Chapter 23: Of the Fall of Gondolin

[Maedhros]

Narn e·Dant Gondolin ar Orthad en·Êl

This story deals mostly with Tuor son of Huor. It begins as Tuor is raised by Elves (Grey-Elves, Annael). Unfortunately for Tuor, he was captured by the Easterlings and made a slave. The good thing is that Tuor handled that situation elegantly and became friends with the animals and therefore was able to escape from thralldom. He met later with Elves of the house of Finarfin (Gelmir and Arminas) see the Narn for extra information, and they helped set Tuor on his quest. Tuor therefore came to Nevrast and claimed the weapons that Turgon had left them a long time ago. Tuor then meets with Ulmo and is set on his path to reach Gondolin and he meets with Voronwë, who is amazed at how Tuor knows so much about him. After Tuor reveals that he is a messenger from Ulmo, Voronwë takes him to Gondolin.
When they reach the gates, they are captured by the guard of Elemmakil. Because of the errand of Tuor and the words that Ulmo put in his mouth, Elemmakil deems that he is not fit to judge him and sets them upon the Warden of the Great Gate, who at that time happened to be Echtelion.
Later Tuor

"You have come to the Last Gate. Know then that no stranger who passes it shall ever go out again, save by the door of death."
"Speak not ill-boding! If the messenger of the Lord of Waters go by that door, then all those who dwell here will follow him. Lord of the Fountains, hinder not the messenger of the Lord of Waters!"
Then Voronwë and all those who stood near looked again in wonder at Tuor, marvelling at his words and voice. And to Voronwë it seemed as if he heard a great voice, but as of one who called from afar off. But to Tuor it seemed that he listened to himself speaking, as if another spoke with his mouth.
For a while Ecthelion stood silent, looking at Tuor, and slowly awe filled his face, as if in the grey shadow of Tuor's cloak he saw visions from far away.

And so was Ecthelion convinced that he was a messenger of Ulmo and was granted entrance to the city.
Lets have a description of the city:

"Lo, it stands fair to see and very clear, and its towers prick the heavens above the Hill of Watch in the midmost plain." Then Tuor and his companion were led over the plain that was of a marvellous level, broken but here and there by boulders round and smooth which lay amid a sward, or by pools in rocky beds. Many fair pathways lay across that plain, and they came after a day's light march to the foot of the Hill of Watch (which is in the tongue of the Noldor Amon Gwared). Then did they begin to ascend the winding stairways which climbed up to the city gate; nor might any one reach that city save on foot and espied from the walls. As the westward gate was golden in the last sunlight did they come to the long stair's head, and many eyes gazed upon them from the battlements and towers.
But Tuor looked upon the walls of stone, and the uplifted towers, upon the glistering pinnacles of the town, and he looked upon the stairs of stone and marble up to its high platform, and its great gate, bordered by slender balustrades and cooled by the leap of threadlike waterfalls seeking the plain from the fountains of Amon Gwared, and he fared as one in some dream of the Valar, for he deemed not such things were seen by men in the visions of their sleep, so great was his amaze at the glory of Gondolin.

Then did the throng return within the gates and the wanderers with them, and Tuor saw they were of iron and of great height and strength. Now the streets of Gondolin were paved with stone and wide, kerbed with marble, and fair houses and courts amid gardens of bright flowers mounds of mallorns, birches, and evergreen trees were set about the ways, and many towers of great slenderness and beauty builded of white marble and carved most marvellously rose to the heaven. Squares there were lit with fountains and the home of birds that sang amid the branches of their aged trees, but of all these the greatest was that place where stood the King’s house , and the tower thereof on a pillared arcade was the loftiest in the city, and above it flew the banner of Fingolfin and the fountains that played before the doors shot twenty fathoms and seven in the air and fell in a singing rain of crystal: therein did the sun glitter splendidly by day, and the moon most magically shimmered by night. The birds that dwelt there were of the whiteness of snow and their voices sweeter than a lullaby of music.
On either side of the doors of the palace were the gilded images of two trees, one of gold and the other of silver, and they were likenesse the glorious Trees of Valinor that lit those places before Morgoth and Ungoliant withered them: and those trees the Gondolindrim named Glingal and Belthil.

 

[Maedhros]

Lets mention the seven names of the city of Gondolin:

Tuor asked the name of the city, and Elemmakil made answer: "'Tis said and 'tis sung: 'Gondost am I called and Gondothrimbar, City of Stone and City of the Dwellers in Stone; Gondolin the Stone of Song and Gwarestrin am I named, the Tower of Guard, Garthoren or the Fenced Fort, for I am fenced from the eyes of Morgoth; but they who love me most greatly Tirion is born again, call me Loth, for like a flower am I, even Loth-a-laden, the Lily that blooms on the plain.' Yet," said he, "in our daily speech we speak and we name it mostly Gondolin."

Then Tuor is brought before Turgon and he explains his embassy to him, unfortunately Turgon refuses Tuor’s (Ulmo’s) advice and prefers to stay in Gondolin hidden forever. Turgon had his excuse because he had already sent messengers from the Havens of Círdan to try to reach Valinórë, but they were unsuccessful. Although this time, he would have had the help of Ulmo himself.

So Tuor falls in love with Turgon’s daughter, Idril and they wed and have a son:

In these days came to pass the fulfilment of the time of the desire of the Valar and the hope of Eldalië, for in great love Idril bore to Tuor a son and she named him Ardamírë, but his father named him Eärendil and by this name he was know ever after.

Of course, this made Maeglin hate Tuor, because he wanted to posses her cousin Idril.
Later of course, Maeglin defied the law of Gondolin and went outside to mine and was captured by Morgoth and he made a deal with him:

Great indeed was the joy of Morgoth. Now the end of this was that Morgoth aided by the cunning of Maeglin devised a plan for the overthrow of Gondolin. For this Maeglin's reward was to be the lordship of Gondolin, as his vassal when that city should be taken − yet Morgoth purposed not in his heart to fulfil such a promise − and Maeglin was to compass the death of Tuor and Eärendil if he could. If he did Idril would be given to Maeglin's arms − and such promises was that evil one fain to redeem. Lust for Idril and hatred of Tuor led Maeglin the easier to this foul treachery.

The city of Gondolin had a way of Escape, to be used in case of emergencies. It is interesting to note that in the Published Silmarillion that way is closed because of the text from the Wanderings of Húrin that stated that it was caved in. Idril who always suspected her cousing Maeglin, came up with a plan to have a new way to escape (Secret Way) that would only be know to people loyal to them. Then after it was finished, in the Gates of Summer festival, Morgoth decided to attack Gondolin:

The sun has sunk beyond the hills and folk array them for the festival very gladly and eagerly − glancing in expectation to the East. But even when she had gone and all was dark, a new red light suddenly began, and a glow there was, but it mounted beyond the hills in the North and not in the East, and men marvelled, and there was a thronging of the walls and battlements. Then wonder grew to doubt as that light waxed and became yet redder, and doubt to dread as men saw the snow upon the mountains dyed as it were with blood. And thus it was that the fire-serpents of Morgoth came upon Gondolin.

Then Turgon called for a council:

Then did King Turgon call a council, and thither fared Tuor and Maeglin as royal princes; and Duilin came with Egalmoth and Penlod the tall, and Rog strode thither with Galdor of the Tree and golden Glorfindel and Ecthelion of the voice of music. Thither too fared Talagand atremble at the tidings, and other nobles beside of less blood but better heart.

Unfortunately, the advice of Maeglin prevailed of that of Tuor and they decided to face the onslaught of monsters of Morgoth in Gondolin instead of fleeing the city. Maeglin seized an early opportunity to kill Eärendil and take Idril but he was defeated by Tuor:

Now then Maeglin had Idril by the hair and sought to drag her to the battlements out of cruelty of heart, that she might see the fall of Eärendil to the flames; but he was cumbered by that child, and she fought, alone as she was, like a tigress for all her beauty and slenderness. There he now struggles and delays amid oaths while that folk of the Wing draw nigh − and lo! Tuor gives a shout so great that the Orcs hear it afar and waver at the sound of it. Like a crash of tempest the guard of the Wing were amid the men of the Mole, and these were stricken asunder. When Maeglin saw this he would stab Eärendil with a short knife he had; but that child bit his left hand, that his teeth sank in, and he staggered, and stabbed weakly, and the mail of the small coat turned the blade aside; and thereupon Tuor was upon him and his wrath was terrible to see. He seized Maeglin by that hand that held the knife and broke the arm with the wrench, and then taking him by the middle leapt with him upon the walls, and flung him far out.

 

[Maedhros]

In those battles we know that there were some great deeds of valour:

Then there was carnage at the barriers, and Egalmoth and Tuor went from place to place of the defence, but Ecthelion lay by the fountain; and that stand was the most stubborn-valiant that is remembered in all the songs or in any tale. Yet at long last a drake bursts the barrier to the north − and there had once been the issue of the Alley of Roses and a fair place to see or to walk in, but now there is but a lane of blackness and it is filled with noise.
Tuor stood then in the way of that beast, but was sundered from Egalmoth, and they pressed him backward even to the centre of the square nigh the fountain. There he became weary from the strangling heat and was beaten down by a great demon, even Gothmog lord of Balrogs. But lo! Ecthelion, whose face was of the pallor of grey steel and whose shield-arm hung limp at his side, strode above him as he fell; and that Elf drave at the demon, yet did not give him his death, getting rather a wound to his sword-arm that his weapon left his grasp. Then leapt Ecthelion lord of the Fountain, fairest of the Noldor, full at Gothmog even as he raised his whip, and his helm that had a spike upon it he drave into that evil breast, and he twined his legs about his foeman's thighs; and the Balrog yelled and fell forward; but those two dropped into the basin of the king's fountain which was very deep. There found that creature his bane; and Ecthelion sank steel-laden into the depths, and so perished the lord of the Fountain after fiery battle in cool waters.

And we have the deeds of the King too:

Then did the Gondolindrim clash their weapons, for many stood nigh, but Turgon said: "Fight not against doom, O my children! Seek ye who may safety in flight, if perhaps there be time yet: but let Tuor have your lealty." But Tuor said: "Thou art king"; and Turgon made answer: "Yet no blow will I strike more", and he cast his crown at the roots of Glingal. Then did Galdor who stood there pick it up, but Turgon accepted it not, and bare of head climbed to the topmost pinnacle of that white tower that stood nigh his palace. There he shouted in a voice like a horn blown among the mountains, and all that were gathered beneath the Trees and the foemen in the mists of the square heard him: "Great is the victory of the Noldor!" And 'tis said that it was then middle night, and that the Orcs yelled in derision.

Then the conversation of Tuor and Idril:

Then said Idril: "Woe is me whose father awaiteth doom even upon his topmost pinnacle; but seven times woe whose lord hath gone down before Morgoth and will stride home no more!" − for she was distraught with the agony of that night.
Then said Tuor: "Lo! Idril, it is I, and I live; yet now will I get thy father hence, be it from the Hells of Morgoth!" With that he would make down the hill alone, maddened by the grief of his wife; but she coming to her wits in a storm of weeping clasped his knees saying: "My lord! My lord!" and delayed him. Yet even as they spake a great noise and a yelling rose from that place of anguish. Behold, the tower leapt into a flame and in a stab of fire it fell, for the dragons crushed the base of it and all who stood there. Great was the clangour of that terrible fall, and therein passed Turgon King of the Gondolindrim, and for that hour the victory was to Morgoth.

Fortunately, Tuor and company fled the city in time:

But of the new passage Maeglin had not heard, and it was not thought that fugitives would take a path towards the North and the highest parts of the mountains and the nighest to Angband. Thereat the fugitives, led by one [Laegolas of the house of the Tree, who knew all that plain by day or by dark, and was night-sighted, made much speed over the vale for all their weariness, and halted only after a great march. Then was all the Earth spread with the grey light of that sad dawn which looked no more on the beauty of Gondolin; but the fume of the burning, and the steam of the fair fountains of Gondolin withering in the flame of the dragons of the North, fell upon the vale in mournful mists − and that was a marvel, for no mist or fog came there ever before. Again they rose, and covered by the vapours fared long past dawn in safety, till they were already too far away for any to descry them in those misty airs from the hill or from the ruined walls; and thus was the escape of Tuor and his company aided, for there was still a long and open road to follow from the tunnel's mouth to the foothills of the mountains

 

[Maedhros]

´Tis is Glorfindel and the Balrog
While passing through the Cirith Thoronath, they faced some resistance

Already the half had passed the perilous way and the falls of Thoron Sîr, when that Balrog that was with the rearward foe leapt with great might on certain lofty rocks that stood into the path on the left side upon the lip of the chasm, and thence with a leap of fury he was past Glorfindel's men and among the women and the sick in front, lashing with his whip of flame. Then Glorfindel leapt forward upon him and his golden armour gleamed strangely in the moon, and he hewed at that demon that it leapt again upon a great boulder and Glorfindel after. Now there was a deadly combat upon that high rock above the folk; and these, pressed behind and hindered ahead, were grown so close that well nigh all could see, yet was it over ere Glorfindel's men could leap to his side. The ardour of Glorfindel drave that Balrog from point to point, and his mail fended him from its whip and claw. Now had he beaten a heavy swinge upon its iron helm, now hewn off the creature's whip-arm at the elbow. Then sprang the Balrog in the torment of his pain and fear full at Glorfindel, who stabbed like a dart of a snake; but he found only a shoulder, and was grappled, and they swayed to a fall upon the crag-top. Then Glorfindel's left hand sought a dirk, and this he thrust up that it pierced the Balrog's belly nigh his own face (for that demon was double his stature); and it shrieked, and fell backwards from the rock, and falling clutched Glorfindel's yellow locks beneath his cap, and those twain fell into the abyss.

Wanderings of the Exiles

Now who shall tell of the wanderings of Tuor and the exiles of Gondolin in the wastes that lie beyond the mountains to the north of the vale of Tumladen? Miseries were theirs and death, colds and hungers, and ceaseless watches. That they won ever through those regions infested by Morgoth's evil came from the great slaughter and damage done to his power in that assault, and from the speed and wariness with which Tuor led them.
But after wandering in which many a time they journeyed long tangled in the magic of those wastes only to come again upon their own tracks, they came at last upon a stream, and following this came to better lands and were a little comforted. Here did Voronwë guide them, for he had caught a whisper of Ulmo's in that stream one late summer's night − and he got ever much wisdom from the sound of waters. Now he led them even till they came down to Sirion which that stream fed.
Yet came they at last to the great pools and the edges of Nan-Tathren that most tender Land of Willows; and the very breath of the winds thereof brought rest and peace to them, and for the comfort of that place the grief was assuaged of those who mourned the dead in that great fall. There women and maids grew fair again and their sick were healed, and old wounds ceased to pain; yet they alone who of reason feared their folk living still in bitter thraldom in the Hells of Iron sang not, nor did they smile.

and at last the exiles reached the Sirions Mouth, and so ends our tale.

 

[Maedhros]

Sources used:
Fall of Gondolin in HoME 2.
Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin in UT.
Wanderings of Húrin in HoME 11.
Quenta Noldorinwa in HoME 4.
Horns of Ylmir in HoME 4.

Questions on this chapter:
1. It is interesting to note that Turgon acted in some convinient ways:
a. He listened to Ulmo's advice to build Gondolin.
b. He listened to Húrin's and Huor's advice to flee to Gondolin.
Yet, when there were things that he didn't want to hear we have:
a. He didn't allow Húrin entrance into Gondolin.
b. He refused Ulmo's adive in the end.

2. What happened to the eagles? They kept watch on Gondolin, but failed to spot Morgoth's army approaching? C'est bizarre!

3. Is the use of Mechanical Monsters at odds with later versions of the story?

4. Doesn't it makes you sad the lack of details in the narrative in the Published Silmarillion?

5. If you read carefully my previous posts, there are some things that should be asked but I want to give the opportunity for people to seek them out first.

6. Isn't it odd that Maeglin wanted to "posses" her cousin?

An idea from a long time ago.

 

[Link 2]

I always liked the fact that Tuor killed five balrogs with his axe Dramborleg.

But yeah! where were the eagles? i had also wondered what the heck they were doing.

Though I'm not sure, the eagles only seemed to guard the east south and west, I'm not sure if they guarded the northern reaches of the city.

Maybe Maeglin knew a way to get past the eagles, or maybe distracted them.

 

[Inderjit S]

a. He didn't allow Húrin entrance into Gondolin.

A person's wisdom comes and goes, or at least Turgon's wisdom may not be as strong as it was before.

He saw Húrin as a traitor, thinking he had joined Morgoth, and didn't want to admit anybody anyway, and he rejected Ulmo's advice because of his pride and lack of foresight. And fate.

What happened to the eagles? They kept watch on Gondolin, but failed to spot Morgoth's army approaching? C'est bizarre!

An anomaly which is never dealt with properly. Fate, perhaps? Maybe they knew it was time for Gondolin to fall?

3. Is the use of Mechanical Monsters at odds with later versions of the story?

Most probably yes. But then again, a lot of things are at odds with the later versions of the story. It's the general scheme of things.

6. Isn't it odd that Maeglin wanted to "posses" her cousin?

Of course. But then again the guy was twisted and perfidious. What do you expect?

And on the quote on the five Balrogs That is most definitely at odds with the latter mythology. Then there were thousands of Balrogs, they were very powerful warriors of Morgoth-later they became Maia and their number is small in comparison to before.

 

[Confusticated]

3. Is the use of Mechanical Monsters at odds with later versions of the story?

Maybe, but I do not knw how anyone can be sure.

Why at odd? Only because we don't hear about them again? Or is there some indication Morgoth of the 1930s+ could not produce this kind of thing? I think Morgoth could, especialy with all those Maiar from Aule .


In the tale these mechanical monsters were made special by Melko to attack Gondolin. The best arguement I can think of against this happening in the later Silmarillion is that such machanical creautes would surely have been present during the War of Wrath yet there is no mention of them there. On the other hand, War of Wrath is not told in detail but we know it was an extremely huge war. The mechincal things could have been there. I don't see why one couldn't think any left over from Gondolin were destroyed in War of Wrath and therefore never troubled the world again, and the evil caft that made them? Long forgotten. This was done under Morgoth.

4. Doesn't it makes you sad the lack of details in the narrative in the Published Silmarillion?

It is sad that the late version cut of at Tuor's entrance to Gondolin. Imagine if we had a full Noldolante for example, telling of the kinslaying at Alqualonde in detail? Or a detailed Nirnaeth? I always love to read about battles.