Glingal and Belthil: Difference between revisions

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'''Glingal''' was the golden tree made by [[Turgon of Gondolin]] in memory of [[Laurelin]], one of the [[Two Trees of Valinor]]. Its mate was [[Belthil]].
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'''Glingal''' and '''Belthil''' were two trees made by [[Turgon]] in the image of the [[Two Trees of Valinor]].


==History==
After building [[Gondolin]] upon [[Amon Gwareth]], the [[Gondolindrim]] never ceased to work on embellishing the city. [[Turgon]] himself wrought two images of the Trees of old. These stood in his court, "and the Tree which he made of gold was named ''Glingal'', and the Tree whose flowers he made of silver was named ''Belthil''".<ref>{{S|15}}</ref>
It is also said that they shone with their own light, which filled all the ways of the city.<ref>{{WJ|12}}, p. 200</ref>
==Etymology==
Both names are [[Sindarin]]:
*''Glingal'' means "Hanging Flame",<ref>{{LR|P2VI}}, p. 210</ref> from ''gling-'' ([[Noldorin|N]]. "hang") and [[root]] [[KAL]]<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}, entries "GLING", "KAL", "LING"</ref> [[Robert Foster]] additionally suggests the translation "gleaming light".<ref>{{HM|Guide}}, entry "Glingal"</ref>
*''Belthil'' means "Divine Radiance",<ref>{{S|Index}}, entry "Belthil"</ref> from the roots [[BAL]] and [[SIL]]/[[THIL]].<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}, entries "BAL", "SIL", "THIL"</ref>
==Other versions of the legendarium==
In ''[[The Book of Lost Tales]]'' they were called '''''Glingol''''' and '''''Bansil''''', and they were not wrought with elven-craft, but were real trees, surviving shoots of the Two Trees destroyed by [[Melko]]. They stood in the [[Square of the King]], on either side of the doors of the palace.<ref name=Gondolin>{{LT2|III}}</ref>{{rp|160}} During the [[Fall of Gondolin]], the surviving [[Twelve houses of the Gondothlim|houses of the Gondothlim]] barricaded themselves in the Square, and there was a rally of men beneath the two trees to hear King Turgon. There he proclaimed the fall of Gondolin, and refusing to fight against [[Doom of Mandos|Doom]], he cast his crown at the roots of Glingol. Later, when the Square was burned down by the enemy, "Glingol was withered to the stock and Bansil was blackened utterly".<ref name=Gondolin></ref>{{rp|184-186}}
{{references}}
[[Category:Gondolin]]
[[Category:Trees]]
[[Category:Trees]]
[[de:Glingal]]
[[de:Glingal]]
[[fi:Glingal]]
[[fi:Glingal]]

Revision as of 17:47, 27 April 2022

Glingal and Belthil were two trees made by Turgon in the image of the Two Trees of Valinor.

History

After building Gondolin upon Amon Gwareth, the Gondolindrim never ceased to work on embellishing the city. Turgon himself wrought two images of the Trees of old. These stood in his court, "and the Tree which he made of gold was named Glingal, and the Tree whose flowers he made of silver was named Belthil".[1]

It is also said that they shone with their own light, which filled all the ways of the city.[2]

Etymology

Both names are Sindarin:

Other versions of the legendarium

In The Book of Lost Tales they were called Glingol and Bansil, and they were not wrought with elven-craft, but were real trees, surviving shoots of the Two Trees destroyed by Melko. They stood in the Square of the King, on either side of the doors of the palace.[8]:160 During the Fall of Gondolin, the surviving houses of the Gondothlim barricaded themselves in the Square, and there was a rally of men beneath the two trees to hear King Turgon. There he proclaimed the fall of Gondolin, and refusing to fight against Doom, he cast his crown at the roots of Glingol. Later, when the Square was burned down by the enemy, "Glingol was withered to the stock and Bansil was blackened utterly".[8]:184-186

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Noldor in Beleriand"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Two. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: Of Turgon and the Building of Gondolin (Chapter 12)", p. 200
  3. 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, VI. Quenta Silmarillion", p. 210
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", entries "GLING", "KAL", "LING"
  5. Robert Foster, The Complete Guide to Middle-earth, entry "Glingal"
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Index of Names", entry "Belthil"
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", entries "BAL", "SIL", "THIL"
  8. 8.0 8.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "III. The Fall of Gondolin"