The End of the Third Age

[ArcusCalion]

This is the first draft of the chapter The End of the Third Age.

This chapter is a thoroughly mixed bag of sources, and so there is no base text. Because of this, I have marked every instance of any text used, so as to be easy to follow.

The markings are:
FY-HL-xx for all the headlines for the Fading Years.
ETA-SL-xx for all expansions and changes to the narrative.

Some conventions of my writing:

Bold Text = source information, comments and remarks
{example} = text that should be deleted
[example] = normalized text, normally only used for general changes, as well as changes which are a part of replacement that is not grammatical.
Underlined Text = text changed for grammatical reasons in the process of combining and inserting and removing.
<source example> = additions with source information
...... = This section of the paragraph is unchanged from the source.

FY-HL-22 < THE END OF THE THIRD AGE>

ETA-SL-01 <ORP Now all these things were achieved for the most part .... for he knew whence he came and whither at last he would return ETA-SL-02 <Appendix B {For}, for Círdan saw further and deeper than any other in Middle-earth>.
‘Take now this Ring,’ he said; 'for thy labors and thy cares .... valor of old in a world that grows chill. ETA-SL-03 <The Istari It was entrusted to me only to keep secret, and here upon the West-shores it is idle; but I deem that in days ere long to come it should be in nobler hands than mine.> But as for me, my heart is with the Sea, and I will dwell by the grey shores, guarding the Havens until the last ship sails. Then I shall await thee.’
White was that ship and long was it a-building, ...... And latest of all the Keepers of the Three Rings rode to the Sea.>
ETA-SL-04 <Letter to Milton Waldman Frodo {cannot}could not be healed. For the preservation of the Shire he {has}had sacrificed himself, even in health, and {has}had no heart to enjoy it. Sam {has}had to choose between love of master and of wife. In the end he {goes}went with Frodo on a last journey. At night in the woods, where Sam first met Elves on the outward journey, they {meet the}met a twilit cavalcade from Rivendell. The Elves and the Three Rings, and Gandalf (Guardian of the Third Age) {are}were going to the Grey Havens, to set sail for the West, never to return. Bilbo {is}was with them. To Bilbo and Frodo the special grace {is}was granted to go with the Elves they loved ETA-SL-05 {- an Arthurian ending, in which it is, of course, not made explicit whether this is an 'allegory' of death, or a mode of healing and restoration leading to a return}. They {ride}rode to the Grey Havens, and {take}took the Ship ETA-SL-06 <ORP that Círdan had made ready>: Gandalf with the Red Ring, Elrond (with the Blue) and the greater part of his household, and Galadriel of Lórien with the White Ring, and with them {depart}departed Bilbo and Frodo.>
ETA-SL-07 <ORP In the twilight of autumn {it}the ship sailed out of Mithlond, until the seas of the Bent World fell away beneath it, and the winds of the round sky troubled it no more, and borne upon the high airs above the mists of the world it passed into the Ancient West, and an end was come for the Eldar of story and of song.>

ETA-SL-08 <Appendix A Théoden {He} is called Théoden Ednew in the lore of Rohan, .... Then a new line was begun.>
ETA-SL-09 <HoME 12: TY4 {It is said also that in}In 3020 Éowyn Éomund's daughter wedded Faramir, last Steward of Gondor and first Prince of Ithilien, in the king's house of Rohan. ETA-SL-10 <Appendix A In the War of the Ring Théodred fell in battle with Saruman at the Crossings of Isen. Therefore before ...... and of Imrahil of Dol Amroth; and he rode often to Gondor.> {Éomer her brother received the kingship upon the field of battle from Théoden ere he died.} In ETA-SL-11 {3022}[3021] (or Fourth Age 1) he wedded Lothíriel daughter of Imrahil of Dol Amroth, and his reign over Rohan was long and blessed, and he was known as Éomer Éadig. ETA-SL-12 <Appendix A Their son Elfwine the Fair ruled after him.
In Éomer's day in the Mark men ..... flew in many winds until Éomer grew old.>
King Elessar and Queen Arwen reigned long and in great blessedness.> ETA-SL-13 <Appendix B Samwise {is}was elected Mayor of the Shire.> ETA-SL-14 <Appendix B King Elessar {issues}issued an edict that Men {are}were not to enter the Shire, and he {makes}made it a Free Land under the protection of the Northern Scepter.> ETA-SL-15 <Appendix A Our King, we {call}called him; and when he {comes}came north to his house in Annúminas restored and {stays}stayed for a while by Lake Evendim, then everyone in the Shire {is}was glad. But he {does}did not enter this land and {binds}bound himself by the law that he {has}had made, that none of the Big People shall pass its borders. But he {rides}rode often with many fair people to the Great Bridge, and there he {welcomes}welcomed his friends, and any others who {wish}wished to see him; and some {ride}rode away with him and {stay}stayed in his house as long as they {have}had a mind. Thain Peregrin {has}had been there many times; and so {has}had Master Samwise the Mayor. ETA-SL-16 <Appendix B He {gives}gave the Star of the Dúnedain to Master Samwise, and> {His}his daughter Elanor the Fair {is}was made one of the maids of Queen Evenstar.> ETA-SL-17 <Appendix B Meriadoc, called the Magnificent, {becomes}became Master of Buckland. Great gifts {are}were sent to him by King Éomer and the Lady Éowyn of Ithilien. Peregrin {becomes}became the Took and Thain. King Elessar {makes}made the Thain, the Master, and the Mayor Counsellors of the North-kingdom.>
ETA-SL-18 <Appendix B On September 22 of Shire Reckoning 1482, Master Samwise {rides}rode out from Bag End. He {comes}came to the Tower Hills, and {is}was last seen by Elanor, to whom he {gives}gave the Red Book afterwards kept by the Fairbairns. Among them the tradition is handed down from Elanor that Samwise passed the Towers, and went to the Grey Havens. and passed over Sea, last of the Ring-bearers.>
ETA-SL-19 <Appendix B In the spring of the year 1484 a message came from Rohan to Buckland that King Éomer .... laid in Rath Dínen among the great of Gondor.>
ETA-SL-20 <Appendix A: Tale of Aragorn and Arwen The Third Age ended thus .... all that she had gained was lost.
As Queen of Elves and Men ..... Then Aragorn said to Arwen:
‘At last, Lady Evenstar, fairest .... time of payment draws near.’
Arwen knew well what he intended, ..... people that live by your word?’ she said.
‘Not before my time,’ ..... son is a man full-ripe for kingship.’
Then going to the House of the Kings ..... that she had taken upon her.
‘Lady Undómiel,’ said Aragorn, ‘the hour ...... Now, therefore, I will sleep.
‘I speak no comfort to you, for there ...... or else to abide the Doom of Men.’
‘Nay, dear lord,’ she said, ‘that choice ..... One to Men, it is bitter to receive.’
‘So it seems,’ he said. ‘But let us ..... and beyond them is more than memory, Farewell!’
‘Estel, Estel!’ she cried, and with that even ..... in glory undimmed before the breaking of the world. ETA-SL-21 <Appendix B It is said that the beds of Meriadoc and Peregrin were set beside the bed of the great king.>
But Arwen went forth from the House, ..... also was gone, and the land was silent.
There at last when the mallorn-leaves ..... bloom no more east of the Sea.>
ETA-SL-22 <TY 4 Of Eldarion son of Elessar it was foretold that he should rule a great realm, and that it should endure for a hundred generations of Men after him, that is until a new age brought in again new things; and from him should come the kings of many realms in long days after. But if this foretelling spoke truly, none now can say, for Gondor and Arnor are no more; and even the chronicles of the House of Elessar and all their deeds and glory are lost.>
ETA-SL-23 <Appendix A But when King Elessar gave up his life Legolas {followed at last the desire of his heart and sailed over Sea.} ETA-SL-24 <Appendix B built a grey ship in Ithilien, and sailed down Anduin and so over Sea; and with him, it is said, went Gimli the Dwarf. And when that ship passed an end was come in the Middle-earth of the Fellowship of the Ring.>

ETA-SL-25 <Appendix A Here follows one of the last notes in the Red Book

We have heard tell that Legolas took Gimli ...... More cannot be said of this matter.>

FY-HL-22: I know we rejected the subheading for last chapter, but since it was still used in a draft, I did not reuse FY-HL-21, and decided to give this one a new number. The title is, I think, self explanatory, and comes from the rejected LotR book titles.

ETA-SL-01: Here we finally give the story of Gandalf's arrival at the Havens as told in retrospect, which I think we should keep in this location, since this is when Tolkien intended to give it. I have taken it from Of the Rings of Power.

ETA-SL-02: This sentence from the version of the event given in Appendix B is not found in the ORP version, so I brought it in.

ETA-SL-03: This sentence from the version of the event given in The Istari from UT is not found in the ORP version, so I brought it in.

ETA-SL-04: We turn to the Waldman Letter in order to close out the story of Frodo and Bilbo. I did not include the last scene of Sam returning home since I thought it was too personal for the overarching narrative, but I suppose it could be included if that is deemed better.

ETA-SL-05: I removed the comments of Tolkien.

ETA-SL-06: This detail is worth bringing in, so that we keep the symmetry with the ORP version.

ETA-SL-07: Here we give the last portion of Of the Rings of Power, and conclude the narrative of the Eldar in Middle-earth: a bittersweet moment to be sure!

ETA-SL-08: Here we return to the story of Men, with the addition from the Kings of Rohan about Theoden, which was removed from the chapter which was then called The Stewards but is now called The Quest for Erebor. I think it works well here.

ETA-SL-09: Here I switch to the text in the Tale of Years draft from HoME 12. This is a shorter account than that of Appendix A, but it contains some relevant details.

ETA-SL-19: Here we insert the bit from Eomer's entry in the Kings of Rohan dealing with ascendance to Kingship and Eowyn's prowess.

ETA-SL-11: This was the date in the earlier draft, but in the final version it was changed slightly, so I updated it. This detail is not given explicitly in the text of Appendix A, so I thought it was worth including.

ETA-SL-12: Here we switch back to Appendix A. It describes the reign of Eomer in Rohan, and then transitions back to the Tale of Years text briefly as a segue into the Aragorn and Arwen narrative.

ETA-SL-13: This detail needs to be given before the end of the next few, since it references Aragorn making 'The Mayor, the Thain, and the Master' into counsellors of the North Kingdom. By that point we are supposed to know that The Mayor is Sam, so we need to give it before that point. Here seems as good a place as any.

ETA-SL-14: This detail is also needed before the next additon, which references this decree.

ETA-SL-15: Here we give the last bit from the North Kingdom narrative in Appendix A, which deals with Aragorn's reign. I changed the tense to past tense, since right after this we recount the death of Aragorn, so he cannot be referenced in the present tense.

ETA-SL-16: This detail from Appendix B is worth giving.

ETA-SL-17: This piece of info from Appendix B is also worth giving for its own sake.

ETA-SL-18: Here we relate the passing of Sam over the sea, as well as the transmission of the Red Book, taken from Appendix B and edited for proper tenses.

ETA-SL-19: Here we relate the deaths of Merry and Pippin and Eomer, and set the stage for Aragorn's death.

ETA-SL-20: Here we give the last portion of The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen. (Sidenote: this scene is one of my favorite moments in the legendarium; it's so sad!)

ETA-SL-21: I thought this detail worth giving, but I did not want to give it before Aragorn's death was related. This placing feels somewhat awkward, but I could find no better spot.

ETA-SL-22: This portion of the Tale of Years draft contains info not given elsewhere, briefly mentioning the reign of Eldarion, and setting the stage for The New Shadow (which will follow this chapter).

ETA-SL-23: Here we return to the text of Appendix A briefly as the best means of transitioning from the Aragorn info to this new info about Legolas and Gimli.

ETA-SL-24: The account in Appendix B is much fuller and more detailed, so I used that one.

ETA-SL-25: This note from Durin's Folk belongs here, as the last chronological event, as well as 'one of the last notes in the Red Book.' With that, we come to an end of our single, unified tale of the History of Middle Earth, except for the fragment of The New Shadow which follows this.

[Findegil]

FY-HL-22: I am not happy with this title as the text contains much that actually happen in the Fourth Age.

ETA-SL-08 & ETA-SL-10: These addition do not realy fit here. I would integrat them in the chatper The War of the Ring. See the appropriate thread for information of where and how I would place them. And I would add a part about the extantion of Rohan. The text here would than read:

… and an end was come for the Eldar of story and of song.>

ETA-SL-09<HoME 12: TY4{It is said also that in}In 3020 Éowyn Éomund's daughter wedded Faramir, last Steward of Gondor and first Prince of Ithilien, in the king's house of Rohan. Éomer her brother received the kingship upon the field of battle from Théoden ere he died. ETA-SL-10b<Appendix A {Éomer}He became a great king, and being young when he succeeded Théoden he reigned for sixty-five years, longer than all their kings before him save Aldor the Old. In the War of the Ring he made the friendship of King Elessar, and of Imrahil of Dol Amroth; and he rode often to Gondor.> In ETA-SL-11{3022}[3021] (or Fourth Age 1) he wedded Lothíriel daughter of Imrahil of Dol Amroth, and his reign over Rohan was long and blessed, and he was known as Éomer Éadig. ETA-SL-12<Appendix A Their son Elfwine the Fair ruled after him.
In Éomer's day in the Mark men had peace who wished for it ETA-SL-12.3<The Making of Appendix A {In Éomer's time}and the realm was extended west beyond the Gap of Rohan as far as the Greyflood and the sea-shores between that river and the Isen, and north to the borders of Lorien, {and his men and horses multiplied exceedingly.}> , and the people increased both in the dales and the plains, and their horses multiplied. In Gondor the King Elessar now ruled, ...

ETA-SL-17: This must come earlier even before the visit of Aragon in the North. So I placed it after ETA-SL-14.

ETA-SL-14.1 to ETA-SL-14.9: I think we should add version 2 of the Epilogue to the LotR. Tolkien was talked out of using it, but he never rejected its content. Therefore I think it fits very well the goal of the project to include it here. I will give my take at it here and than add comments on my editing.

King Elessar and Queen Arwen reigned long and in great blessedness.> ETA-SL-13<Appendix B Samwise {is}was elected Mayor of the Shire.> ETA-SL-14<Appendix B King Elessar {issues}issued an edict that Men {are}were not to enter the Shire, and he {makes}made it a Free Land under the protection of the Northern Scepter.> ETA-SL-17b<Appendix B Meriadoc, called the Magnificent, {becomes}became Master of Buckland. Great gifts {are}were sent to him by King Éomer and the Lady Éowyn of Ithilien. Peregrin {becomes}became the Took and Thain. King Elessar {makes}made the Thain, the Master, and the Mayor Counsellors of the North-kingdom.>
ETA-SL-14.1<Epilogue
One evening in the March of 1436 Master Samwise ...
...
...
...
... There was little Ham, {[and there was Daisy still in her cradle >] }and Daisy, and there was Primrose still in her cradle.[Footnote to the text: {This emendation was made on the typescript only. }In 'The Longfather-tree of Master Samwise' {in Appendix C }Daisy Gamgee was born in 1433 and Primrose in 1435; Bilbo Gamgee was born in the year of {the Epilogue}this Episode, 1436, and was followed by three further children, making thirteen in all.]
Now Sam was 'having a bit of quiet'. ... To her, by gift if not by inheritance, a memory of elven-grace had descended.[Footnote to the text: ETA-SL-14.2{A footnote to the record of the birth of Elanor in The Tale of Years states: '}She became known as "the Fair" because of her beauty; many said that she looked more like an elf-maid than a hobbit. She had golden hair, which had been very rare in the Shire; but two others of Samwise's daughters were also golden-haired, and so were many of the children born at this time.{' Cf. the reference in 'The Grey Havens' to the golden-haired children born in the Shire in the year 1420 (RK p. 303; see p. 112, note 1).}]
'What are you doing, Sam-dad dear?' she said at last. 'You said you were going to rest, and I hoped you would talk to me.'
'Just a moment, Elanorellë, said Sam,ETA-SL-14.3<Epilogue note 14 sucking his pen-holder> as she came and set her arms about him and peered over his shoulder.
...
...
...
Moria: I have heard no news. Maybe the foretelling about Durin is not for our time. ETA-SL-14.4{(15)} Dark places still need a lot of cleaning up. I guess it will take a lot of trouble and daring deeds yet to root out the evil creatures from the halls of Moria. ...
...
...
...
... 'But I think I do now. He knew that Lady Arwen would stay, but that Galadriel would leave him. ETA-SL-14.5{(16)} I think it was very sad for him. And for you, dear Sam-dad.' Her hand felt for his, and his brown hand clasped her slender fingers. 'For your treasure went too. I am glad Frodo of the Ring saw me, but I wish I could remember seeing him.'
'It was sad, Elanorellë,' said Sam, kissing her hair. 'It was, but {[}it{]} isn't now. ...
...
...
...
'No, dear,' said Sam. 'But he's coming north again, as he hasn't done since you was a mite. ETA-SL-14.6{(17)} But now his house is ready.
He won't come into the Shire, because he's given orders that no Big Folk are to enter the land again after those Ruffians, and he won't break his own rules. But he will ride to the Bridge. And he's sent a very special invitation to every one of us, every one by name.'
Sam went to a drawer, unlocked it, and took out a scroll, and slipped off its case. It was written in two columns with fair silver letters upon black. He unrolled it, and set a candle beside it on the desk, so that Elanor could see it. ETA-SL-14.7 <

> ETA-SL-14.8 <HoMe 9; Epilogue; transcript from page III

> 'How splendid!' she cried. ...
...
...
...
'Not a bit more than I do, Sam-dad, Perhael-adar ETA-SL-14.9{(18)} dearest,' said Elanor. 'But it says the second of April, only a week today!{(19)} When shall we start? We ought to be getting ready. What shall we wear?'
...
...
...
... But even as he did so, he heard suddenly, deep and unstilled, the sigh and murmur of the Sea upon the shores of Middle-earth.>
ETA-SL-15<Appendix A Our King, we {call}called him; ... Thain Peregrin {has}had been there many times; and so {has}had Master Samwise the Mayor. ETA-SL-16<Appendix B He {gives}gave the Star of the Dúnedain to Master Samwise, and> {His}his daughter Elanor the Fair {is}was made one of the maids of Queen Evenstar.> ETA-SL-16.2<Appendix B In the year 1451 Shire reckoning Elanor the Fair {marries}married Fastred of Greenholm on the Far Downs.{
1452 The} In the following year the Westmarch, from the Far Downs to the Tower Hills (Emyn Beraid), {is}was added to the Shire by the gift of the King. Many hobbits remove to it.{
1454 Elfstan Fairbairn, son of Fastred and Elanor, is born.
1455 Master Samwise becomes Mayor for the fifth time.} At {his}the request of Master Samwise, the Mayor the Thain {makes}made Fastred Warden of Westmarch. Fastred and Elanor {make}made their dwelling at Undertowers on the Tower Hills, where their descendants, the Fairbairns of the Towers, dwelt for many generations.>
ETA-SL-18<Appendix B On September {22}the twenty-second of Shire Reckoning 1482, Master Samwise {rides}rode out from Bag End. ...

Some comments on the editing:
ETA-SL-14.1: I do not think we need a title for this, and I can’t think of any fitting.

ETA-SL-14.2: The Footnote i in origin from Appendix B, but it fit here well.

ETA-SL-14.3: I restored the original reading as Christopher Tolkien suggest that the change was unintentional.

ETA-SL-14.4, ETA-SL-14.5, ETA-SL-14.6 & ETA-SL-14.9: Editorial notes removed.

ETA-SL-14.7: The Facsimile at least we must add, otherwise all the talk is without reference.

ETA-SL-14.8: I think should as well add the transcripts as they make the letter readable for all. I reconstructed the reading of the third version from the text of the first and teh notes given for the third.

ETA-SL-16.2: As we have given all this events from the Shire so much room we should not miss the Westmarch.

ETA-SL-23 to ETA-SL-25: I would rather weave thes a bit more together to avoid redundance:

ETA-SL-23b<Appendix A But when King Elessar gave up his life Legolas followed at last the desire of his heart and{ sailed over Sea.} ETA-SL-24<Appendix B built a grey ship in Ithilien, and sailed down Anduin and so over Sea; and with him, it is said, went Gimli the Dwarf{.} ETA-SL-25b<Appendix A{We have heard tell that Legolas took Gimli} Glóin's son{ with him} because of their great friendship, greater than any that has been between Elf and Dwarf. If this is true, then it is strange indeed: that a Dwarf should be willing to leave Middle-earth for any love, or that the Eldar should receive him, or that the Lords of the West should permit it. But it is said that Gimli went also out of desire to see again the beauty of Galadriel; and it may be that she, being mighty among the Eldar, obtained this grace for him. More cannot be said of this matter.> And when that ship passed an end was come in the Middle-earth of the Fellowship of the Ring.>

Respectfully
Findegil

[ArcusCalion]

FY-HL-22: I had a similar thought, but I can see no other title which would work. Any other suggestions are welcome. I think it will be ok tho, since the end of the Third Age (the passing of Elrond) is included in this chapter.

I agree to all the rest, a very well-organized and cogent post. As always, you have caught much that I missed!

Why did you remove the bit at the end of the English text of Aragorn's letter, where he says the date in the Rivendell months?

[ArcusCalion]

After reading through the draft including the Epilogue, I think we may now include the portion of the Waldman Letter that talks about Sam after Frodo departs, since we are going to spend so much time with him later on in the chapter. Therefore, I added this addition after ETA-SL-07:

ETA-SL-07.5 <Letter to Milton Waldman But Sam standing stricken on the stone quay {sees}saw only the white ship slip down the grey estuary and fade into the darkling West. He {stays}stayed long unmoving listening to the sound of the Sea on the shores of the world. Then he {rides}rode home; his wife {welcomes}welcomed him to the firelight and his first child, and he {says}said simply 'Well, I'{ve come}m back'.>

I changed what Sam says to match the text of the published Lord of the Rings.

In addition, now that the Epilogue breaks up the paragraph, ETA-SL-15's reference to 'Our King' has no antecedent. Therefore I would change it like so:

ETA-SL-15 <Appendix A Our King, we {call}called {him}King Elessar; and when .....

I think this is enough.

[Findegil]

I agree to both.

About the end of the transcription: That’s how I understood what was written in the note concerning the differences between the transcript of version I and III of the letter. I did not cross check with the elvish signs. But doing so, I found in Vinyar Tengwar #29 that I missed a number so the end must read: 'February, 6341 [=1436]'

Respectfully
Findegil

[ArcusCalion]

Noted! Thank you

[Arvegil145]

Originally Posted by ArcusCalion

FY-HL-22: I had a similar thought, but I can see no other title which would work. Any other suggestions are welcome. I think it will be ok tho, since the end of the Third Age (the passing of Elrond) is included in this chapter.

I agree to all the rest, a very well-organized and cogent post. As always, you have caught much that I missed!

Why did you remove the bit at the end of the English text of Aragorn's letter, where he says the date in the Rivendell months?

Perhaps the title could be Of the Dominion of Men?

[Findegil]

FY-HL-22: Is Of the Dominion of Men I title used by Tolkien? I don't think so. But anyhow it seems to me to be to broad. It is true that the Dominion of Men started with Elessar, but it did not end yet. So this title would cover all the History of Middel-earth from the crowning of Elessar to the prophecy of teh Last Battle (and as we talk about an fiegned history all our now real world history in between). That is a deal more than what we have put together in this chapter.

Respectfully
Findegil

[Arvegil145]

Originally Posted by Findegil

FY-HL-22: Is Of the Dominion of Men I title used by Tolkien? I don't think so. But anyhow it seems to me to be to broad. It is true that the Dominion of Men started with Elessar, but it did not end yet. So this title would cover all the History of Middel-earth from the crowning of Elessar to the prophecy of teh Last Battle (and as we talk about an fiegned history all our now real world history in between). That is a deal more than what we have put together in this chapter.

Respectfully
Findegil

I mean, was the current title used by Tolkien - or rather, used in the sense that we're using it in this forum?

And as to your second objection - I agree, it's too broad: maybe something like The Beginning of the Dominion of Men?