"J.R.R. Tolkien - The History of Middle-Earth - 00" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tolkien J.R.R)

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 Essays On Middle-earth

Then Melkor and Ungoliant fled to Middle-earth, where they quarreled over the Silmarils, and
Melkor had to call upon the Balrogs to aid him against her. And Ungoliant fled away to dwell in
the southern reaches of Dorthonion, there to breed with other creatures and bring forth the Great
Spiders which troubled Middle-earth for many ages afterward.

Melkor settled in Angband, building it up and re-establishing his kingdom in Middle-earth. And
he made war upon those Quendi who were living there. But soon the Noldor followed him to
Middle-earth, and for many years they and their allies (the Sindar and Atani) fought against
Melkor in a vain attempt to recover the Silmarils.

In time Melkor was victorious, but he grew too confident and he did not crush the small
remnants of Elves and Men who escaped his wrath. From these came ├Лarendil, half-Elven
mariner, who with the power of one Silmaril (which had been recovered by Beren and Luthien)
sailed to Valinor and there won pardon for the Noldor and aid for the Sindar and Men.

Then the Valar sent forth a great army and they waged the War of Wrath against Melkor and his
servants. The world was hurt again, and many lands were destroyed and other lands raised up.
But Melkor was taken at last and thrust out from Arda into the darkness of Ea. Then because he
was greatly weakened he could not return, though it was foretold that in time he would recover
his strength and assail Arda at the End.

The Valar then rewarded the Atani for their great labors against Melkor, but in doing so they laid
the seeds for yet a further change in the world. For they gave to the Atani long life within Arda,
but it was not the fate of Men to live in Arda until the End, as it was the fate of the Quendi to do
so.

The Atani were given the island of Elenna in which to dwell, and they named it Numenor, and
became the Dunedain, Kings of Men. They for a time left the cares of Middle-earth behind them
and lived in a peaceful and near-blessed land. But they eventually came to envy the longer lives
and fate of the Quendi.

In Middle-earth Sauron and other creatures of Melkor eluded the Host of Valinor, and he
established a new kingdom of darkness in the southern land of Mordor. Thinking the Valar
would pay no heed to him, Sauron strove with the Quendi for mastery of Middle-earth, but the
Dunedain returned in strength to Middle-earth and lent the Quendi their aid.

Then Sauron turned his attention to Numenor, and he perceived a shadow growing among them.
Thus, in time, despite the persuasions of the Valar, the Dunedain of Numenor rebelled against
their fate, and seduced by Sauron they assembled a great armada and assaulted Aman itself.

In response the Valar laid down their guardianship over Arda and Iluvatar gave them the strength
to change the world forever. Numenor was cast down into the sea and Aman and its nearby
islands were taken away from the circles of the world so that Men could not find them again.

Yet the Valar did not forsake Arda, and when Sauron arose again in the Third Age they sent
emissaries to aid the peoples of Middle-earth in their struggles against the Enemy. The ventures