Arien

Arien in the heavens
Arien the Maiden of Sunlight
Biographical information
Other names	Spirit of Fire
Birth	Before the creation of Arda
Death	Immortal
Spouse	None
Weapon	Powers of the Ainur
Physical description
Race	Ainur
Gender	Female
Culture	Maiar

Arien (Quenya; IPA: [ˈari.en] or [ˈarijen] - "Maiden Of Sunlight") is a Maia and the guardian of the Sun.

Biography

Arien holding the sun.

Arien was originally a Maia of Vána the Ever-young, though in some writings she served Varda. She was "from the beginning a spirit of fire" and never listened to Melkor in the least. Her eyes were too bright even for the elves to look at, and Melkor's servants were terrified of her. While in Valinor she took a form similar to that of the Valar, but when she left she was a "naked flame of fire, burning in the fullness of her splendour." Arien was more powerful than Tilion, the guardian of the Moon. However, when the Two Trees of Valinor were destroyed, Arien took the last surviving fruit of Laurelin, the golden tree of the Valar, in a vessel forged by Aulë and carried it away in the Heavens. As Arien is the guardian of the Sun, she is one of the most loved Maiar by mortal men, and her first journey across the sky was the signal of their awakening.

Etymology

Arien's name means "Maiden of Sunlight" in Quenya from áirë ("sunlight") and -ien, a feminine ending.

Earlier Names

Urien and Urwendi are the earlier names for Arien, which both mean "Maiden of Fire".

Other versions of the legendarium

In other writings, Morgoth wanted to claim Arien as a wife, and ravished her, upon which she abandoned her body and "died", leaving the Sun to travel through the skies uncontrollably and burning parts of Arda.

It was also stated that Arien, then named Urwendi, fell into the Sea and met her "death". Fiönwë, later called Eönwë, a son of Manwë, defeats Melkor, driven by his love for Urwendi.

External link

• Arien at Tolkien Gateway