Creation
Events
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Eru and the Ainur
Themes
Vision
Shaping
Eru and the Ainur:
Eru, the One, existed. Space, time, and other beings
did not. In Arda, he would also be called Iluvatar.
Eru created the Ainur, beings of spirit, offsprings
of his thought. Material
form came much later, with Ainur clothing themselves in bodies
according
to their nature and need at the time. Only Eru could create life with
that
part of him called the Flame Imperishable.
Eru spoke to the Ainur, suggesting themes of music.
They
sang to him, pleasing him. But they sang alone or few together while
the
others listened, for they understood only that part of Eru's mind from
which
they came. Their understanding of their brethren came slowly, but
increased
as they listened so that unison and harmony both improved. Eru made
fair
regions for the Ainur called the Timeless Halls, outside of which were
the
places of the Void.
The Themes of Music:
Then Eru declared a theme with a beginning and
ending so glorious that
the Ainur bowed and fell silent in amazement. Eru then told them to
take
the theme he had given and together make in harmony a Great Music, each
adorning
the the theme with his own thoughts and devices. And Eru listened, glad
to
hear that through them great beauty awakened into song. And the music
was
so great that it passed beyond hearing in its heights and depths, the
music
and its echo filled even the Void so that it was not void. No music
like
this ever came again, but:
"a greater (music) still shall be made before Iluvatar by
the
choirs of the Ainur and the Children of Iluvatar after the end of days.
Then
the themes of Iluvatar shall be played aright, and take Being in the
moment
of their utterance, for all shall then understand fully his intent in
their
part, and each shall know the comprehension of each, and Iluvatar shall
give
to their thoughts the secret fire, being well pleased."
-Silmarillion, "Ainulindale", "The Music of the Ainur"
But that time is not yet. Eru must develop his
instruments for the time
of that great Song. The first Song would lead to the creation of the
next
set of instruments, the Children, and aid the comprehension of the
first,
the Ainur. Still does the beginning lead to the great result.
As this First Theme progressed, Eru heard the
discords creep in from
Melkor straying from the theme of Iluvatar, many near him faltering in
their
thought, and others attuning to his rather than their first thought.
These discords had crept into the mind of Melkor. He
was the greatest of the Ainur, having the most power and knowledge,
with
a share of all the gifts of his brethren. But he did not comprehend the
mind
of Eru. Melkor wished to also bring into Being, give life, to creations
of
his own. So he searched for the missing tool, the Imperishable Flame,
in
the void places, but that he could not find for it was of Eru. Melkor
was
impatient of what he perceived as the emptiness of the Void and
believed
Eru took no thought for it. So he separated from the others in his
secret
quest, and his thoughts became ever more divergent.
So the discord of the music came and multiplied
until
the sound was like endless raging waves warring upon each other all
about
Eru's throne.
Then Eru rose and the Ainur saw him smile as he
lifted
up his left hand. A Second Theme appeared amid the storm,
gathering
power and new beauty, and Manwe was the chief instrument of Eru.
Melkor's discord uproared and fought it, bringing
greater
violence until many Ainur in their dismay sang no longer, leaving the
mastery
to Melkor.
Then Eru rose again, his face stern, and lifted his
right
hand. Then began the Third Theme, and it grew amid the confusion. It
was
soft and sweet at first, unquenchable, and took to itself power and
depth,
deep, wide, filled with its chief beauty, immeasurable sorrow.
The warring part finally achieved a unity on its
side,
loud, vain, endlessly repeated with little harmony, many trumpets in
unison
braying only a few notes. It tried to drown out the Third Theme in
volume,
yet the most triumphant moments were taken over and woven within it.
Then Eru rose a third time, face terrible to behold,
both
hands raised. In one chord using the highest and lowest, the Music
ceased.
Then Eru told the Ainur he would show them what they
had
wrought, that they would know that though the Ainur and Melkor were
mighty,
Eru was mightier, and all their efforts worked together to devise
things
more wonderful than they could imagine as he intended in the end.
Melkor
felt shame, feeding a secret anger. Eru left the fair regions of the
Ainur
and went into the Void, and the Ainur followed him.
And Eru said, "Behold your Music!"
The Vision:
Within the Void where there had been only hearing,
Eru
gave to them sight, and they beheld their Music.There they saw a new
World
as a globe within and yet not of the Void. Before them, the world moved
and
unfolded its history. Within were included the ideas which each of the
Ainur
devised or added. Even the secret thoughts of Melkor were but a part of
its
glory. And they saw the Music had far more purpose than its beauty, for
they
had created a habitation for the Children of Iluvatar, Elves and Men,
who
were conceived by Eru alone within the Third Theme.
Much more did Eru speak. And thus the Ainur, from
the
memory of his words, and the part each played in the creation, and
counsel
they took together, did they know much of what was, is, and is to come,
and
little is left unseen by them. But to none but himself did Eru reveal
all,
and in every age are new things that did not precede from the past, so
cannot
be foretold.
When the Ainur saw the Children, they loved them.
They
were other than themselves, strange and free, teaching them more of the
mind
of Iluvatar. Many of the mightiest of the Ainur bent all their thought
and
desire towards the place, Melkor chief among them. Even to himself,
Melkor
claimed to wish to aid the children, controlling the turmoils of heat
and
cold that had passed through him. But he really envied the Children for
the
gifts Eru promised them and wished to dominate them and hear them call
him
Lord, rather than Eru.
But the other Ainur rejoiced in the marvels of the
World.
Chiefly they praised the water, for it held more of the echo of the
Theme
of the Music than any other part. This theme is heard by many of the
Children
unsated, who know not to what they listen.
But the world was not physical. And Eru saw that the
Ainur
wished the world to be real even as they were. So he said, "Ea! Let
these
things Be!" And he place the Flame Imperishable at the heart of the
vision,
that it might exist. Thus came about Ea, the World that Is.
Of the Ainur, some yet stayed with Eru beyond the confines of
the
World. Others, including the greatest and most fair, went to the World.
As
a necessity of their love, their power was then contained within the
world
until it is complete. They are its life, and it is theirs. For this
reason,
these Ainur were called the Valar, the Powers of the World. But when
the
Valar entered the world, they discovered it had not yet begun, only
ready
to begin, dark and unshaped. The vision had been only that and they
must
now achieve it, starting at the beginning of Time..
The Shaping of Arda:
The Valar labored mightily for uncounted ages until
they
had created the habitation for the Children of Iluvatar, Arda, the
Earth.
The chief part was taken by Manwe, Aule, and Ulmo. Melkor meddled in
all
that was done, trying to turn it to his purposes, and kindled great
fires.
He told the other Valar that he would make Arda, this flaming world,
his
kingdom.
This was the point at which the Second Theme came
into the world. Manwe stepped in. He was, in the mind of Iluvatar, the
brother to Melkor, noblest of the Ainur. Manwe called many spirits,
greater and lesser,
into the fields of Arda to aid him, lest Melkor wither the earth before
its
first flower.
And Manwe told Melkor he could not have Arda as his
own, for
others labored there no less than he. Strife came between Melkor and
the other Valar,
until Melkor withdrew to other regions, doing what he wished, but still
desiring
lordship of Arda.
The Valar took physical shape, wearing bodies as if
they
were clothing, choosing those from their knowledge of the vision of the
World,
rather than from the World. But they did not always wear bodies and
could
walk unseen, not even clearly perceived by the Eldar. But when they
desired
to clothe themselves in bodies, they chose male or female from their
difference
of temper they had from the beginning. Yet sometimes they also chose
shapes
of their thought, visible in forms of majesty or dread.
At this time, the Valar drew many companions from
outside
Arda, even as Manwe had, some lesser, some well-nigh as great. The
Maiar
are the helpers of the Valar, of the same order although lesser degree.
Together
they brought order to the Earth, stilling its tumults, and the earth
became
as a garden.
Melkor saw what they had done and his envy grew
greater.
In the days of his greatness, he drew Maiar in with his splendor and
they
remained in allegience down into his darkness. Afterwards, he corrupted
others
to his service with lies and gifts. Among these were the Valaraukar,
called
also the Balrogs. The greatest of those corrupted was once a Maia of
Aule,
known later to the Eldar as Sauron, or Gorthaur the Cruel.
Melkor too, made a physical form, but his mood and
malice
caused that form to be dark and terrible. He descended on Arda showing
greater
power and majesty than the other Valar:
"as a mountain that wades in the sea and
has
its head above the clouds and is clad in ice and crowned with smoke and
fire;
and the light of the eyes of Melkor was like a flame that withers with
heat
and pierces with a deadly cold."
-Silmarillion: "Ainulindale"
And Melkor did battle with the Valar. The Valar
continued
to ready the world for the Firstborn, despite Melkor. They built lands;
Melkor
destroyed them with reversals. The Valar would make a valley and Melkor
would
raise it. They made mountains and he threw them down. Nothing had peace
or
lasting growth.
Yet, although nothing was completely as the Valar
originally
intended, Arda, the Earth, was fashioned and the habitation of the
Children
was at last established "in the Deeps of Time amidst the innumerable
stars."
References: Silmarillion: "Ainulindale", "Valaquenta"
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