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[[Image:María Lombide Ezpeleta - Eol's Swords.jpg|thumb|''Eol's Swords'' by [[María Lombide Ezpeleta]]]]
{{object infobox
| name=Anglachel
| image=[[File:María Lombide Ezpeleta - Eöl's Swords.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Eöl's Swords" by María Lombide Ezpeleta
| pronun=
| othernames=
| location=[[Nan Elmoth]], [[Menegroth]]
| owner=[[Thingol]], [[Beleg]]
| type=Weapon
| appearance=A glowing black blade that could slice through iron; forged from a meteorite
| creator=[[Eöl]]
| created=[[First Age]]
| createdlocation=[[Nan Elmoth]]
| destroyer=
| destroyed=Reforged as [[Gurthang]]
| destroyedlocation=
| notablefor=
}}
'''Anglachel''' was the sword forged by [[Eöl]] the [[Dark Elf]] from a meteorite. Its mate was [[Anguirel]]. The blade was black but also glowed and was so hard that it could easily slice through iron. It was said that it was imbued with Eöl's malice and was apparently sentient.
==History==
Eöl gave Anglachel to his lord, King [[Thingol]] of [[Doriath]], as payment for letting him dwell in the [[Nan Elmoth|Forest of Nan Elmoth]]. Thingol would not bear it, as [[Melian]] warned him that there was malice in the blade, so it stayed in the armoury of [[Menegroth]].
[[File:Elena Kukanova - Anglachel.jpg|thumb|left|Elena Kukanova - ''Anglachel'']]
In {{FA|487}} Thingol allowed [[Beleg|Beleg Strongbow]] to take any weapon in his search of his friend [[Túrin|Túrin Turambar]], and he took Anglachel. He tracked down the [[Orcs]] taking Túrin captive to [[Angband]] and in the dead of night, sought to free him in secret. But when he used Anglachel to cut the bonds of Túrin, due to the spite of its forger it slipped and pricked the unconscious body of Túrin. Awakening from his stupor, Túrin thought the Orcs had returned to torture him, and during the struggle he slew Beleg with the blade. After the fight, Anglachel's edges became dull and turned a dead black and for that time ceased to glow with a 'pale fire'. This was attributed to its apparent sentience as Anglachel was in a state of mourning over the slaying of Beleg.


'''Anglachel''' was the sword forged by [[Eöl]] the [[Dark Elf]] from a meteorite. Its mate was [[Anguirel]]. The blade glowed and could easily slice through iron. Eöl gave Anglachel to his lord, King [[Thingol]] of [[Doriath]], as payment for letting him dwell in the [[Nan Elmoth|Forest of Nan Elmoth]]. Thingol would not bear it, declaring that there was malice in the blade.
Túrin later reforged the sword with the help of the smiths of [[Nargothrond]]. The blade remained black, however, and Túrin renamed it '''[[Gurthang]]''', meaning 'iron of death'. Anglachel was the sword that Túrin used to kill [[Glaurung]].<ref>{{S|Turin}}</ref>


In [[First Age]] 487 [[Beleg Strongbow]] took Anglachel from Thingol's armoury and went to rescue his friend [[Túrin Turambar]]. He tracked down the [[Orcs]] holding Túrin and in the dead of night slew them. But when he tried to cut Túrin's bonds, his friend thought the Orcs had returned to torture him, and during the struggle he slew Beleg with the blade. Anglachel broke during the fight, turned a dead black and would no longer glow.
==Etymology==
[[Christopher Tolkien]] notes that ''Anglachel'' contains the [[Sindarin]] word ''[[ang]]'' ("iron") and probably the element ''[[lhach]]'' ("leaping flame").<ref>{{S|Appendix}}, entries ''ang'' and ''lhach''</ref> This would give the meaning "Flaming Iron". The last element in ''Anglachel'' could be ''êl'' ("star").<ref>[http://www.tolkiendil.com/langues/english/i-lam_arth/compound_sindarin_names Compound Sindarin Names in Middle-earth] at [http://www.tolkiendil.com Tolkiendil.com] (accessed 20 July 2011)</ref>


Túrin later reforged the sword with the help of the smiths of [[Nargothrond]]. The blade remained black, however, and Túrin renamed it '''[[Gurthang]]'''.
==See also==
*[[:Category:Images of Anglachel|Images of Anglachel]]


Anglachel means "Iron of the Flaming Star" in [[Sindarin]] (from ''[[ang]]'' = "iron", ''[[lach]]'' = "(leaping) flame", ''[[êl]]'' = "star").
{{References}}


{{weapons}}
{{weapons}}
 
[[Category:Sindarin names]]
[[Category:Weapons]]
[[Category:Swords]]
[[Category:Swords]]
[[de:Gurthang]]
[[fr:encyclo/artefacts/armes/anglachel]]
[[fi:Anglachel]]

Revision as of 17:19, 15 January 2018

Anglachel
Weapon
María Lombide Ezpeleta - Eöl's Swords.jpg
"Eöl's Swords" by María Lombide Ezpeleta
LocationNan Elmoth, Menegroth
OwnerThingol, Beleg
AppearanceA glowing black blade that could slice through iron; forged from a meteorite
CreatorEöl
Nan Elmoth, First Age
DestroyedReforged as Gurthang
GalleryImages of Anglachel

Anglachel was the sword forged by Eöl the Dark Elf from a meteorite. Its mate was Anguirel. The blade was black but also glowed and was so hard that it could easily slice through iron. It was said that it was imbued with Eöl's malice and was apparently sentient.

History

Eöl gave Anglachel to his lord, King Thingol of Doriath, as payment for letting him dwell in the Forest of Nan Elmoth. Thingol would not bear it, as Melian warned him that there was malice in the blade, so it stayed in the armoury of Menegroth.

Elena Kukanova - Anglachel

In F.A. 487 Thingol allowed Beleg Strongbow to take any weapon in his search of his friend Túrin Turambar, and he took Anglachel. He tracked down the Orcs taking Túrin captive to Angband and in the dead of night, sought to free him in secret. But when he used Anglachel to cut the bonds of Túrin, due to the spite of its forger it slipped and pricked the unconscious body of Túrin. Awakening from his stupor, Túrin thought the Orcs had returned to torture him, and during the struggle he slew Beleg with the blade. After the fight, Anglachel's edges became dull and turned a dead black and for that time ceased to glow with a 'pale fire'. This was attributed to its apparent sentience as Anglachel was in a state of mourning over the slaying of Beleg.

Túrin later reforged the sword with the help of the smiths of Nargothrond. The blade remained black, however, and Túrin renamed it Gurthang, meaning 'iron of death'. Anglachel was the sword that Túrin used to kill Glaurung.[1]

Etymology

Christopher Tolkien notes that Anglachel contains the Sindarin word ang ("iron") and probably the element lhach ("leaping flame").[2] This would give the meaning "Flaming Iron". The last element in Anglachel could be êl ("star").[3]

See also

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Túrin Turambar"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names", entries ang and lhach
  3. Compound Sindarin Names in Middle-earth at Tolkiendil.com (accessed 20 July 2011)
Weapons in Tolkien's legendarium
 Arrows:  Black Arrow · Dailir · Red Arrow
Axes:  Dramborleg · Durin's Axe
Bows:  Belthronding · Bow of Bregor · Bow of the Galadhrim
Knives:  Angrist · Barrow-blades · Morgul-knife · Sting
Maces:  Grond
Spears:  Aeglos
Swords:  Anglachel/Gurthang · Anguirel · Aranrúth · Dagmor · Glamdring · Glend · Gúthwinë · Herugrim · Narsil/Andúril ·  Orcrist · Ringil · Sword of Manwë