Aegnor

From Tolkien Gateway
This article is about the Noldo of the First Age. For the film character also called "Aegnor", see Figwit.
Aegnor
Noldo
Elena Kukanova - Aegnor 2.jpg
"Aegnor" by Elena Kukanova
Biographical Information
PronunciationS, [ˈa͡ɛɡnor]
Other namesAmbaráto (Q, fn)
Aikanáro (Q, mn)
PositionLord of Dorthonion
LocationEldamar
Dorthonion
LanguageQuenya
Sindarin
BirthBetween Y.T. 1300 & 1362[note 1]
Eldamar
RuleF.A. 7 - 455
DeathF.A. 455 (aged between c. 1,726 & c. 2,297[note 2])
In the Dagor Bragollach
Family
HouseHouse of Finarfin
ParentageFinarfin & Eärwen
SiblingsFinrod
Angrod
Galadriel
SpouseNever married (loved Andreth)
ChildrenNone
Physical Description
GenderMale
HeightTall
Hair colorGolden
GalleryImages of Aegnor
"He is a warrior, Andreth, and a spirit of wrath. In every stroke that he deals he sees the Enemy who long ago did thee this hurt."
Finrod about Aegnor in Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth

Aegnor was a son of Finarfin and a lord of the Noldor. He was terrible to endure in battle and a fire burned in his eyes. His golden hair was stiff and straight. Aegnor's spirit burned relentless, even at a young age, but he was also thought of as generous and noble among the Firstborn.[1]

History[edit | edit source]

Aegnor was the elder brother of Galadriel and the younger brother of Finrod Felagund and Angrod.[2] He had a strong friendship with Fingon and grace to him, and he followed the Exiles under the host of Fingolfin with his brother Angrod.[3]

He settled with his brother on the northern slopes of Dorthonion.[4] There, in the reflection of Aeluin, he saw the young Andreth and they fell in love with each other. However, he could not return her love during the Siege of Angband, since according to the customs of the Eldar, no marriages were usually desired during a time of war. It is said that because of her sake, he would never take any Elven bride.[5]

Together with Angrod he held the highlands of Dorthonion against Morgoth. Aegnor and Angrod were both slain in the Dagor Bragollach by the flames from Thangorodrim.[6]

It was Aegnor's love for Andreth that brought about the memorable conversation between Andreth and Finrod titled Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Aegnor was the Sindarin version of Aikanáro, although it was not true Sindarin, as there was no equivalent to aica, which would take the form aeg.[1] However, both Aegnor and Aikanáro are glossed as "Sharp-flame" at some point,[5] so Aegnor could easily be a combination of aeg ("sharp") + the suffixal form of naur ("fire").

Other names[edit | edit source]

The original name of Aegnor was Aikanáro, his Quenya mother-name, meaning "Fell Fire", from aika("fell", "terrible", "dire") + nár ("fire") + -o (pronominal suffix). This was in part a prophetic name, as he was one of the most valiant warriors, with fire in his eyes.[1] If literally translated into Sindarin, Aikanáro would have been rendered as Goenor, including the adjective goeo ("terror, great fear").[7]

His Quenya father-name was Ambaráto. It seems to mean "High Champion" and to be a compound of amba ("up") and aráto ("champion").[8] Its Sindarin version would have been Amrod, but to distinguish himself from the other Noldo Angrod and because he preferred it, he used his mother-name.[1]

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

Míriel
d. Y.T. 1170
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Finwë
d. Y.T. 1495
 
Indis
b. Y.T.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Olwë
b. Y.T.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fëanor
Y.T. 1169 - 1497
 
Findis
b. Y.T.
 
Fingolfin
Y.T. 1190 - F.A. 456
 
Írimë
b. Y.T.
 
Finarfin
b. Y.T. 1230
 
 
 
 
 
Eärwen
b. Y.T.
 
unknown sons
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Finrod
Y.T. 1300 - F.A. 465
 
Angrod
d. F.A. 455
 
Eldalótë
b. Y.T.
 
AEGNOR
d. F.A. 455
 
Galadriel
b. Y.T. 1362
 
Celeborn
b. F.A.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Orodreth
d. F.A. 495
 
 
 
 
 
Elrond
b. F.A. 532
 
Celebrían
b. S.A.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FinduilasNB
F.A. 272 - 495
 
Gil-galad
d. S.A. 3441
 
Elladan
b. T.A. 130
 
Elrohir
b. T.A. 130
 
Arwen
T.A. 241 - Fo.A. 121
 

Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

In such early writings as The Lost Tales and The Lay of Leithian, the precursor of Aegnor was called Egnor, and he was one of the sons of Finrod (later Finarfin) who fell during the Siege of Angband.[9][10] The variation Eignor is also encountered in some texts.[11]

In The Later Annals of Valinor, Angrod, Aegnor, and Orodreth had a great friendship with Celegorm and Curufin; so much so that when "Fëanor and his folk seized all the ships and sailed east across the sea, and they took none of the other companies save Orodreth, Angrod, and Egnor (Aegnor), whom Celegorm and Curufin loved".[12]

Notes

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Two. The Annals of Aman: Commentary on the fourth section of the Annals of Aman", p. 106 lists 1300 as the birth of Finrod (then named "Inglor") and 1362 as the birth of Galadriel.
  2. Years of the Sun. Each Year of the Trees is equal to 9.582 Years of the Sun, and the Years of the Trees ended in the year 1500.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "XI. The Shibboleth of Fëanor", "The names of Finwë's descendants", p. 347
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor"
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Flight of the Noldor"
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Beleriand and its Realms"
  5. 5.0 5.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Four. Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth: 'The Debate of Finrod and Andreth'", pp. 323-4
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin"
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "XI. The Shibboleth of Fëanor", "Notes", p. 363, note 45
  8. Paul Strack, "Q. Ambaráto m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 1 March 2024)
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lays of Beleriand, "III. The Lay of Leithian", passim
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, passim
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, Carl F. Hostetter (ed.), The Nature of Middle-earth, "Part Two. Body, Mind and Spirit: X. Notes on Órë", p. 222
  12. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Part Two: Valinor and Middle-earth before The Lord of the Rings, II. The Later Annals of Valinor", p. 116
Aegnor
House of Finarfin
Cadet branch of the House of Finwë
Born: Between Y.T. 1300 & 1362 Died: F.A. 455
None
Position established
Lord of Dorthonion
F.A. 7455 (with Angrod)
None
Realm destroyed