Hildórien
| Hildórien | |
|---|---|
| Region | |
 | |
| "First Sunrise" by Lady Elleth | |
| General Information | |
| Pronunciation | hil-door-ee-en |
| Other names | Land of the Followers |
| Location | Far East of Middle-earth |
| Type | Region |
| People and History | |
| Inhabitants | Men |
| Events | Awakening of Men |
| Gallery | Images of Hildórien |
- "At the first rising of the Sun the Younger Children of Ilúvatar awoke in the land of Hildórien in the eastward regions of Middle-earth."
- ― Quenta Silmarillion, "Of Men"
Hildórien was the land in the far east of Middle-earth in which the first Men or Hildor awoke near the end of the First Age.[1][2]
It was said among the Elves that Morgoth went there and put a darkness in the hearts of the Men.[3] Some Men, who were at war with those who fell under the Shadow, fled Hildórien seeking the Light of the West.[4]
Etymology[edit | edit source]
The Silmarillion appendix confirms that Hildórien is of the same root as the word Hildor.[5] It can be therefore understood as Quenya hildor + -ien, therefore "Land of the Followers".
Geography[edit | edit source]
Hildorien was far to the east of Cuiviénen, where the first Elves awoke.[6] It may have been located on Middle-earth's shore with the East Sea and surrounded by the Mountains of the Wind.[7]
Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]
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In The Book of Lost Tales, Men awoke in a hidden valley called the Vale of Murmenalda, the Vale of Sleep, or Slumbrous Dale. It was enclosed by a wall of encircling mountains, east of Palisor, described as "hallowed" and full of sweet fragrances and odours, and songs of nightingales, its beauty being comparable to Valinor. It was full of sleeping figures.
It was discovered by the Dark Elf Nuin after finding a passage through the mountain wall. Nuin almost swooned at its loveliness and was puzzled by the Sleepers. Despite Tû's warnings, Nuin visited it often to watch the Sleepers until, overcome with curiosity, he woke the first pair of them.[8]
Murmenalda is Qenya, composed of murme "sleep" (root MURU) and nalda (root NLDL).[9]
See also[edit | edit source]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Men"
- ↑ 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 Coming of Men into the West"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "Of Dwarves and Men"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Carl F. Hostetter (ed.), The Nature of Middle-earth, "Part One. Time and Ageing: VI. The Awaking of the Quendi", p. 38
- ↑ In a very early map of symmetrical Arda, there is a region marked "Hildorien" at the eastern shores Middle-earth and enclosed on three sides by the Mountains of the Wind. See J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "V. The Ambarkanta: Map IV"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "X. Gilfanon's Tale: The Travail of the Noldoli and the Coming of Mankind"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Appendix: Names in the Lost Tales – Part I
