# Evil is the hour



## Lhunithiliel (Sep 11, 2004)

In another thread, I read a quote provided by the Lord of Balrogs  ... and it reminded me of sth. I had wondered when I had read those lines.

from the Silmarillion, Chapter 9: Of the Flight of the Noldor.


> But even as the trumpet sang and Fëanor issued from the gates of Tirion a messenger came at last from Manwë, saying: 'Against the folly of Fëanor shall be set my counsel only. Go not forth! *For the hour is evil,* and your road leads to sorrow that ye do not foresee. No aid will the Valar lend you in this quest; but neither will they hinder you; for this ye shall know: as ye came hither freely, freely shall ye depart.



Why was the hour 'evil'?

Opinions?


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## Barliman Butterbur (Sep 11, 2004)

Lhunithiliel said:


> In another thread, I read a quote provided by the Lord of Balrogs  ... and it reminded me of sth. I had wondered when I had read those lines.
> 
> from the Silmarillion, Chapter 9: Of the Flight of the Noldor.
> 
> ...



I am not up on Sil by a long way! But wouldn't simply reading ahead lead to the reason? (This is one of the reasons why I so dearly wish that Tolkien's works would be issued on searchable CDs!)

Barley


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## Lhunithiliel (Sep 12, 2004)

Ah! Well.... yes.. 
Reading further in the story, one understands it all right!

But, ain't it intriguing within the moment itself, as it is?
It sounds to me like :
"_Don't go now! Have patience! The time for this will come ... but it is *not now!*_"

So, why not 'now'? What 'hour' should've they waited for?

********

BTW, what is a searchable CD?


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## Barliman Butterbur (Sep 12, 2004)

Lhunithiliel said:


> ...what is a searchable CD?



It's a CD-ROM on which is the text of a book. Or simply a textfile. It could be searched for instant reference. Unfortunately no such thing exists for Tolkien's works. I thought I found an etext online, but it turned out to be a parody.

I thought of scanning LOTR into textfiles, just so I could look up phrases and answer questions, but the technique is VERY tedious and time-consuming, although not as much as typing out the book!

Alas, it will have to remain a dream...

Barley


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## Beleg (Sep 12, 2004)

BB, there are etexts of LOTR [and all of Tolkien's works that have been published and much more] avalable online, just not publically.


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## greypilgrim (Sep 12, 2004)

"The hour is evil" probably meant that Feanor wasn't in his right mind and was getting carried away in his anger, for they already knew he had a burning spirit and that he had many followers (a very powerful leader)...forseeing that his very will, to do what he was set in his mind to do, would bring about disaster for himself, his followers, and others indirectly.

Basically they were just telling him to chill.

(btw...whats "sth"?)


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## Astaldo (Sep 12, 2004)

I guess that you are right greypilgrim. Feanor was furious at the time and surely did not know exactly what he was doing

sth must be something


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## Thorondor_ (Sep 16, 2005)

From Myths transformed:


> The last intervention with physical force by the Valar, ending in the breaking of Thangorodrim, may then be viewed as not in fact reluctant or even unduly delayed, but timed with precision. The intervention came before the annihilation of the Eldar and the Edain. Morgoth though locally triumphant had neglected most of Middle-earth during the war; and by it he had in fact been weakened: in power and prestige (he had lost and failed to recover one of the Silmarils), and above all in mind. He had become absorbed in 'kingship', and though a tyrant of ogre-size and monstrous power, this was a vast fall even from his former wickedness of hate, and his terrible nihilism. He had fallen to like being a tyrant-king with conquered slaves, and vast obedient armies.


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