Reading this thread again and the fiting chapters in HoMe X I found myself very hesitating about
Vala-09. The problem of the shifting tenses in this chapter is not completly solved by these changes. And in view of Christopher Tolkiens remark
Quote:
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In all these cases, except 'he hated her, and feared her' on p. 26, the tense was changed from past to present. The change on p. 28 seems in any case mistaken (cf. p. 26, 'Manwe and Melkor were brethren in the thought of Iluvatar'); and to make any of them was probably a misjudgement. But the problem is real. A leading consideration in the preparation of the text was the achievement of coherence and consistency; and a fundamental problem was uncertainty as to the mode by which in my father's later thought the 'Lore of the Eldar' had been transmitted. But I now think that I attached too much importance to the aim of consistency, which may be present when not evident, and was too ready to deal with 'difficulties' simply by eliminating them.
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I wouldn't make these changes at all. At least "The Fëanturi, masters of spirits, were brethren ..." should be allowed to stand.
Vala-10:
"Mightier than Estë is Nienna, sister of
Vala-10{Námo}<
Sil77 the Fëanturi>; ..."
I don't think we should follow Christopher Tolkiens lead here. The concept of siplings among the Ainur seems to me very complex. I am not sure that in Tolkiens mind Niënna was the sister of Lóriën even if she was the sister of Mandos and Mandos and Lóriën were brethern. In earlier stages of the legendarium I remember Mandos being call the brother of Manwë, but we never her of Melkor being the brother of Mandos, nor of Manwë being the brother of Lóriën. Thus I think it would be saver to stick to the original version with only Namo named as a brother of Niënna.
In genneral the presentation of the text is a bit difficult to follow. It is shifting back and for from
Vq2 as the basis from which are changes indicate to
Sil77.
I think it would be better to take
Vq2 as basis and introduce only the desiered changes to that text. The changes introduced by Christopher Tolkien have been discussed, and if they are now lost from the text that does not matter.
Respectfully
Findegil