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Cuiviénen (Quenya; IPA: [kuɪviˈeːnen] [kuɪviˈjeːnen]) was the location where the Quendi, or Elves, first awoke, in the far east of Arda.

Description[]

Cuiviénen was said to have been on the shore of a large gulf in the inland Sea of Helcar, in the distant east of Middle-earth.[1] It was an eastern bay of the Inland Sea of Helcar, formed by the meltwaters of the pillar of Illuin when Melkor destroyed the Two Lamps, before the Years of the Trees.[2]

Creation of Elves

The creation of the Elves, by David Greset

After the First Age and the War of Wrath, the Sea of Helcar and Cuiviénen were drained, leaving behind only the Sea of Núrnen and Sea of Rhûn, prompting the Elvish adage "and to Cuiviénen there is no returning"[citation needed], both a reference to physical geography and a metaphor for the Sundering of the Elves.

History[]

In YT 1050, the Awakening of the Elves took place in Cuiviénen.[3] The Elves dwelt there for a long time in bliss under the starlight, and were content.[1] They divided into three basic groups: the Minyar (Vanyar), Tatyar (Ñoldor), and Nelyar (Teleri), and in Cuiviénen learned or developed culture, skills of survival, and language.[4]

Unfortunately, Melkor discovered this land first before the other Valar. Many Elves feared him when they saw him, and were forced to exit Cuiviénen and hide, while those unfortunate enough to be left behind or overwhelmed by fear and unhappiness were taken by Melkor or slain. Then, years later, the Vala Oromë discovered Cuiviénen on his travels throughout Middle-earth. Oromë reported his discovery back to the Valar in Valinor, and, after a Great Debate,[5] they decided that the Elves would be safer living in the Undying Lands, in the peace and protection of the Valar. Oromë returned to Cuiviénen and relayed this to the Elves, urging them to emigrate far west to Valinor. And so the first Sundering of the Elves took place when the Eldar, the name given by Oromë to the Elves using their own tongue, departed from Cuiviénen to Valinor, on what was called the Great Journey. Some of these Elves refused to leave, from fear of the unknown, and turned back after reaching the huge range of the Misty Mountains, or simply decided to stay in Middle-earth (and not return to Cuiviénen) by choice.

Oromë discovering Elves - Kip Rasm

Oromë discovering the Elves, by Kip Rasmussen

It is untold for how long the remaining Avari remained at Cuiviénen in the First Age, but, they were there when Men awoke at the first rising of the Sun in the nearby land of Hildórien, and its Elven residents befriended early Men and apparently taught them the basic skills of survival.[6]

Other mentions[]

In his attempt to sway the Ñoldor to join him in pursuit of Melkor to Middle-earth, Fëanor spoke of the "sweet waters" of Cuiviénen that they had left in vain to travel to Aman.[7]

Etymology[]

Cuiviénen is a Quenya name that means "Water of Awakening"[8], from cuivié ("awakening") and nen ("water").[9]

Translations[]

Foreign Language Translated name
Arabic سويڥيينين
Armenian Կյիվիէնեն
Assamese কুইভিয়েনেন
Belarusian Cyrillic Куівіэнен
Bengali কুইভিএনেন
Bulgarian Cyrillic Куивиенен
Chinese (Hong Kong) 庫維因恩
Danish Cuiviénen ("Våge-vandene")
Georgian კუივიენენი
Greek Κουιβιένεν
Gujarati કુવીયન
Hebrew קואיוויינן
Hindi चुइविएनेन
Japanese クイヴィエーネン
Kannada ಕ್ಯುವಿಯೆನೆನ್
Kazakh Кұівіэнен (Cyrillic) Kuiviénen (Latin)
Konkani कुइव्हिएनेन
Korean 쿠이비에넨
Kyrgyz Cyrillic Куивиэнэн
Macedonian Cyrillic Куивиенен
Maithili कुइविएनेन
Malayalam കുവിയെനെൻ
Marathi कुविएनयेन
Mongolian Cyrillic Куивиэнэн
Nepalese चुइविएनेन
Pashto چویویېنېن ?
Persian کوئیوینن
Punjabi ਕੁਈਵਿਏਨਨ
Russian Куйвиэнен
Sanskrit चुइविएनेन्
Serbian Кујвијенен (Cyrillic) Kujvijenen (Latin)
Sinhalese චුඉවිඑනෙන්
Tajik Cyrillic Чуивиенен
Tamil குவியெனென்
Telugu చుఇవిఎనెన
Ukrainian Cyrillic Куівієнен
Urdu کواوینان ?
Uzbek Куивиенен (Cyrillic) Kuivienen (Latin)
Yiddish קויוויéנען


References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter III: "Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor"
  2. The Atlas of Middle-earth, The First Age, The Elder Days, "Introduction"
  3. The History of Middle-earth, Vol. X: Morgoth's Ring, The Annals of Aman
  4. The History of Middle-earth, Vol. XI: The War of the Jewels, Part Four: Quendi and Eldar, Appendix: The legend of the Awaking of the Quendi (Cuivienyarna)
  5. The Nature of Middle-earth, "Part One. Time and Ageing: XIII. Key Dates", pgs. 96-8
  6. The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XII: "Of Men"
  7. The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter IX: "Of the Flight of the Noldor"
  8. The Silmarillion, Index of Names
  9. The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin names
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