Grond (battering ram): Difference between revisions

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The battering ram used to destroy [[Minas Tirith]]'s [[Great Gate]] during the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. It took its name from the ancient weapon of [[Morgoth]]: [[Grond (Hammer of the Underworld)]].
{{disambig-two|the battering ram|weapon used by [[Morgoth]]|[[Grond (Hammer of the Underworld)]]}}
[[File:The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King - Grond.jpg|thumb|250px|Grond, as portrayed in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'']]


'''Grond''' was a battering ram, used by [[Sauron]]'s forces to destroy the [[Great Gate of Minas Tirith|Great Gate]] of [[Minas Tirith]] during the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. The ram was "a hundred feet in length", and its head was of black steel, made to resemble a wolf. It is told that Grond had been induced with "[[magic|spells of ruin]]". During the Siege of Gondor, Grond was drawn to the Great Gate by "[[great beasts]]" and was wielded by [[mountain-trolls]].<ref name=RKV4>{{RK|V4}}</ref>
==Etymology==
''Grond'' means "very weighty and ponderous" in [[Sindarin]].<ref>{{PE|17}}, pp. 99, 183</ref> It was named intentionally to evoke the memory of the ancient weapon of [[Morgoth]], the "[[Grond (Hammer of the Underworld)|Hammer of the Underworld]]".<ref name=RKV4/>
== Portrayal in Adaptions ==
<gallery>
File:The Return of the King (1980 film) - Grond.png|Grond, as portrayed in [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]</gallery>
'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:The ram took the shape of the whole wolf's body, rather of just its head. [[Gothmog (Lieutenant of Morgul)|Gothmog]] called it in after a smaller battering ram proved futile against the great gates.
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[[Category:Weapons]]
[[Category:Weapons]]
[[de:Grond (Riesenramme)]]
[[fr:/encyclo/artefacts/armes/grond_d_angband]]
[[fi:Grond (muurinmurtaja)]]

Revision as of 11:41, 7 July 2014

This article is about the battering ram. For the weapon used by Morgoth, see Grond (Hammer of the Underworld).

Grond was a battering ram, used by Sauron's forces to destroy the Great Gate of Minas Tirith during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. The ram was "a hundred feet in length", and its head was of black steel, made to resemble a wolf. It is told that Grond had been induced with "spells of ruin". During the Siege of Gondor, Grond was drawn to the Great Gate by "great beasts" and was wielded by mountain-trolls.[1]

Etymology

Grond means "very weighty and ponderous" in Sindarin.[2] It was named intentionally to evoke the memory of the ancient weapon of Morgoth, the "Hammer of the Underworld".[1]

Portrayal in Adaptions

2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King:

The ram took the shape of the whole wolf's body, rather of just its head. Gothmog called it in after a smaller battering ram proved futile against the great gates.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Siege of Gondor"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), pp. 99, 183