Rog

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The name Rog refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Rog (disambiguation).

Template:Gnomes infobox Rog was a Gnome-lord of Gondolin according to the early version of the Legendarium in The Book of Lost Tales.

History

Rog was a blacksmith, and chief of the Folk of the Hammer of Wrath. He was considered the strongest of the Noldoli, and was like considered third greatest in valour.[1]:174

During the Fall of Gondolin, he led his people against the attack of Balrogs and Orcs in the North Gate. When the gate was broken, he stirred his kindred against the Balrogs with words of passion, and though many were slain, they slew a number of the fiery creatures "that... was a marvel and dread to the hosts of Melko, for ere that day never had any Balrogs been slain by the hand of Elves or Men". Seeing that they had no way back, Rog rushed his men outside the city, where the folk of the Hammer were hemmed in, and every one of them perished, including him.[1]:178-179

Etymology

The name Rog, in earlier writings Rôg, seems curious as a name for an elf-lord of Gondolin: no other one-syllable names appear in other writings.

The meaning or etymology of the name is unclear, and in the context of the later works it would mean "demon" as an element in Balrog.[2][3] But the early Gnomish Lexicon gives an adjetive: rôg, rog ("doughty, strong"), related with arog ("swift, rushing") and raug of the same meaning.[4] The Qenya form of his name was Rōka.[5]

Other versions of the legendarium

Rog's death "without the walls" is mentioned in the Quenta Noldorinwa,[6] which was the main text used by Christopher Tolkien for the edition of the chapter "Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin" in his Silmarillion. However, Christopher removed the mention of this character, explaining that his father would likely not have used that out of phase name.[7]

See also

References