Celeg Aithorn[1] was the name of the sword of Manwë, a weapon that the said Vala carried with him during the Battle of the Powers, and which was later used by his herald Eönwë during the War of Wrath.
History[]
In the Battle of the Powers, Manwë used the lightning of Celeg Aithorn to slay the remaining servants of Melkor "after the gates of Utumno were broken" and Melkor was alone.[2]
In the final centuries of the First Age, after Túrin had been captured by Orcs, his friend Beleg and the Nargothronder Gwindor rescued him from the enemy's camp while he was still chained and unconscious. Once they took him nearby, Beleg sought sharpen his sword to cut Túrin's chains, and whispered a whetting spell, and invoked many great objects of power, such as Celeg Aithorn, which was said in legend to one day cleave the world.[3]
At the end of the First Age, it is said that Manwë gave Celeg Aithorn to Eönwë his herald,[4] who led the Host of the Valar during the War of Wrath, where Morgoth was finally defeated.[5]
Etymology[]
Celeg Aithorn is a Sindarin name that may mean "lambent lightning",[6] consisting of the elements celeg ("hasty; swift, agile; lambent")[7] and aithorn ("lightning")[8].[1]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Lays of Beleriand, I: The Lay of the Children of Húrin, II: "Beleg", Commentary on Part II 'Beleg', pg. 45 (lines "1207-1223")
- ↑ Morgoth's Ring, Part Two: "The Annals of Aman", pg. 75 (§50)
- ↑ The Lays of Beleriand, I: The Lay of the Children of Húrin, II: "Beleg", Commentary on Part II 'Beleg', pg. 54
- ↑ The War of the Jewels, Part Two: The Later Quenta Silmarillion, "The Last Chapters of the Quenta Silmarillion", pg. 246
- ↑ The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, "Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath"
- ↑ "Celeg Aithorn" on eldamo.org
- ↑ "celeg" on eldamo.org
- ↑ "aithorn" on eldamo.org