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Eönwë (Quenya; IPA: [eˈonʷe]) was a Maia serving Manwë as his herald and banner-bearer, and Chief of the Maiar along with Ilmarë. His name should be pronounced as ay-on-way.

Biography[]

Eönwë was referred to as the "greatest of arms in Arda," meaning that he was the best with weapons, but as one of the Maiar he was not necessarily the most powerful in might.[1] When Eärendil reached the shores of Aman to make his appeal, it was Eönwë who first greeted him outside of Tirion praising his arrival and accomplishments. When Manwë decided to heed the appeal, Eönwë was sent to Middle-earth to fight the War of Wrath, leading the Host of the Valar.

When Morgoth was defeated, Eönwë took the two remaining Silmarils and held them for safekeeping. The two remaining Sons of Fëanor took them and fled, yet Eönwë did not let them be slain, hoping they would see the folly of their ways.[2] After the War of Wrath, Sauron emerged from hiding and approached Eönwë seeking forgiveness, but Eönwë did not have the authority to pardon him alone, and told him he would have to return to the Valar to receive judgment, but Sauron fled from him instead.[3]

Eönwë also possessed great wisdom and taught the remaining Edain many things, enriching them with great knowledge before the raising of Númenor.[4]

Etymology[]

Earlier names[]

Eonwe and Arien

Fionwë Úrion as the son of Manwë and Urwendi in the early versions of the legendarium, by ANDREI RIABOVITCHEV

Although the name Eönwë does not have any particular meaning in either Quenya or Sindarin, his earlier name Fionwë translates to "Son", from fion[5] and the suffix -wë,[6]an old word for "person", deriving from the stem from EWE.[7] This possibly alludes to his previous conception as the son of Manwë. It should be pronounced as fi-on-way.

His other name, Úrion, means "He of the Sun", from ur ("the Sun"), uru ("fire") or urin ("blazing"),[5] and the masculine suffix -ion.[8] It should be pronounced as oo-rai-on.

Other versions of the legendarium[]

In earlier conceptions of the legendarium, Eönwë (called Fionwë Úrion), was envisioned as the brother of Ilmarë (called Erinti) and the son of Manwë and Varda,[9] both called with the title of Wanwavoisi.[10] In some versions, Eönwë is the one who will kill Morgoth for his love for Arien (called Urwendi).[11]

Translations[]

Foreign Language Translated name
Bengali এবংবে
Bulgarian Cyrillic Еонве
Chinese (Hong Kong) 伊昂威
Georgian ეონუე
Greek Έονγουε
Gujarati ઇનોવે
Hebrew איאונווה
Japanese エオンウェ
Kannada ಇಯಾನ್ವೆ
Korean 에온웨
Kyrgyz Cyrillic Эөнвэ
Macedonian Cyrillic Еонве
Marathi ईनवे
Mongolian Cyrillic Ионвэ
Nepalese ईनवे
Persian ائون‌وه
Punjabi ਈਓਨੇਵਾ
Russian Эонвэ
Sinhalese ඉයන්වේ
Tajik Cyrillic Эонве
Tamil ஈன்வே
Yiddish עאָנווע

References[]

  1. The Silmarillion, Valaquenta, "Of the Maiar"
  2. The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XXIV: "Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath"
  3. The Silmarillion, Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age
  4. The Silmarillion, Akallabêth (The Downfall of Númenor)
  5. 5.0 5.1 The History of Middle-earth, Vol. I: The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Appendix: Names in the Lost Tales – Part I
  6. The History of Middle-earth, Vol. X: Morgoth's Ring, "Myths Transformed"
  7. The History of Middle-earth, Vol. XII: The Peoples of Middle-earth, XI: "The Shibboleth of Fëanor", Notes
  8. Parma Eldalamberon, Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
  9. The History of Middle-earth, Vol. I: The Book of Lost Tales Part One, chapter II: "The Music of the Ainur"
  10. The History of Middle-earth, Vol. I: The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Appendix: Names in the Lost Tales
  11. The History of Middle-earth, Vol. I: The Book of Lost Tales Part One chapter IX: "The Hiding of Valinor"
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