Cuiviénen
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Cuiviénen | |
---|---|
Bay | |
"At Lake Cuiviénen" by Ted Nasmith | |
General Information | |
Pronunciation | koo-i-vee-eeh-nen |
Other names | Nen Echui (S) |
Location | The distant East of Middle-earth, on the eastern shores of the Sea of Helcar |
Type | Bay |
People and History | |
Inhabitants | Elves |
Events | Awakening of the Elves |
Gallery | Images of Cuiviénen |
- "In Cuiviénen sweet ran the waters under unclouded stars..."
- ― Fëanor in Quenta Silmarillion, "Of the Flight of the Noldor"
Cuiviénen was a bay on the shore of the inland Sea of Helcar in the far east of Middle-earth and by extension, the land near the Wild Wood at the foot of Orocarni where the Quendi or Elves awoke.[1]
History
Ilúvatar first awoke the Elves there in approximately 1050 of the Years of the Trees. From the first they were divided into three groups: the Minyar, Tatyar, and Nelyar. They dwelt in Cuiviénen for more than fifty Valian Years before the first sundering. Many of the Elves, particularly of the Minyar and Tatyar, journeyed west to Valinor and, if they did not tarry in Middle-earth, saw its light and became known as the Eldar. Those who remained were called the Avari, the unwilling, for they did not desire to see the beauty of that land, but preferred the starlight of Cuiviénen.
Etymology
The Quenya name Cuiviénen means "Water of Awakening", from cuivië ("awakening") + nen ("water").[2]
The Noldorin/Sindarin cognate was Nen Echui.[3][4]
See also
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Index of Names"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Appendix: II. The List of Names", p. 406
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", entry "KUY-"