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you actually left out what appears the last note concerning the nature of Huan and the Eagles found in Morgoth's Ring
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I just posted what someone else had said in another thread. I'm not currently brushed up on my HoME enough to be giving quotes myself (no time either, lots of tests this week). When I get the time (probably over Christmas break) I'll comb over the whole thing myself.
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and we can perhaps extend this to the Eagles
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Perhaps.
So, Tolkien appears to have flip-flopped a bit, which I can understand given the problem of procreation among the Ainur (whether or not it was possible).
I certainly cannot imagine one of the "good guys" procreating with a common, souless beast. But if two Ainu could indeed procreate (as long as they became incarnate), that leads to many possibilities. For example, if there was a female balrog (which is entirely possible, the Sun after all is guided by a female spirit of flame) then the balrogs could've had balrog children. Dragons could've had children.
But then there's this problem- how can two Ainu, who are by their nature discarnate, produce an incarnate?
Ainu are not incarnate in their beginnings. They are spiritual beings by nature. They only become incarnate through excessive contact with the incarnate world (through a physical form). So is it possible for a being who's nature is spirit to be incarnate at their conception? Would they still be considered Ainu if their base nature wasn't discarnate?
I think I'll try doing a search of similar topics when I get home tonight to see if any of this has been addressed (in depth) here on the Downs.
[ 06:18 PM November 25, 2003: Message edited by: the phantom ]