Nimloth (elf of Doriath)

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This article is about the wife of Dior Eluchíl. For the White Tree of Númenor, see Nimloth of Númenor.
Nimloth
Sinda
Rebecca M. Beit-Aharon - Dior and Nimloth.jpg
"Dior and Nimloth" by Rebecca M. Beit-Aharon
Biographical Information
TitlesQueen of Doriath
LocationOssiriand
Doriath
LanguageSindarin
DeathF.A. 506[1][note 1]
Menegroth (at the Second Kinslaying)
Family
ParentageGalathil
SpouseDior
ChildrenEluréd & Elurín
Elwing
Physical Description
GenderFemale
GalleryImages of Nimloth

Nimloth was an elf-maid of Doriath, the daughter of Galathil.[2][3]

History[edit | edit source]

In F.A. 497,[3] she wedded Dior, King Thingol's heir, and for a time lived with him by the Lanthir Lamath, a waterfall at the base of the Blue Mountains. There she gave birth to Eluréd and Elurín, her sons, and Elwing her only daughter.

After the murder of King Thingol, she returned to Doriath with her husband and became the queen of Doriath. Their reign was short-lived, however, as in Yule of F.A. 506[1] the Sons of Fëanor assaulted Menegroth and slew both her and Dior. Her sons, Eluréd and Elurín, were left in the forest to die by the servants of Celegorm. Elwing, however, escaped to the Havens of Sirion.[4]

Etymology and names[edit | edit source]

See: Nimloth (tree)#Etymology

The name Nimloth is in Sindarin. It is also the same name as the name of the White Tree of Númenor,[5] which means "White Blossom".[6]

The earlier name Lindis is also in Sindarin. According to Eldamo it is composed of lind ("song") + dîs ("bride").[7]

The name Elulin, according to Eldamo, consists of the elements Elu (the Sindarin form of Elwë) and lind ("song").[8]

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Melian
 
Thingol
d. F.A. 503
 
Elmo
b. Y.T.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Galadhon
b. Y.T.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Beren
F.A. 432 - 503
 
Lúthien
Y.T. 1200 - F.A. 503
 
Galathil
b. Y.T.
 
Celeborn
b. Y.T.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dior
F.A. 470 - 506
 
 
 
NIMLOTH
d. F.A. 506
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eärendil
b. F.A. 503
 
Elwing
b. F.A. 503
 
Eluréd
F.A. 500 - c. 507
 
Elurín
F.A. 500 - c. 507
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Elrond
b. F.A. 532
 
Elros
F.A. 532 - S.A. 442
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

The first time Dior's wife was mentioned in the legendarium, she was named Lindis.[3] An alternative name, Elulin, was given to her at roughly the same time.[9]

On the other side of a table with the descendants of Elwë (Thingol), Nimloth is the daughter of Galadhon and the 'sister of Celeborn'. It looks as if the second thought of J.R.R. Tolkien was that Nimloth was the daughter of Galathil and the niece of Celeborn.[3] Tolkien's later writings offer an alternate ancestry for Celeborn.[10]

Notes

  1. In the final version of the The Tale of Years from The War of the Jewels, Dior's wife is named Lindis, survives during the Second Kinslaying and escapes to Ossiriand alongside her daughter Elwing and with the Nauglamír, but later she turns her way towards the Havens of Sirion, hearing of the gathering of exiles from Gondolin in that place.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Three. The Wanderings of Húrin and Other Writings not forming part of the Quenta Silmarillion: V. The Tale of Years", stage 'D', manuscript 'D 2', p. 351
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", last paragraph before the section Concerning Galadriel and Celeborn, p. 233
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Three. The Wanderings of Húrin and Other Writings not forming part of the Quenta Silmarillion: V. The Tale of Years", stage 'D', p. 257
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Ruin of Doriath"
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Appendix E: The Names of Celeborn and Galadriel", fourth paragraph, p. 266
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, Index, entry Nimloth (1)
  7. Paul Strack, "S. Lindis f.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 23 March 2022)
  8. Paul Strack, "S. Elulin f.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 23 March 2022)
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Three. The Wanderings of Húrin and Other Writings not forming part of the Quenta Silmarillion: V. The Tale of Years", p. 350
  10. see Celeborn