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{{infobox character
| people=[[Noldor|Noldo]]
| name=Idril
| image=Anna Lee - Idril.jpg
| caption="Idril" by [[Anna Lee]]
| pronun=[[Sindarin|S]], [i'dril kelebri'ndal]
| othernames=''Itarillë'' ([[Quenya|Q]], [[Father-name|fn]]),<br/>''Celebrindal'' ([[Sindarin|S]], [[epessë]])
| titles=Princess of [[Gondolin]], Lady of [[Havens of Sirion]], the Far-Sighted
| position=
| location=[[Eldamar]]<br/>[[Vinyamar]]<br/>[[Gondolin]]<br/>[[Havens of Sirion]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Quenya]]<br/>[[Sindarin]]<br/>Possibly [[Vanyarin]]
| birth={{YT|1479}}<ref>{{NM|P1x}}, p. 72</ref>
| birthlocation=[[Eldamar]]
| rule=
| sailedwest={{FA|525}}
| sailedfrom=[[Mouths of Sirion]], [[Beleriand]]
| age=c. 726<ref group="note">[[Years of the Sun]]. Each [[Years of the Trees|Year of the Trees]] is equal to 9.582 Years of the Sun, and the Years of the Trees ended in the [[Year of the Trees 1500|year 1500]].</ref>
| notablefor=Building of the [[Idril's secret way|secret way]]
| house=[[House of Fingolfin]]
| parentage=[[Turgon]] & [[Elenwë]] 
| siblings=
| spouse=[[Tuor]]
| children=[[Eärendil]]
| gender=Female
| height=Tall as a warrior's stature
| hair=Golden as Laurelin before the coming of Melkor
| eyes=
| clothing=[[Elfstone|Elessar]], Barefoot and Bareheaded
| weapons=
| steed=[[Eärrámë]] (ship)
|}}
{{quote|But fairer than all the wonders of Gondolin was Idril, Turgon's daughter, she that was called Celebrindal, the Silver-foot, whose hair was as the gold of Laurelin before the coming of Melkor.|''[[Quenta Silmarillion]]'', "[[Of the Noldor in Beleriand]]"}}

'''Idril Celebrindal''' was the daughter of King [[Turgon]] of [[Gondolin]], the wife of [[Tuor]] and the mother of [[Eärendil|Eärendil the Mariner]].

Of the [[Noldor]] who [[Flight of the Noldor|returned]] to [[Middle-earth]] documented to have [[Vanyar]]in ancestry, Idril has the most, being five-eighths Vanyarin by ancestry. Her Vanyarin mother [[Elenwë]] died during the crossing at [[Helcaraxë]], and so did not set foot in Middle-earth.

==History==
Idril Celebrindal was the only child of Turgon. She participated in the [[Flight of the Noldor]], and had to cross the [[Helcaraxë]] with the host of Fingolfin. She and her mother Elenwë fell into the bitter waters, and Turgon risked his life to save them. But he only could save Idril, and her mother was covered in fallen ice.<ref>{{PM|XI4}}, pp. 343-344</ref>
[[File:Marya Filatova - Grinding Ice.jpg|200px|left|thumb|''Grinding Ice'' by [[Marya Filatova]]]]
Together with [[Orodreth]] and [[Celebrimbor]], she was one of the three Noldor in the third generation to come into exile. She lived in [[Vinyamar]] in the first years after the Flight, but later she moved with her people to the Hidden City of [[Gondolin]] between {{FA|64}} and {{FA|116|n}}.<ref>{{WJ|P1}}, §§88, 113</ref> In the city, the smithcraft [[Enerdhil]] made the famous gem [[Elfstone|Elessar]], and he gave it to Idril, who wore it upon her breast.<ref name="Elessar">{{UT|Elessar}}, p. 249</ref>

[[Maeglin]], the son of [[Aredhel]], Turgon's sister, became interested on Idril even before coming to the city, and when he saw her for the first time "she seemed to him as the sun from which all the King's hall drew its light." She was the only one who could pierce into his mind, and knowing his thought of her she loved him the less, as they were too closely related.<ref>{{S|Maeglin}}</ref>

When Tuor son of [[Huor]] was received in Gondolin, Idril sat on the left of her father. And while living there, the heart of Idril was turned to Tuor, and his to her. Because Turgon had grown to love Tuor as a son (as he had his father before), and remembering the last words of Huor, he allowed Idril and Tuor to wed, thus bringing about the second [[Unions of Elves and Men|union of Elves and Men]], after [[Beren]] and [[Lúthien]].<ref name="Tuor">{{S|Gondolin}}</ref> From them [[Eärendil]] [[Half-elven]] was born, and she gave him the [[mother-name]] ''[[Ardamírë]]'', that foretold his destiny.<ref>{{PM|Finwe}}, p. 348</ref>

Years later, Morgoth had increased his efforts to find the city, "but Idril Celebrindal was wise and farseeing, and her heart misgave her, and foreboding crept upon her spirit as a cloud." Therefore, Idril let prepare a [[Idril's secret way|secret way]], and she contrived that this work was not known to Maeglin. Thus, when the [[Fall of Gondolin]] began, she and Tuor were able to lead many [[Exiles of Gondolin|survivors]] out of the city and save their lives.<ref name="Tuor" />

After the fall of Gondolin, Idril and Tuor became leaders of the exiles at the [[Havens of Sirion]], where they also received [[Elwing]], daughter of [[Dior]], son of Beren and Lúthien.

When Tuor grew old, he departed in his ship [[Eärrámë]] for the [[Aman|West]], and Idril went with him. Before leaving, she gave the [[Elfstone|Elessar]] to her son, saying: "''The Elessar I leave with thee, for there are grievous hurts to Middle-earth which thou maybe shalt heal.''"<ref name="Elessar" /> It is believed by the Elves and [[Dúnedain]] that Idril and Tuor arrived in Valinor, and it is said that Tuor became reckoned in the kindred of the Elves, so that they both live in [[Valinor]].<ref name="Tuor" />

==Etymology==
{{Pronounce|Idril Celebrindal.mp3|Ardamir}}
The [[Sindarin]] name ''Idril'' is not glossed, but the form of her [[Quenya]] name '''''Itarillë''''' (or ''Itarildë'') means "Sparkling Brilliance".<ref>{{S|Appendix}}, entry ''[[ril]]''</ref>

She was called '''''Celebrindal''''' ("Silver-foot"), because she always went barefoot,<ref>{{S|Noldor}}</ref> from ''[[celeb]]'' ("silver") + ''[[tâl]]'' ("foot").<ref>{{S|Appendix}}, entries ''[[celeb]]'', ''[[tâl]]''</ref> Its Quenya equivalent with the same meaning was '''''Tyeleptalëa'''''.<ref>{{NM|Galadriel}}, p. 349</ref>

==Genealogy==
[[File:Quentandil - Idril Celebrindal device.png|120px|thumb|[[Idril Celebrindal]]'s [[Heraldry|heraldic]] device, depicting a [[menelluin]], with 12 points]]
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree| | | | | | | | | FNG |y| ANA | | | | | | | | | | |FNG=[[Fingolfin]]<br /><small>''{{YT|1190}} - {{FA|456}}''</small>|ANA=[[Anairë]]<br /><small>''b. {{YT}}''</small>}}
{{familytree| |,|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|-|-|^|-|v|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|.| |}}
{{familytree| FIN | | TUR |y| ELE | | ARE |y| EOL | | ARG|FIN=[[Fingon]]<br /><small>''{{YT|1260}} - {{FA|472}}''</small>|ARE=[[Aredhel]]<br /><small>''{{YT|1362}} - {{FA|400}}''</small>|TUR=[[Turgon]]<br /><small>''{{YT|1300}} - {{FA|510}}''</small>|ELE=[[Elenwë]]<br /><small>''d. {{YT|1500}}''</small>|EOL=[[Eöl]]<br /><small>''d. {{FA|400}}''</small>|ARG=[[Argon]]<br /><small>''d. {{FA|1}}''</small>}}
{{familytree| | | | | | | |!| | | | | | | |!| | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree| | | TUO |y| IDR | | | | | | MAE | | | | | ||MAE=[[Maeglin]]<br /><small>''{{FA|320}} - {{FA|510|n}}''</small>|IDR='''IDRIL'''<br /><small>''b. {{YT}}''</small>|TUO=[[Tuor]]<br /><small>''b. {{FA|472}}''</small>}}
{{familytree| | | | | |!| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree| | | | | EAR |y| ELW | | | | | | | | | | | | |EAR=[[Eärendil]]<br /><small>''b. {{FA|503}}''</small>|ELW=[[Elwing]]<br /><small>''b. {{FA|503}}''</small>}}
{{familytree| | | | | |,|-|^|-|.| | | | | | | | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree| | | | | ELS | | ELD | | | | | | | | | | | | |ELS=[[Elros]]<br /><small>''{{FA|532}} - {{SA|442}}''</small>|ELD=[[Elrond]]<br /><small>''b. {{FA|532}}''</small>}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In ''[[The Book of Lost Tales]]'', ''Idril'' meant "Beloved" in [[Gnomish]], but Elves often called her ''Idhril'', or in [[Qenya]] ''Irildë'', which meant "mortal maiden", because she married Tuor.<ref>{{LT2|Appendix}}, entry "Idril"</ref> Her after name "Silver Feet" was ''Tal-Celeb'' in Gnomish, and ''Taltelepta'' in Qenya.<ref>{{LT2|IIIn}}, p. 216</ref>

Idril's fate was woven with Tuor's since she first saw him from a high window the day he came to the city. Tuor also loved her in secret for many years until his heart was full, and Turgon did not oppose to their union. This was the first [[Unions of Elves and Men|marriage between a Man and an Elf]], and it was made in [[Gar Ainion]] to the great joy of the [[Gondothlim]], except [[Meglin]].<ref name="Gondolin">{{LT2|III}}</ref>{{rp|164}}

Idril had great skill to see the hearts of Elves and Men, and a special power to [[Foresight|foresee the future]]. Thus, one year after the birth of [[Eärendel]], she told Tuor of a dream she had: Meglin threw their son into a furnace and he wanted to thrust them in too. Therefore, she asked Tuor to begin the building of a [[Idril's secret way|secret way]].<ref name="Gondolin" />{{rp|167–8}} Seven years later, Idril became taciturn, and prophesied to Tuor that he would have to make a choice, and that the time was near. Her husband could not understand her, but obeyed her counsels.<ref name="Gondolin" />{{rp|170–1}}
[[File:Marya Filatova - Action-girl-Idril.jpg|thumb|right|''Action-girl Idril'' by [[Marya Filatova]]]]
When the [[Fall of Gondolin]] began, she arrayed herself in mail, and gave Eärendel a tiny mail coat she had ordered in secret.<ref name="Gondolin" />{{rp|174}} But her house was attacked by the [[folk of the Mole]], and Meglin tried to throw Eärendel from the walls while dragging her by the hair to make her see it. But Eärendel resisted and "she fought, alone as she was, like a tigress for all her beauty and slenderness". Then came Tuor and his [[folk of the Wing]], saving them. Her husband left her there with [[Voronwë]] and other men, and went to battle.<ref name="Gondolin" />{{rp|177–8}}

During the siege of the city, Idril was in the door of her house and sent most of her guard down the secret tunnel with Eärendel. But she refused to leave without her lord. Meanwhile, she gathered women and wanderers, showing them the secret tunnel; and her men helped her fighting marauders, but they might not dissuade her from bearing a sword. However, a band of enemies took over the house, and Idril became distraught by grief and fatigue, and running away from the house she arrived to Gar Ainion. There Tuor found her like in the day of their wedding, but she could not recognize him: she was out of her mind, watching the fall of her father. Then Tuor took her and went down the secret tunnel. When the [[Exiles of Gondolin]] reached [[Tumladin]], she spoke against those who wanted to march to the [[Way of Escape]], explaining it was no longer protected, "''for what magic stands if Gondolin be fallen?''"<ref name="Gondolin" />{{rp|186–9}} After the survivors were saved by the [[Eagles]], Idril and her people wore an eagle as emblem.<ref name="Gondolin" />{{rp|193}}

Tolkien did not finish ''The Book of Lost Tales'', so the end of Idril and Tuor is very different in each outline of their story. Like in the published ''Silmarillion'', in all versions Tuor sails west after falling into age. In the most repeated version, Tuor sails without Idril, who grieves him with Eärendel; later she vanishes (sailing at night).<ref name="Earendel">{{LT2|V}}</ref>{{rp|253–4}} In another version, Idril swam after her husband.<ref name="Earendel" />{{rp|260}} In a separate note, Tolkien considered her death,<ref name="Earendel" />{{rp|263}} but this contradicts the last one he chose, in which "Tuor and Idril some say sail now in [[Eärrámë|Swanwing]] and may be seen going swift down the wind at down and dusk".<ref name="Earendel" />{{rp|255}}

{{references|notes}}

[[Category:Calaquendi]]
[[Category:Characters in The Book of Lost Tales]]
[[Category:Characters in The Silmarillion]]
[[Category:First Age characters]]
[[Category:Gnomish names]]
[[Category:Gondolindrim]]
[[Category:House of Fingolfin]]
[[Category:Noldor]]
[[Category:Rulers in Beleriand]]
[[Category:Sindarin names]]
[[de:Idril]]
[[fi:Idril]]
[[fr:encyclo/personnages/elfes/noldor/idril]]