 Ecthelion fought alongside Turgon in the battle Nirnaeth Arnoeadiad, leading a wing of Gondolin's forces. Upon the defeat of the Ñoldor, he defended a flank as Turgon retreated. Surviving the disastrous battle, Ecthelion returned towards the Hidden City where he next appeared as Warden of the Great Gate in the Unfinished Tale Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin.

Twenty-three years after Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Tuor and Voronwë traveled towards the Hidden City. After being led by Elemmakil through the Seven Gates, Ecthelion appeared before them. In a short description 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 which shimmered as "a thousand studs of crystal". At first denying passage for Tuor, he allows it after the later makes a reference towards Ulmo, by saying that the Lord of the Fountains will not oppose the Lord of the Waters.

The House of the Fountain was one of the Twelve Houses of the Gondolindrim whos leader was Ecthelion. Its people found delight in diamonds and the silver of their arrays was most beautiful to the sight. In the Fall of Gondolin, Ecthelion led them into battle accompanied by the music of their flutes and great were the damages caused to the enemy by their long, bright swords.

Slayer of Gothmog

File:Jenny Dolfen - Ecthelion's Last Stand.jpg

Ecthelion's Last Stand by Jenny Dolfen.

During the Fall of Gondolin, he and Tuor had made their way into the Square of the King. Previously, Ecthelion had slain three Balrogs, but he had lost the use of his shield arm in the process, and was carried in a swoon to safety by Tuor. Then Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs, came. Tuor fought him, but was thrown down. Then Ecthelion dueled him, but eventually Ecthelion lost his sword, and was unable to protect himself. Just as Gothmog was about to deliver the finishing blow, Ecthelion jumped and drove the spike of his helmet into Gothmog's body, and wrapped his legs around the demon. This caused Gothmog to lose his balance, and he, along with Ecthelion, fell into the Fountain of the King. Gothmog's fire was thus quenched, but Ecthelion also drowned with him.

Later, according to the Fall of Gondolin chapter in The Book of Lost Tales Part 2, a young Eärendil asked about him, saying that he wished Ecthelion were there, "to play to me on his flute, or make me willow whistles! Perhance 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.

Some have speculated that Orcrist mentioned in The Hobbit was Ecthelion's sword.

Etymology

There are three different sources that offer a translation of Ecthelion and they all differ substantially. In The Book of Lost Tales Part 2, Appendix, it is said that the name derives from the Quenya ehtelë, "issue of water, spring", a reference to his title as Lord for the House of the Fountain. In the Etymologies in The Lost Road and Other Writings, his name is composed from ehtë, "spear" and thela, "point" (of spear). Put together they would translate as "Spear-point" or "Spear-head". In The War of the Jewels, which seems to be the last matter J.R.R. Tolkien wrote on it, it is derived from aeg, "sharp", and thel, "intent, resolve". This would translate "one of sharp resolve".

References

• Unfinished Tales, Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin
• The Silmarillion, Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin
• The Silmarillion, Of Maeglin
• The Lost Road and Other Writings, The later Annals of Beleriand
• The Lost Road and Other Writings, Quenta Silmarillion
• The Lost Road and Other Writings, The Etymologies
• The Book of Lost Tales Part 1, The Coming of the Valar and the Building of Valinor
• The Book of Lost Tales Part 2, The Fall of Gondolin
• The War of the Jewels, Maeglin

See also

• Images of Ecthelion