Timeline Event
Finarfin turns back to Tirion
Event Type: Cultural/Social
Age: Time of the Trees
Year: 1496
Description:
Finarfin abandons the Flight of the Noldor:
'The Valar have spoken.'
Then many quailed; but Fëanor hardened his heart and said:... 'This oath we will keep. We are threatened with many evils, and treason not least; but... we will go on....'
But in that hour Finarfin forsook the march, and turned back, being filled with grief, and with bitterness against the House of Fëanor, because of his kinship with Olwë of Alqualondë; and many of his people went with him, retracing their steps in sorrow, until they beheld once more the far beam of the Mindon upon Túna still shining in the night, and so came at last to Valinor. There they received the pardon of the Valar, and Finarfin was set to rule the remnant of the Noldor in the Blessed Realm. But his sons were not with him, for they would not forsake the sons of Fingolfin; and all Fingolfin's folk went forward still, feeling the constraint of their kinship and the will of Fëanor, and fearing to face the doom of the Valar, since not all of them had been guiltless of the Kinslaying at Alqualondë. Moreover Fingon and Turgon were bold and fiery of heart, and loath to abandon any task to which they had put their hands until the bitter end, if bitter it must be. So the main host held on, and swiftly the evil that was foretold began its work.
The Noldor came at last far into the north of Arda; and they saw the first teeth of the ice that floated in the sea, and knew that they were drawing nigh to the Helcaraxë.
The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 9, Of the Flight of the Noldor
Contributors:
Elena Tiriel 15Nov09
