Quenta Silmarillion Fragment: 'Of the ruin of Beleriand'

Translated by Brett Engetschwiler

 

 

Brett Engetschwiler comes from Belton in Missouri, USA. He has loved the works of Tolkien since he was about 10 or 11 and has been interested in his languages, Quenya especially, since reading Galadriel's Lament. The following translation was made thanks to the lessons of Quenya by Helge Fauskanger.

 

Ohta Imbë Nolofinwë ar Moringotto

 

San Nolofinwë cennë (ve ta séyanës ana) i quanta atalantë i Noldor, ar i atalantë pella panya ilya nossinta; ar ho ormë ar ilestel¹ Rochallonna velicë roccorya nentéro ar vane er ar láminë² pollë ana hautas. Autanéro or Anfauglith ve sure mi i asto, ar ilya ya cennę uswerya vanwa sana Oromë cilmas né tulin; an velicë aha né senna sinavë hendurya calanë ve i hendu i Valaron.  Ar sinavë tulinnéro ana Angamando va andor ar lammanéro rombarye, ar palpa ata i fendassë ar veryo³ Moringotto ana erya ohta.  Ar Moringotto tulinnë.

 

Ya né i telda lú mi tanar ohtar ya oantéro i fendassë sarnerya, ar ta ná quentë taro nangwesanë lá i verya mirima Selma; ananta taurarya né anvelicë ilya nati mi sina Ambar, er i Valar rucinro sintë.  Nanro pollë lá lala i verya mi nívë cánoro; an i ondor cormanë ho i orolindalë Nolofinwëva rombo, ar omarya tulinnë laicë ar poica undu ana I tumnar Angamando; ar Nolofinwë essenë Moringotto úverya⁴ ar heru mál.  Ar sinavë Moringotto tulinnë, rosta lenca horya nutalan mahalma, ar i lamma taluryo nč ve raumo nutalan. Ar otuswenčro vaina mi morë hroavarmë⁵; ar hecanë epë Aran ve mindo, anga-rína, ar taura turmaryo, tengwë lá pelehtana, hatá lëo ors ve ungo.  Nan Nolofinwë ilcanë undu ta ve elen; an hroavarmerya nč panta yo silima; ar tucinnéro⁶ maciryo Ringil, ta mirilyanë ve helcë.

 

San Moringotto ortánë Grond, Nambo Fatanyu, ar nira ta undu ve calanambo⁷.  Nan Nolofinwë tuianë oa, ar Grond narcinë taura latta mi i cemen, yassen hísië ar uru liltanë.  Limbë lúmi Moringotto yo otso harwi, ar otso lúmi Moringotto antanë rama qualmë yassen i rimbi Angamando lantanë or entë antar mi rucin, ar i ramar lámanë mi i Forostar

 

Nan san Aran lauyanë yerya, ar Moringotto collë undu turmaryannas.  Neldë lúmi ruxanë tumnáro né, ar neldë lúmi ortanëata ar collë amba rácina turmarya ar hyarinnë cassa.  Nan i cemen né ilya narcinë ar lattanë ilya corimas, ar lantanéro nanepë i tali Moringotto; ar Moringotto panyarya hyarya tál or yahrtya, ar i cólo ta né va pitya ambo.  Ananta yo tyelima ar ilestel teccorya Nolofinwë pelehtanë i tál yo Ringil, ar i sercë etoloiyanë more ar hísia⁸ ar quantë i lattar Grond.

 

Ve sina firnë Nolofinwë, Tára Aran Noldor, anverya ar cána Elda-aran enwina.  I urqui carinnë lá merendë i ohta no i ando; ar Eldar lirina lá ta, an nimbentar palua tumna.

 

Notes:

 

1) Literally opposite of hope

2) created for none literally “no one”

3) past tense of dare for challenge

4) opposite of brave for craven

5) lit. body-protection

6) used past tense of “come” for drew

7) constructed word for lightning literally meaning “light-hammer”

8) actually “misting” for smoking 

 

Translation

 

Battle Between Fingolfin and Morgoth

(Literal translation; compare with The Silmarillion, pp. 178-179)

 

Then Fingolfin beheld (as it seemed-him to) the full downfall [of] the Noldor, and the downfall beyond repair [of] all houses-their; and from wrath and despair Rochallor-upon great horse-his got-he and departed alone and none were able to stop-him.  Passed-he over [the] Anfauglith like [a] wind in the dust, and all that beheld issuing-his departed thinking Oromë himself was come; for great rage was him-upon so eyes-his shone like the eyes the Valar-of.  And so came-he to Angband’s gates and sounded-he horn-his, and beat again upon the doorway and dared Morgoth to single war.  And Morgoth came.

That was the last time in those wars that passed-he the doorway [of] stronghold-his, and it is said that he answered not the dare [of] free will; but yet might-his was greatest [of] all things in this world alone [of] the Valar fear-he knew.  But-he could not deny the dare in front [of] commanders-his; for the stones rang from the high-music [of] Fingolfin’s horn, and voice-his came keen and clean down to the deeps [of] Angband; and Fingolfin named Morgoth craven and lord [of] slaves.  And so Morgoth came, ascending slowly from-his underground throneand the sound [of] feet-his was like [the] noise of a storm underground. And forth-issued-he clad in black armour; and stood before [the] King like [a] tower, iron-crowned, and might shield-his, token not carven, cast a shadow over him like [a] dark cloud.  But Fingolfin gleamed

Then Morgoth raised Grond [the] Hammer [of] Hell, and thrust it down like lightning.  But Fingolfin sprang away, and Grond rent [a] mighty pit in the earth, wherein mist and fire danced.  Many times Morgoth essayed to beat-him and each time Fingolfin leaped away, like lightning from under [a] dark cloud; and wounded-he Morgoth with seven wounds, and seven times Morgoth gave [a] shout [of] agony whereat the hosts of Angband fell on their faces in fear; and the shouts in the Northlands.

But then the King grew weary, and Morgoth bore down shield-his-upon-him.  Three times crumbled down he was, and three times rose again and bore up broken shield-his and cloven helmet.  But the earth was all rent and pitted all round him, and fell-he backward-before the feet [of] Morgoth; and Morgoth set-his left foor on neck-his, and the burden [of] it was like [a] small hill.  And yet with final and hopeless stroke-his Fingolfin hewed, the foot with Ringil, and the blood forth-flooded black and smoking and filled the pits [of] Grond.

Like this died Fingolfin, High King [of the] Noldor, most brave and valiant [of the] Elven-kings [of] old.  The orcs made no festival [of] the war before the gate; and the Eldar sing not [of] it for sadness-theirs extends deep.

 

 

 

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