 | |
| Half-elven | |
| Eluréd and Elurín | |
|---|---|
| Biographical Information | |
| Location | Ossiriand Doriath |
| Language | Sindarin (Doriathrin) Presumably Bëorian |
| Birth | F.A. 500 Near Lanthir Lamath |
| Death | c. F.A. 507 (presumed dead) (aged 7) Doriath |
| Family | |
| House | House of Bëor |
| Parentage | Dior and Nimloth |
| Siblings | Elwing |
| Physical Description | |
| Gender | Male |
| Gallery | Images of Eluréd and Elurín |
Eluréd and Elurín were the sons, and eldest children of Dior Eluchíl and Nimloth.[1]
History
Eluréd and Elurín were twins and had a younger sister Elwing, and all three had been born in Lanthir Lamath while their grandparents Beren and Lúthien lived there. However, after the host of the Naugrim had plundered Menegroth, their father Dior brought his entire family to the Thousand Caves to renew the kingdom of Doriath.
But soon, after not many years had passed, a messenger brought the Nauglamír to Dior, which told him that Beren and Lúthien were gone from the world. The news that the Necklace of the Dwarves, which bore one of the Silmarils, was in Dior's keeping provoked the sons of Fëanor to attack Menegroth.
In the ensuing conflict, both Dior and Nimloth were slain and Eluréd and Elurín were captured, while Elwing escaped with the Silmaril. The two young boys were then taken into the woods by the servants of Celegorm, in retribution for their lord's death, and left to starve.
Maedhros, the eldest son of Fëanor, however repented and sought for the two but never found them and their fate remained unknown.[2]
It was afterwards said that the brothers were lost and died,[3] however some accounts say that they were saved by wild birds, and eventually found their way in secret back to Ossiriand.[4]
Etymology
The Sindarin name of Eluréd is said to mean the same as the boy's father's name, Eluchíl, that is, "Heir of Elu".[1] Therefore it contains the name Elu and the Bëorian word rêda "heir".[5]
Genealogy
Other versions of the legendarium
Eluréd
In an early stage, Eluréd was called "Elbereth", an Ilkorin name containing the word bereth "valor". During the writing of The Lord of the Rings, the name was applied to Varda, and the original meaning[note 1] was struck out and the character was renamed "Eldún".[6]
In the genealogical table of the House of Bëor, "Eldún"'s date of birth was given as F.A. 492 (and he was not a twin). He and his brother did die in 506 but their father died in 511. In commentary following the table, Christopher Tolkien explained the year of 511 for Dior's death was incorrect and that in later sources the two brothers were twins born in F.A. 500.[3]
Elurín
In an early stage, Eluréd was called "Elboron", and his brother "Elbereth", both Ilkorin names. During the writing of The Lord of the Rings, the name Elbereth was applied to Varda, and the brothers were renamed as "Eldún" and "Elrún".[7][note 2]
According to The War of the Jewels, the brothers were saved by wild birds after being abandoned in the woods of Doriath, and eventually found their way in secret back to Ossiriand,[4]
In the genealogical table of the House of Bëor, "Elrún"'s date of birth was given as F.A. 495 (and he was not a twin). He and his brother did die in 506 but their father died in 511. In commentary following the table, Christopher Tolkien explained the year of 511 for Dior's death was incorrect and that in later sources the two brothers were twins born in F.A. 500.[3]
See also
- Auredhir, Dior's son in the early versions of the legendarium
Notes
- ↑ Thus probably envisioned as *"star-valor"
- ↑ As the name appears in The Etymologies under the stem RO, it is possible that the name means *"star-rise"
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Index of Names"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Ruin of Doriath"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Two. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Coming of Men into the West (Chapter 14)", (i) The House of Bëor
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals": §5
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "XII. The Problem of Ros", p. 369
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", entries BARATH, BER
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", entries BARATH, BER, RO