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3.20.17
Of the Refusers, elves who desired neither the rest of Lorien nor to enter the Hells of Iron wrought by Morgoth-Melko:
Grey Sindar they were or became, subject to the King of Doriath, and his queen. In their dominion they found a third way, unlooked for and unseen by Valar and Demon, and it was these which most eagerly took up the abode in the second-flesh as of men, stationed it seemed to them, as a garrison of Thingol-king upon the isle of Numenor. Having achieved a second-birth, these men might come in the flesh to Eressëa, and thence to Aman, to be received among the Holy Order, of those Fathers of the Fathers of Men who aiding the cause of Eru in all their doings the First Age of Exile were brought by magic to the Halls of Aule and received by Lorien into the rest of Mandos, to abide until such time as befit them to comeagain among their long-children; such being of the Order of Maia (in being), Holy and Self-Incarnate, as it were by decree alone (their own).
So again Thingol had set up a domain fenced from without, easy to enter by contrivance of distracting delights, to passing Elda and Man (dead or alive), becoming in lore and rumor of men’s tales like unto Hell-Udûn, yet by glamour rather than daunting dread held captive; and in part there was truth in their tales, though no living mortal flesh did his people keep there, save to delay a foolish assault or venture to look upon – as if a matter of daring bravery – Udûn; this by decree of Thingol, in memory of Hurin, who alone wandered therefrom, and had passed by the change there come upon his flesh, as a wraith might, through the walls and deceits of Melian- Maia, Thingol’s queen. Of passing spirits of dead-men, captivated by restored lights as of past-days, being led to Nether-Doriath was seldom a misfortune or crookeding of fate, for otherwise these often failed to pass the guards set before the grey-stream, and impatient to wander without knowing-guides, they would be misled into the circles bending ever-down to Udûn, from which none emerge.
Yet here in Nether-Doriath, they too were captive, though by their own wills, being in life bent to chase fires without light, or false-light lacking heat; often but not always ignorant of evil fruit that grew therefrom. So chasing, they would come in the end to Thingol’s pools of light of spirit, set in the heart of the earth; and hither they would be covered by light of Truth, everlasting, and enter his service in the war upon Melko; every spirit a warrior, venturing thence out to charm the spirits of men away from evil, while in the flesh; after the manner of an enchantment, nigh unto magic- beguiling.
The Spell of Bottomless Dread cast by Melko upon all his servants and slaves was of the latter, but rather than dread without end, soldiery of Thingol in the Second Age turned hearts westward, and though many were thus found waiting on shores upon their flesh’s demise, and carried therefrom to rest among Elda thither, some over-eager charmed too well, and thus it was said the Numenorean race, eastward they venture, west their hearts looked ever; and so also was this guessed at by Thû and even some kingsmen, in the latter days of glory upon Westernesse; and thus slowly prohibited were all remnants of Elvenhomes upon the Island, last of the lore preserved, and the tree Nimloth, whose burning was stoked by pages of lore turned upon her bark-cast-aside, gathered into leaves of a Holy Book in the House of Elros in the City of Lights, Armenelos; nameless after the Ban.
Of the baptism in the pools of light, midmost the circle of warriors, first of all flesh submitted thus was the boy Dyacôm, for in naming Thingol, “Nāthân,” the king’s heart was as un-cloven, and he recalled many lessons taught in living at Doriath, knowing then that though his castle of safekeeping was a work noble and good upon the land, it was without final hope of restoration; and now to his own charms did he become subject, looking west to rest in Lorien, embraced with Melian, if she would take him in, a stray elf.
So in the baptism of Dyacôm, as it were, the king concluded his realm, rendering things of the domain of his spirit unto the flesh, and thereby subject to different authorities. Yet west he still refused to flee, for he also recalled Hurin and his gift, and in so contemplating came back in his mind to Turin, his son fostered and by Melko cursed to an evil fate. So in gaining one son, heir in flesh to his domain of spirit, to whom such would be visible and subject, Thingol also knew the loss of the other, and resolved himself then to wait in the lower depths, for his arrival up out of glooms, first of dead-men to walk thus from Hell’s Depths. For the sword he had once planned to bequeath, he contrived instead a lay, a song, “Of Thingol and His Seeings,” wherein is found all his memories recalled, as Father Ancient of a race divine.
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