April 20, 2013

Of the Silvan Elves and the Ents

These events are tough to place in the chronology, they seemed, at least in my mind, to make sense here--around 1350-1450 Second Age.

The Silvan Elves were a branch of Elves that did not make the original journey to Valinor. They eventually settled in the woods near the Lonely Mountain and Long Lake (both key locations in The Hobbit). They had been kin and neighbors of the Elves of Lorien (or Lórinand) where Galadriel settled before moving. However, Oropher (father of Thranduil, father of Legolas) had resented the presence of Celeborn and Galadriel (I am not sure why) and also sought to move far form the growing number of Dwarves in Moria.

As for the region of Lorien the Galadhrim claimed governance of the woods. However: "There was no visible borders between Lorien and Fanghorn, but neither the Ents nor the Galadhrim ever passed them. For legend reported that Fanghorn himself had met the King of the Galadhrim in ancient days, and Fanghorn had said: 'I know mine, and you know yours; let neither side molest what is the other's. But if an Elf should wish to walk in my land for his pleasure he will be welcome; and if an Ent should be seen in your land fear no evil.' Long years had passed, however, since Ent or Elf had set foot in the other land" (p. 261, Unfinished Tales).

Middle-earth timeline: Second Age, circa 1350-1400
Today's reading comes from: Unfinished Tales, pages 258 and 261

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