Hildórien
Hildórien (Q: "Land of the Followers", pron. N [hilˈdoːri.en], V [xilˈdoːri.en])[source?] was the land in the far east of Middle-earth in which the first Men or Hildor, awoke at the beginning of the First Age.[1][2] It was said among the Elves, that Morgoth went there and put a darkness in the hearts of 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
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".
Other versions of the Legendarium
In The Book of Lost Tales, Men awoke in a hidden valley called Murmenalda, the Vale of Sleep or Slumbrous Dale. It was enclosed by a wall of encircling mountains, east of Palisor, discovered by the Dark Elf Nuin after finding a passage through them. The valley is described as "hallowed" and full of sweet fragrances and odours, and songs of nightingales, its beauty being comparable to Valinor and Nuin almost swooned at its loveliness. It was full of sleeping figures. Despite Tu's warnings, Nuin visited it often to watch the Sleepers until, overcome with curiosity, he woke the first pair of them.[6]
Murmenalda is Qenya, composed of murme "sleep" (root MURU) and nalda (root NLDL).[7]
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, 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
