Bibliomancy...Tolkien style

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

From the Oxford English Dictionary:

Bibliomancy: Divination by books, or by verses of the Bible.

1753 CHAMBERS Cycl. Supp., Bibliomancy..amounts to much the same with what is otherwise called sortes biblicae..F. J. Davidius, a jesuit, has published a bibliomancy. 1864 N. & Q. Ser. III. V. 195/2 Bibliomancy or Divination by Books, was known to the ancients under the appellation of Sortes Homericæ and Sortes Virgilianæ. The practice was to take up the works of Homer and Virgil, and to consider the first verse that presented itself as a prognostication of future events.

An interesting practise, no? Most people are aware of bibliomancy only in relation to the Bible, but as the above demonstrates, it is a practice that predates the Bible and which continues to be applied to books other than the Christian Bible. Bibliomancy is easily done, even by the beginner:

1. Place a book on its spine
2. Let it fall open
3. Close your eyes and trace your finger across the pages to a random point
4. Open your eyes and read the paragraph your finger has fallen upon
5. Predict your future based on that passage

Given that this is a site dedicated to our mutual appreciation of a marvellous book, it seems only fitting that we accord it such reverence. So go grab your favourite copy of The Lord of the Rings and bibliomance away. I suppose you can also use The Hobbit if you wish, but I would go to The Silmarillion only at your peril. As to the HoME, well, don't say I didn't warn you.

To get the ball rolling, here's what I found and what I make of it:

They found that they were looking at a most extraordinary face. It belonged to a large man-like, almost troll-like figure, at least fourteen foot high, very sturdy, with a tall head, and hardly any neck. Whether it was clad in stuff like green and grey bark, or whether that was its hide, was difficult to say. At any rate the arms, at a short distances from the trunk, were not wrinkled, but covered with brown smooth skin. The large feet had seven toes each. The lower part of the long face was covered with a sweeping grey beard, bushy, almost twiggy at the roots, thin and mossy at the ends. But at the moment the hobbits noted little but the eyes. These deep eyes were now surveying them, slow and solemn, but very penetrating. They were brown, shot with a green light.

There are two ways for me to interpret this passage. Either I will someday look at a person such as is being described or I shall become that person.

In the former case, I can only assume that I will get into some kind of terrible trouble because I somewhat foolishly but entirely bravely decided to follow a friend into mortal danger and thus get caught up in events which I barely understand. I will be little more than a passive observer to most of what goes on around me, and I will have to rely on the deep wisdom and strength of this person to guide and help me. This person will be a little odd but interesting in his own right. I would do best to leave my axe at home. I will conclude my adventure with a meal. Probably several meals.

In the latter case (in which I am the person being observed, rather than the observer himself) I shall get remarkably hoary and ragged in my old age. People shall look at me and think "what an odd fellow" but I will manage to impress them nonetheless. I will catch some form of skin disease and grow some extra appendages but I will apparently be able to accept both. I will grow a beard. I will become much taller and both more helpful and less sociable than I am now. In brief, I will become my father.

What does your future hold in store for you?

[Child of the 7th Age]

Fordim -

This is an incredibly clever idea for a thread! I expect I will be back several times if multiple posts are allowed. I remember late at night lying in my bed with the covers drawn over my head and doing this with the help of my flashlight. I thought my parents didn't even know that I was reading and playing games with books after I went to bed, but of course they did.

OK, here goes my first try..... I am using The Hobbit.

But men remembered little of all that, though some still sang old songs of the dwarf-kings of the Mountain, Thror and Thrain of the race of Durin, and of the coming of the Dragon, and the fall of the lands of Dale. Some sang too that Thror and Thrain would come back one day and gold would flow in rivers, through the mountain-gates, and all that land would be filled with new song and new laughter. But this pleasant legend did not much affect their daily business.

Hmm... Well, I am wondering if my subconscious purposely led me to a passage that deals with "money" issues. One of our offspring is preparing to leave for college and I am forking out money right and left. Our small hoard of gold is rapidly shrinking as we pay for clothes, plane tickets, room and board, laptops, etc. etc. This passage is probably telling me something I already know....that despite my dreams of finding a treasure to make this whole process easier, my dreams are no more than thin air. I shall likely remain in pinched circumstances at least over the next four years.

Ah, if I had only put my finger on the passage where Bilbo found the dragon hoard or was allotted his fair share of the treasure!

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Originally Posted by Child of the 7th Age

Ah, if I had only put my finger on the passage where Bilbo found the dragon hoard or was allotted his fair share of the treasure!

Take heart! Rather than seeing your fate in the Dwarves, there is another figure in the passage:

though some still sang old songs...of the coming of the Dragon

Perhaps you shall find yourself sufficiently pinched that you shall take wing in a great spout of fire and descend upon a hapless people to seize their gold for yourself. Just be sure that the offspring are all out of college before you go into a fury over someone stealing one of your ill-gotten trinkets! Better yet, just let the loss go and stay put rather than attacking the nearby -- and apparently defenceless -- village!

By the way: multiple posts are not only allowed, but encouraged!

[Hookbill the Goomba]

Sounds like my kind of thing. Using The Lord of the Rings...

And Celeborn said: "I do not know, Eldest.' But Galadriel said: 'Not in Middle Earth, nor until the land that lie under the wave are lifted up again. Then in the willow-meads of Tasarinan we may meet in the spring. Farewell'

This passage speaks but one word: Doom! Doom, Doom, Doom!

But seriously, it seems that what the future holds is uncertain with regard to... I don't know... meeting someone who has springs for legs. Some willow may try and trip me up with a willow branch and I'll be caught under a wave.
I'm sure Zebedee will help me, good old springy!

[Mithalwen]

The only Tolkien book I have on me is a paperback copy of The Silmarillion which is refusing to fall open. Does this mean I have no future?

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

The only Tolkien book I have on me is a paperback copy of The Silmarillion which is refusing to fall open. Does this mean I have no future?

Considering that about 95% of the Silmarillion is doom and gloom, this may mean an exceptionally bright outlook in the near future for you.

[wilwarin538]

Very interesting, I decided to use the Two Towers.

"Save me!" said Sam turning white, and then flushing scarlet. "There I go again! When ever you open your big mouth you put your foot in it the Gaffer used to say to me, and right enough. O dear, O dear!"

The only logical way I can interpret this paragraph, without reading the paragraphs before and after, is that I need saving because I can't keep my mouth shut. O dear indeed. I don't even talk that much. *Runs off to mime school*

Interesting idea Fordim.