Chapter 12 - Of Men - J.R.R. Tolkien
132The Silmarillion
The History of the Silmarils - Of Men
Audiobook
The Valar turned their attention away from Middle-earth after creating the Sun and Moon. Ulmo only would still actively intervene on behalf of the exiled Noldor. The Sun had an awakening effect on Middle-earth, rousing animals and plants from the Sleep of Yavanna. The Years of the Sun were swifter and reckoned shorter than the Years of the Trees. The Sun had one more effect: awakening the secondborn Children of Ilúvatar, known as Men, or Atani, which means followers, in the Elvish tongue.
The first Men awoke in Hildórien, but none of the Valar were there to guide them. For a time, the fathers of Men had joy in the discovery of new things and of their new life. They would eventually find the Avari, those Elves who had not went on the Great Journey. These Elves taught Men the first of their crafts and languages.
Nonetheless, though they had many similarities, Elves and Men were different than each other. Elves were immortal but tied to the fate of the world. They were doomed to remain on Arda, remaining until the end of the world for better or for worse. Men were in Arda for only a brief time before they would leave the circles of the world, for they had the Gift of Ilúvatar which meant they would eventually die and be released.
Eventually, Elves would fade from the world, becoming little more than phantoms or shades. Men, on the other hand, would obtain dominion over the world, even after the Elves fade away. In the meantime, however, certain men would go west and eventually ally with the Noldor in their futile struggle against the dark power...
Timeline of Arda:
Years of the Trees
4685: Finwë and Indis are married.
4690: Fingolfin is born.
4700: Lúthien is born.
4730: Finarfin is born.
4750: Dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost are met by the Sindar, establishing trade.
* Fëanor develops the Tengwar.
4780: Finarfin and Eärwen are married.
4800: Turgon and Finrod Felagund are born.
* Menegroth is built by the Dwarves of Belegost and the Sindar.
* Daeron devises the Cirth.
4830: Orcs begin to appear in Beleriand.
* The Dwarves of Belegost make weapons for the Sindar.
4850: The Nandor, under Denethor, arrive in Beleriand, becoming known as the Green Elves of Ossiriand.
* The Halls of Menegroth are finished.
4862: Aredhel and Galadriel are born.
4900: Melkor is freed from his sentence.
4910: Melkor begins corrupting some of the Noldor.
4949: Fëanor begins to make the Silmarils.
4950: Fëanor completes the forging of the Silmarils, capturing some of the light of the Two Trees.
4950: Melkor spreads lies among the Noldor and talks of weapons.
4990: Fëanor, deceived by Melkor, draws arms against his brother and is banished from Tirion.
* Finwë and many of the Noldor follow him in exile to Formenos.
4992: Fëanor argues with Melkor at Formenos.
* Melkor hides from capture by the Valar and joins forces with Ungoliant.
4995: The Darkening of Valinor.
* Manwë tries to heal the feud of the Noldor, and summons Fëanor to a festival in Valimar.
* Melkor and Ungoliant destroy the Two Trees, kill Finwë, steal the Silmarils, and flee to Middle-earth.
* Fëanor becomes High King of the Noldor, renaming Melkor as Morgoth.
* Fëanor and his sons swear an oath to regain the Silmarils and the majority of the Noldor depart from Valinor.
* Noldor kill many Teleri and seize their ships in the First Kinslaying.
4996: Doom of Mandos: the Noldor are banished from Valinor and face great doom.
* Finarfin turns back and returns to Valinor.
4997: Morgoth returns to Angband
* First Battle of Beleriand is fought
* Denethor of the Green-elves slain and the Havens of the Falas are besieged.
* The Noldor arrive at Helcaraxë
* Fëanor and his host betray the sons of Indis and sail across, then burn the ships at Losgar.
* Death of Amrod at Losgar.
* Return of the Noldor to Middle-earth.
* The Hiding of Valinor: the Valar conceal Valinor behind the Shadowy Seas and raise the Pelóri mountains to greater heights.
* They begin devising the Moon and Sun.
5000: The host of Fingolfin arrives in Middle-earth; the Moon arises.
Years of the Sun
Years of the Sun in the First Age
1: The Sun first sets sail, the start of reckoning by 'Years of the Sun', Awakening of Men in Hildórien