A breakdown of Tolkien’s ‘Of the Noldor in Beleriand’, Chapter 15 in The Silmarillion. As usual I share a mini summary with my thoughts, 10 tidbits and 5 quotes!

A Mini Summary and Some Personal Thoughts

This chapter is a shorter one in The Silmarillion, and there’s not a whole lot of action. But there is the building of the city of Gondolin, which sounds like a pretty amazing place (with some beautiful sights to see!). There are a number of important developments and conversations between key characters, including Turgon and Ulmo, Melian and Galadriel, Finrod, Thingol and more.

Let’s get into the tidbits!

Ten Tidbits About ‘Of the Noldor in Beleriand’

1. Gondolin is built.

Turgon of Nevrast discovers the hidden vale of Tumladen and there built a fair city, a memorial of Tirion upon Túna. It takes 52 years for the city to be completely built! Turgon names it Ondolindë in the speech of the Elves of Valinor, meaning the Rock of the Music of Water, for the foundries upon the hill. But in Sindarin the name was changed and it became Gondolin, the Hidden Rock.

2. Ulmo and Turgon chat about the future.

Ulmo tells Turgon that he’ll hide the city’s entrance, and that Gondolin will stand the longest against Melkor of all the elvish cities. But he also warns him not to love too well of the work of his own hands – which sounds ominous to me.

3. Ulmo reminds Turgon of the Doom of Mandos.

Ulmo reminds Turgon that he is under the Doom of Mandos. But he says that if the curse of the Noldor were to come about, that someone from Nevrast would come to warm him, and ‘hope shall be born for Elves and Men’. He tells Turgon to leave a sword for that messenger to find so that Turgon would know him and not be deceived.

4. 350 years of peace in Gondolin and beauty.

350 years pass and the people of Turgon grow and thrive in Gondolin. The city had high white walls, shining fountains and images of the Trees of old, which Turgon wrought himself. The Tree that he made of gold was named Glingal, and the Tree with silver flowers named Belthil.

5. Celebrindal is a pretty long nickname for Idril – and she’s a beauty.

Idril, Turgon’s daughter, called Celebrindal, the Silver-foot was the fairest sight in Gondolin. Her hair ‘was as the gold of Laurelin before the coming of Melkor.’

6. Finrod builds and Galadriel chats with Melian.

While Gondolin was build in secret, Finrod Felagund was building in the ‘deep places of Nargothrond’. His sister Galadriel was dwelling in Doriath with Melian and Thingol. Galadriel spoke with Melian about Valinor and ‘the bliss of old’. But Galadriel never shared about what happened after the Trees were destroyed, despite Melian telling her she knew that there was woe that Galadriel was not sharing with her. 

7. Melian shares her chats with Galadriel with Thingol.

Galadriel then shares with Melian about the Silmarils and the slaying of Finwë, but not about the Oath or the Kinslaying. And Melian shares this with Thingol, warning him to beware the sons of Fëanor. Melian also foretells that the Silmarils would not be recovered by ‘any power of the Eldar’ and that the world would be ‘broken in battles’ before they were recovered from Morgoth.

8. Thingol chats to Finrod.

The sons of Finarfin visit Thingol to see their sister Galadriel, and Thingol confronts Finrod about the lies of the Noldor, chastising him for keeping such important matters from him.

9. Thingol bans the language of the Noldor.

Thingol says he will remain friends with the people of Fingolfin, but bans the language of the Noldor in Beleriand, only allowing the Sindarin tongue in his Kingdom. 

10. Galadriel questions Finrod’s single status.

Galadriel asks her brother Finrod why he isn’t married yet (she sounds like my Nana). But ‘foresight came upon Felegund as she spoke, and he said: ‘An oath I too shall swear, and must be free to fulfil it, and go into darkness. Nor shall anything of my realm endure that a son should inherit.’ He did not believe his Kingdom would last long enough for an heir to inherit, and he believed he would also go into darkness – you’ll have to keep reading to see if he’s right!

5 Fav Quotes from ‘Of the Noldor in Beleriand’

An oath I too shall swear, and must be free to fulfil it, and go into darkness. Nor shall anything of my realm endure that a son should inherit.

The fact that Finrod foresaw this future for himself 🥺

It is said that Turgon appointed its name to be Ondolindë in the speech of the Elves of Valinor, the Rock of the Music of Water, for there were fountains upon the hill; but in the Sindarin tongue the name was changed, and it became Gondolin, the Hidden Rock.

I love the name, the Rock of the Music of Water.

High and white were its walls, and smooth its stairs, and tall and strong was the Tower of the King. There shining fountains played, and in the courts of Turgon stood images of the Trees of old, which Turgon himself wrought with elven-craft; and the Tree which he made of gold was named Glingal, and the Tree whose flowers he made of silver was named Belthil. But fairer than all the wonders of Gondolin was Idril, Turgon’s daughter, she that was called Celebrindal, the Silver-foot, whose hair was as the gold of Laurelin before the coming of Melkor.

Such a beautiful description of Gondolin. And as beautiful as the city is, Idril is even more so.

But love not too well the work of thy hands and the devices of thy heart; and remember that the true hope of the Noldor lieth in the West and cometh from the Sea.

This feels like a common thread of needed advice in The Silmarillion.

Never again in my ears shall be heard the tongue of those who slew my kin in Alqualondë! Nor in all my realm shall it be openly spoken, while my power endures. All the Sindar shall hear my command that they shall neither speak with the tongue of the Noldor nor answer to it. And all such as use it shall be held slayers of kin and betrayers of kin unrepentant.

It feels very like Tolkien to consider the implications of the kinslaying on the language of the Elves.

Further Study

I love listening to podcasts to gain more insights and thoughts on Tolkien’s works. Here a couple I listened to about this chapter:

• The Prancing Pony Podcast Episode 025 – Watch Your Language
• The Tolkien Professor’s Silmarillion Seminars

The Silmarillion Second Breakfast Book Club

That’s Chapter 15, ‘Of the Noldor in Beleriand’! If you’ve missed any previous posts on The Silmarillion in our Second Breakfast Book Club, then check out the Reading Schedule. And stay tuned for Chapter 16!