But how did they know about swords? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

jallanite · 06-25-2001, 07:13 PM

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<img src="http://www.barrowdowns.com/images/posticons/nenya.jpg" align=absmiddle> Re: But how did they know about swords?

On the Teleri, the standard Silmarillion text says:<blockquote>Quote:<hr> But the Teleri withstood him and cast many of the Noldor into the sea. Then swords were drawn, and a bitter fight was fought upon the ships, and about the lamplit quays and piers of the Haven, and even upon the great arch of its gate.<hr></blockquote>Since we are previously told that only the Noldor were making swords, it appears the swords were drawn by the Noldor against Teleri who were unarmed, at least as far as having swords.

I would imagine that some Teleri would go for their knives soon enough and use oars and other implement as clubs, and began hurling fishing spears. In the next paragraph:<blockquote>Quote:<hr> For the Noldor were becoming fierce and desperate, and the Teleri had less strength, and were armed for the most part but with slender bows.<hr></blockquote>So hunting bows were certainly known and used.

Morgoth's Ring (HoME 10), "The Annals of Aman", §97, definitely states that the Elves had previously known no weapons, but in the note to that passage Christopher Tolkien states:<blockquote>Quote:<hr> Against the words 'Melkor spoke to the Eldar concerning weapons, which they had not before possessed or known' my father wrote on the typescript: 'No! They must have had weapons on the Great Journey.' Cf. the passage in QS on the subject (footnote to §49): 'The Elves had before possessed only weapons of the chase, spears and bows and arrows.'<hr></blockquote>This material probably should have appeared in the published Silmarillion.

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06-25-2001, 07:13 PM	#8
jallanite Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 479	<font face="Verdana"><table><TR><TD><FONT SIZE="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Animated Skeleton Posts: 28</TD><TD></TD></TR></TABLE> <img src="http://www.barrowdowns.com/images/posticons/nenya.jpg" align=absmiddle> Re: But how did they know about swords? On the Teleri, the standard Silmarillion text says:<blockquote>*Quote:<hr> But the Teleri withstood him and cast many of the Noldor into the sea. Then swords were drawn, and a bitter fight was fought upon the ships, and about the lamplit quays and piers of the Haven, and even upon the great arch of its gate.<hr></blockquote>Since we are previously told that only the Noldor were making swords, it appears the swords were drawn by the Noldor against Teleri who were unarmed, at least as far as having swords. I would imagine that some Teleri would go for their knives soon enough and use oars and other implement as clubs, and began hurling fishing spears. In the next paragraph:<blockquote>Quote:<hr> For the Noldor were becoming fierce and desperate, and the Teleri had less strength, and were armed for the most part but with slender bows.<hr></blockquote>So hunting bows were certainly known and used. Morgoth's Ring* (HoME 10), "The Annals of Aman", §97, definitely states that the Elves had previously known no weapons, but in the note to that passage Christopher Tolkien states:<blockquote>*Quote:<hr> Against the words 'Melkor spoke to the Eldar concerning weapons, which they had not before possessed or known' my father wrote on the typescript: 'No! They must have had weapons on the Great Journey.' Cf. the passage in QS on the subject (footnote to §49): 'The Elves had before possessed only weapons of the chase, spears and bows and arrows.'<hr></blockquote>This material probably should have appeared in the published Silmarillion*. </p>