Cirdan - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Gwaihir the Windlord · 03-08-2002, 12:21 AM

No, I don't think so. He was just a very old, wise Elf, who happened to be Osse's best freind and so had a deep understanding with him.

Elves live forever as you know, unless they are slain. It seems that they usually are, at some point in their life at least; there wouldn't be all that many Elves from the First Age still around in Middle-Earth at the end of the Third, still less from the Awakening of the Elves itself. However by amazing good fortune Cirdan was one of them.

It's not just Maiar that can sense power, and use it. Some of the stronger Elves can do it just as well as some of the weaker Maiar. Elves, much more so than Men, are the closest being on Earth to the race of the Ainur, and accordingly they share certain aspects with them: immortality, beauty, 'magical' powers, great wisdom, strength of fea. Cirdan may have been an Elf that was even closer to the Ainur than normal; he was certainly very wise. He sensed something about Gandalf, that's for sure.
Perhaps he sensed that Gandalf's inner fire, his fea or spirit, was steady and strong, and wise bwyond all lore. His race's affinity to Gandalf's, and especially between these two (Cirdan being, as aforementioned, gifted in this way, and Gandalf being a very wise and good Maiar) things could be sensed.

That's all.

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03-08-2002, 12:21 AM	#2
Gwaihir the Windlord Essence of Darkness Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Evermore Posts: 1,420	No, I don't think so. He was just a very old, wise Elf, who happened to be Osse's best freind and so had a deep understanding with him. Elves live forever as you know, unless they are slain. It seems that they usually are, at some point in their life at least; there wouldn't be all that many Elves from the First Age still around in Middle-Earth at the end of the Third, still less from the Awakening of the Elves itself. However by amazing good fortune Cirdan was one of them. It's not just Maiar that can sense power, and use it. Some of the stronger Elves can do it just as well as some of the weaker Maiar. Elves, much more so than Men, are the closest being on Earth to the race of the Ainur, and accordingly they share certain aspects with them: immortality, beauty, 'magical' powers, great wisdom, strength of fea. Cirdan may have been an Elf that was even closer to the Ainur than normal; he was certainly very wise. He sensed something about Gandalf, that's for sure. Perhaps he sensed that Gandalf's inner fire, his fea or spirit, was steady and strong, and wise bwyond all lore. His race's affinity to Gandalf's, and especially between these two (Cirdan being, as aforementioned, gifted in this way, and Gandalf being a very wise and good Maiar) things could be sensed. That's all.