[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

Why does Aragorn sing it? Is this kind of lament a common practice in Gondor, and therefore an appropriate mark of respect? Is it an Elvish practice he picked up in Rivendell? Or did he just come up with it his own self? The only other laments I can think of are from Rohan, but they're very different in style.

It does to me have an Elvish air to it. That isn't surprising from the Chieftain of the Dúnedain, fostered in the House of Elrond. I think he just began it as a tribute to Boromir, befitting his status as the Heir of the Steward of Gondor who had perished nobly.

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

Aragorn tells us at the endthat the Gondorians don't look to the East Wind for tidings - so does that mean they do ask the other winds, like in the song? If so, what possible theological/cosmological basis would there be for that?

I think it more likely he was just speaking figuratively, in accordance with the just ended song.

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

The 'waters wide and grey' over which Boromir rides must be the ford at Tharbad, where he lost his horse; what, then, are the 'seven streams' he crosses before that? I assume they're part of the Swanfleet marshes.

Since it is the West wind speaking, and looking at maps I can only come up with six named watercourses including the Gwathló that Boromir could have crossed on the way to Rivendell, I think you're right.

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

If this is so, it suggests that Aragorn has an intimate knowledge of the route from Gondor to Imladris via Tharbad. Or does it? Could it be that 'seven streams', as an echo of 'seven rivers of Ossiriand', is actually an idiom for 'a lot of streams'? (Like how the Bible splashes '40' on everything.)

I think Aragorn was very familiar with all Eriador, Wilderland, and Gondor. Putting a reference to Ossiriand there is a reach, though. There doesn't seem to be a need for it.

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

Is Aragorn speaking from a Gondorian perspective or his own when he describes Arnor as 'the empty lands where no men are'? Obviously there are some, including the Dunlendings...

Probably his own. Gondor had precious little knowledge by that time of anything west of Rohan. The reference could mainly have been to Enedwaith.

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

Legolas sings about the Sea. Did Tolkien know he was going to link the two, or is this just a coincidence?

"Link the two" in what way?

Originally Posted by Huinesoron;718995That said, Legolas sings about the Sea [i

really creepily[/i]. 'Oh, hi - I'm full of corpses!'. Why would he present it that way, rather than in the usual Elvish wistful way.

Perhaps he had in mind that The Sea was a source of sorrow, especially to the Númenóreans in exile.

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

'On the white shores and the dark shores'. Are these the two banks of Anduin? I'm wondering whether the north, settled side is farmland - dark, rich soil - while the south bank might be more sandy and pale.

I think you're reading too much into it. That could be just a way of saying "the Sea is so large and touches so many lands, who can say where anyone is?"

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

It's clear that Legolas doesn't know the layout of Minas Tirith - he's claiming the Seaward road runs south from the gate, when actually, the gate faces north.

In his defense, he'd probably never been south of Lórien in his life, and would have known hardly anything of Minas Tirith's layout.

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

Why is Rauros 'golden'? It faces south, so would reflect the sun around midday - but that wouldn't normally lead to a golden effect. For that, you'd need the sun to be low in the sky, at sunrise or sunset - but then it's off to the side and won't shine on the water.

Wasn't the song toward the end of the day? Or maybe Aragorn just had seen it before when lighted by a low sun.