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The Talath Dirnen ("Guarded Plain") was a plateau between the rivers Narog and Sirion in the realm of Nargothrond in West Beleriand during the First Age of Middle-earth.

Description[]

An empty plain, it was bordered to the west by the Narog, and in the east by the Sirion. Amon Rûdh lay also to its east, and many miles to the north were the Pools of Ivrin. Southeast of Talath Dirnen lay the Doors of Nargothrond, and beyond rose the Taur-en-Faroth, the Forest of the Hunters above the banks of Narog.

Reaching north and east of Nargothrond, chief city of the Kingdom of Finrod Felagund, the plain was a major buffer between Felagund's land and the threat of Morgoth in his far northern fortress of Angband. The Silmarillion says of the Talath Dirnen:


"Upon that plain the Elves of Nargothrond kept unceasing watch; and every hill upon its borders was crowned with hidden towers, and through all its woods and fields archers ranged secretly and with great craft. Their arrows were sure and deadly, and nothing crept there against their will"
The Silmarillion

The landscape of Talath Dirnen was said to be rolling and mostly open. A few patches of forest provided cover for Felagund's Rangers, including at the feet of Amon Ethir, the Hill of Spies. The greatest of Talath Dirnen's watchtowers, it was so named for the Rangers guarding it, whose keen Elvish sight could descry any approaching enemy.

Lay of Leithian Beren on Talath Dirnen

Beren in Talath Dirnen

History[]

The Guarded Plain is the place of two significant events of The Silmarillion. Beren crossed the Talath Dirnen after departing from Menegroth to begin his Quest for the Silmaril. Seeking the aid of Felagund, and knowing the skill of the Rangers, Beren held ever aloft the Ring of Barahir and was eventually waylaid and taken by Felagund's soldiers to Nargothrond. Years later, a bridge was built across the Narog from Talath Dirnen to Nargothrond at the order of Túrin Turambar. This helped enabled the sack of Nargothrond by Glaurung the dragon and Morgoth's forces. After the sack, Niënor Níniel encountered Glaurung near Amon Ethir and fell under his spell, furthering the curse laid upon the Children of Húrin by Morgoth.

The plateau was sunk along with the most of Beleriand at the end of the War of Wrath.

Translations[]

Foreign Language Translated name
Bulgarian Cyrillic Талат Дирнен
Chinese (Hong Kong) 迪能平原
Georgian თალათ დირენი
Gujarati તાલથ ડિરેન
Hebrew טאלאת דירנן
Hindi तलत दीनन
Kannada ತಲಾತ್ ಡಿರ್ನೆನ್
Persian تالات دیرنن
Russian Талат Дирнен
Serbian Талат Динен (Cyrillic) Talat Dinen (Latin)
Ukrainian Cyrillic Талат-Дірнен
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