 | |
| Noldo | |
| Aegnor | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Biographical Information | |
| Pronunciation | S, [ˈa͡ɛɡnor] |
| Other names | Ambaráto (Q, fn) Aikanáro (Q, mn) |
| Position | Lord of Dorthonion |
| Location | Eldamar Dorthonion |
| Language | Quenya Sindarin |
| Birth | Between Y.T. 1300 & 1362[note 1] Eldamar |
| Rule | F.A. 7 - 455 |
| Death | F.A. 455 (aged between c. 1,726 & c. 2,297[note 2]) In the Dagor Bragollach |
| Family | |
| House | House of Finarfin |
| Parentage | Finarfin & Eärwen |
| Siblings | Finrod Angrod Galadriel |
| Spouse | Never married (loved Andreth) |
| Children | None |
| Physical Description | |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | Tall |
| Hair colour | Golden |
| Gallery | Images 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.
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
Early history
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.[3]
As vassals of Finrod, he and Angrod held the highlands of Dorthonion against Morgoth during the Siege of Angband.[4] But, like Finrod, he had no trust that the Siege would hold Morgoth for long.[5]:434
In the time following the alliance of the Edain with the Elves, who had themselves become numerous and strong, Fingolfin pondered an assault upon Angband. Aegnor and Angrod, dwelling in regions where Thangorodrim could be descried, were alone among the chieftains of the Noldor who were of like mind; with most of the other Noldor being content with things as they were, trusting them to last, and slow to begin an assault in which many must surely perish. Thus, the designs of Fingolfin came to naught.[6]
Love with Andreth
While in Dorthonion, Aegnor fell in love with the human woman, Andreth, but from this he turned away.
The Elves considered it a grievous thing if a wedded pair were sundered during the bearing of a child, or while the first years of childhood lasted, and therefore they customarily avoid wedding or begetting children during times of war. The Eldar also recognized that any marriage between Elves and Men, being brief and hard, with the least cruel fate being that death would soon end it, shall only be for some high purpose of Doom.
While Aegnor's heart wished to take Andreth and flee far away, this would have forsaken his kin, to which love and loyalty held him to. Were they wed, then, as she grew old, he would have stayed at her side to uphold her, and she would have thus had in every hour pity inescapable, and he would not have her so shamed.
As the life and love of the Eldar dwelled much in memory, they would rather have a memory that is fair but unfinished than one that goes on to a grievous end. As such, Aegnor would ever remember her in the sun of morning, and that last evening by the water of Aeluin in which he saw her face mirrored with a star caught in her hair.
For her sake he would never take the hand of any bride from his own kindred, but live alone to the end; and even after death, forever remain in the Halls of Waiting until the end of Arda.[5]
Death
Aegnor and Angrod were both slain in the Dagor Bragollach.[6]
Etymology
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
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 directly translated into Sindarin, Aikanáro would have been rendered as Goenor, using the noun goe ("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]
In Ælfwine’s translation of the Quenta into Old English; Old English equivalents of Elvish names, he is called Eangrim.[9] "Ean" is not uncommon as an element in Old English and Germanic names, but the etymology is unknown.[10] "Grim" translates into meanings such as "fierce", "terrible", "cruel", "savage", "violent", "deadly", or "severe".[11]
Genealogy
| 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
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.[12][13] The variation Eignor is also encountered in some texts.[14]
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".[15]
Notes
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 1.0 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
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Flight of the Noldor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Beleriand and its Realms"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Four. Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth: 'The Debate of Finrod and Andreth'"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "XI. The Shibboleth of Fëanor", "Notes", p. 363, note 45
- ↑ Paul Strack, "Q. Ambaráto m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon, accessed 1 March 2024
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "III. The Quenta: Appendix 1: Fragments of a translation of The Quenta Noldorinwa into Old English, made by Ælfwine or Eriol; together with Old English equivalents of Elvish names"
- ↑ Germanic names
- ↑ An Anglo-Saxon dictionary : based on the manuscript collections of the late Joseph Bosworth. Supplement, pg. 486 (https://archive.org/details/anglosaxondictio00tolluoft/page/486/)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lays of Beleriand, "III. The Lay of Leithian", passim
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, passim
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 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
Born | Aegnor | Died |
None Position established | Lord of Dorthonion | None |