# What was Mandos doing?



## Licky Linguist (May 21, 2021)

I recently re-read the Silmarillion, and I came to wonder what Mandos had been doing in the first years of Middle Earth. I mean, of what good good was a god of death in a land full of peaceful immortals? 
He must have been pretty bored, hanging out with the random female spirit who died from labor


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## Hisoka Morrow (May 21, 2021)

Licky Linguist said:


> ...He must have been pretty bored, hanging out with the random female spirit who died from labor ...


No, he might be pretty at leisure, for almost endless holidays XDD


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## Alcuin (May 21, 2021)

I wonder if “keeper of the Houses of the Dead” (_Silmarillion_, “Valaquenta”) was the original task of Námo Mandos or if that task became assigned to him (or better, “devolved” upon him) because of his primary function.

He is also described as “the Doomsman of the Valar; … pronounc[ing] his dooms and his Judgments only at the bidding of Manwë.” (_ibid._) Mythologically, that implies some link between Námo and Manwë, who is described as “dearest to Ilúvatar and understand[ing] most clearly [Ilúvatar’s] purposes.” The Vala _Vairë_ is Námo’s “spouse,” who “weaves all things that have ever been in Time into her storied webs [i.e., tapestries].” Námo (“Mandos” is actually the name of the “halls” or place of his dwelling; they grow with time as more and more spirits are consigned to them, but “Valaquenta” says they grow “ever widen as the ages pass [and] are clothed with” the “webs” (tapestries) of Vairë) would therefore seem to have some deeper understanding and recollection of the Music of the Ainur and how it relates to the unfolding of Time, and *Námo and Vairë together keep track of that unfolding.*

It could be argued that the “halls” of Mandos are not so much a physical location as a spiritual one, so that there is _no escape_ from them even for a powerful Vala such as Melkor Morgoth.


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## Hisoka Morrow (May 21, 2021)

Alcuin said:


> I wonder if “keeper of the Houses of the Dead” (_Silmarillion_, “Valaquenta”) was the original task of Námo Mandos or if that task became assigned to him (or better, “devolved” upon him) because of his primary function.
> 
> He is also described as “the Doomsman of the Valar; … pronounc[ing] his dooms and his Judgments only at the bidding of Manwë.” (_ibid._) Mythologically, that implies some link between Námo and Manwë, who is described as “dearest to Ilúvatar and understand[ing] most clearly [Ilúvatar’s] purposes.” The Vala _Vairë_ is Námo’s “spouse,” who “weaves all things that have ever been in Time into her storied webs [i.e., tapestries].” Námo (“Mandos” is actually the name of the “halls” or place of his dwelling; they grow with time as more and more spirits are consigned to them, but “Valaquenta” says they grow “ever widen as the ages pass [and] are clothed with” the “webs” (tapestries) of Vairë) would therefore seem to have some deeper understanding and recollection of the Music of the Ainur and how it relates to the unfolding of Time, and *Námo and Vairë together keep track of that unfolding.*
> 
> It could be argued that the “halls” of Mandos are not so much a physical location as a spiritual one, so that there is _no escape_ from them even for a powerful Vala such as Melkor Morgoth.


Something like being in charge of judicial stuff apart from simply afterlife?


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## Licky Linguist (May 21, 2021)

Came upon this


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## Alcuin (May 21, 2021)

Hisoka Morrow said:


> Something like being in charge of judicial stuff apart from simply afterlife?


Not “judicial stuff”. To me, the idea is that Námo and Vairë are essentially the “official record keepers” of Arda. In that capacity, Námo gets stuck with the _fëar_ (spirits) of unhoused Elves, because he’s the one who whistles or calls for them to “come home” (the “summons”). Since Elves are immune to disease and are impervious to old age, that means any Elf that gets killed, with the additions of Míriel and Lúthien who _chose_ to die. He also has the job of record-keeping when the souls of Men pass from Arda to wherever they are destined to go. (Thus Lúthien can enchant (or enable) the soul of Beren to refuse to leave Mandos until she arrives, too, and presents her plea before “the inexorable Mandos.” (Tolkien’s phrasing)) 

It’s a crummy, thankless job, but someone has to do it, and Námo drew the short straw.


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## ZehnWaters (Sep 16, 2021)

Licky Linguist said:


> I recently re-read the Silmarillion, and I came to wonder what Mandos had been doing in the first years of Middle Earth. I mean, of what good good was a god of death in a land full of peaceful immortals?
> He must have been pretty bored, hanging out with the random female spirit who died from labor


He's also a judge so...being...judgmental of the work?


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## ZehnWaters (Sep 16, 2021)

Alcuin said:


> I wonder if “keeper of the Houses of the Dead” (_Silmarillion_, “Valaquenta”) was the original task of Námo Mandos or if that task became assigned to him (or better, “devolved” upon him) because of his primary function.
> 
> He is also described as “the Doomsman of the Valar; … pronounc[ing] his dooms and his Judgments only at the bidding of Manwë.” (_ibid._) Mythologically, that implies some link between Námo and Manwë, who is described as “dearest to Ilúvatar and understand[ing] most clearly [Ilúvatar’s] purposes.” The Vala _Vairë_ is Námo’s “spouse,” who “weaves all things that have ever been in Time into her storied webs [i.e., tapestries].” Námo (“Mandos” is actually the name of the “halls” or place of his dwelling; they grow with time as more and more spirits are consigned to them, but “Valaquenta” says they grow “ever widen as the ages pass [and] are clothed with” the “webs” (tapestries) of Vairë) would therefore seem to have some deeper understanding and recollection of the Music of the Ainur and how it relates to the unfolding of Time, and *Námo and Vairë together keep track of that unfolding.*
> 
> It could be argued that the “halls” of Mandos are not so much a physical location as a spiritual one, so that there is _no escape_ from them even for a powerful Vala such as Melkor Morgoth.


Hm. So the historian of Arda with Vaire as the scribe.


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