The Revived Tolkien Trivia

[Grimward]

You're on.

Are we racing on the 1st or 2nd challenge, though? I'm going to say it's the first challenge because *looks sheepish* I think I have the answer to the second one...

 

[hopewrites]

First
X,Y

 

[Grimward]

Everyone's a comedienne..

So Celebriàn was Aragorn's mother in law. She was also his xth cousin y times removed.
Can you give me x or y?
(I don't hold with marrying your 2778 year old cousin, whether they wear well or no.)

I'm confused (so what else is new?)...Aragorn didn't marry Celebriàn, and unless you really were looking for X and Y literally (in which case hope wins), I'm to ignore the marriage reference (except, of course, that it made Celebriàn Aragorn's in-law) and focus on Celebriàn...got it *begins counting*

 

[farntfar]

Yes.It was Arwen who was 2778 years old at the time of their marriage if my calculations are correct (born in 241 (TA) married in 3019).
She may have been 2777 depending on what time of the year she was born in 241. Her toyboy was a mere 88.

Incidentally, please read the question carefully to avoid disappointment.

 

[Grimward]

Incidentally, please read the question carefully to avoid disappointment.

*Grins* No worries; I'm none too keen to repeat my orcses mistake.

 

[Grimward]

Argh, far. Diabolical.

x isn't too hard. 3, or Celebrian and Aragorn are 3rd cousins, as it's 3 generations from Celebrian back to her ancestor Olwe, whose brother Elwe was Aragorn's ancestor.

y, however, is a different matter, at least within the books we commonly quote. The problem is the Lords of Andunie; specifically how many there were between Valandil and Amandil. The rest is covered in the Chronologies, or rather handsomely in one chapter of Unfinished Tales; from these one could make a pretty good guess at the ~2500 2nd age years between Valandil and Amandil, but as I don't have all of the histories and cannot use the web I'm not going to offer y...

Certifiable evil genius, you are. (this is where you trot out some quote that counts exactly and make me look silly again!).

 

[farntfar]

Hello Grim.
Yes that's pretty much the conclusion I came to, but you both seemed so keen to start counting I didn't like to stop you, especially as I haven't got all the reference books and thought YOU might have some magnificent way to calculate it.
In my defence,I did say x OR y in the question.

Then I haven't been around much lately.
So all in all I've rather killed this thread for a while.
Please accept my sincere apologies and offer us the next question.

 

[hopewrites]

*you're forgiven*

 

[farntfar]

Thank you Hope.

 

[Grimward]

Aye, for my part too. And while I'd never post it, someone on the web insists that there were 13 or 14 lords of Andunie between Valandil and Amandil. Must be in one of the books I don't have, though (I'm lacking a few from the end of the Lost Tales stuff). Couldn't use that in a reply, of course, but I felt obligated to check and see what the serious Middle Earth scholars thought on the matter.

Hermes, messenger of the gods in Greek mythology, is often rendered in form as a male human-like god with wings on his feet or boots (this being a family site, we won't get into the extra attributes that fertility sculptors gave him!). Name his counterpart in this respect as found within the Lord of the Rings. Quotes are appreciated, but not absolutely necessary. And as per precedent, using the web to clarify Hermes is acceptable, but using it to identify any of the Tolkien content is NOT.

 

[Narkalui]

Is it Tulkas?

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Hermes, messenger of the gods in Greek mythology

Mercury for the Romans.
Lugh (the Celtic hero or god, Lleu Llaw Gyffes in Wales) or Lugus is more like Apollo, but Julius Caesar identified him with Mercury. He assumed ALL the Celtic gods were simply renamed Roman gods. Tolkien is more likely to have taken Scandinavian, Teutonic and Celtic prototypes than Greek/Roman. Thialfi is allegedly the Norse equivalent to Hermes/Mercury.

 

[Grimward]

Tulkas is definitely described as bring able to outrun all things that go on feet, Narkalui, but no, it's not him. And you're quite right, Ray; Tolkien in fact was extremely UNLIKELY to have chosen a mythical greco-roman character to model any of his characters against (a quick scan of the index in Letters finds a mere 2 rather general references to greek mythology), but with regard to this one particular physical characteristic, the likeness is indisputable.

 

[hopewrites]

So we're looking for a dude with winged feet yeah?

 

[Grimward]

*Grins wickedly*

With your indulgence, Ms hope, I don't recall saying the subject was a dude...

 

[Narkalui]

Eonwe was the herald of the Valar and is often portrayed as having wings..?

 

[Grimward]

Eonwe was the herald of the Valar and is often portrayed as having wings..?

Hmmm, I don't doubt you, , but I don't find any such description of him in either the Silmarillion or Unfinished Tales (the latter of which we've never really been clear about, anyway). Further, the wings I'm referring to are in a very specific location on said character, and I'll further note that my original challenge indicates The Lord of the Rings rather prominently..

 

[hopewrites]

*Grins wickedly*

With your indulgence, Ms hope, I don't recall saying the subject was a dude...

I thought you implied our suspect was non-dude in your original ask. But then when pressed about the comparison, you said someone with similar characteristics.

I'm going back to looking for someone messenger-y with winged feet (rawr. Every time a type/read that my feet itch. Like wings are trying to pop out the sides.)

 

[farntfar]

I have a feeling its a horse and spoken of in relation to the Mearas, presumably by Eomer or someone.
No time to look though. So just a suggestion for someone else to find.

 

[hopewrites]

If Mearas, then I would assume Shadowfax. I seem to remember they (cant for the life of me remember if Shadowfax was Mare or Stallion) were discribed as being so fast as to give one the impression they had wings on their feet.

I'd have to get my copy of LotR from my work locker tomorrow to look up a quote. So I'll just add my musings to Far's as far as "if you know where it is and get there before Go For It!