The Quests of Middle-earth - Page 2
© Michael Martinez
Earlier quests in Middle-earth's history achieved far less grand ends. For example, Feanor set out upon the Quest of the Silmarils. He failed, and in his failure he led his people and the Sindar down the path to ruin. The Sindar might have suffered terribly anyway. It may have been only a matter of time before Melkor's servants became powerful enough to overcome even Melian's girdle. So some good came out of Feanor's pursuit of Melkor. The Sindarin civilization was preserved for a few centuries longer.
Following upon Feanor's death his son Maedhros was taken prisoner, and Melkor hung him upon a high peak of Thangorodrim. Years later Fingon set about finding and rescuing Maedhros. In the space of a few sentences, really, Tolkien compressed what must have been a heroic adventure. Fingon couldn't have known that Maedhros was hanging on the peak when Fingolfin and most of the Noldor were banging on the doors of Angband. The Elven prince must have learned about Maedhros' fate from the Sindar of Hithlum, who in turn must have learned about Maedhros from the Feanorian Noldor.
Fingon took no army with him. He set out from the fortified camp or city his people had built and crossed the Ered Wethrin into Ard-galen. From there he journeyed up to the Ered Engryn and then wandered around Thangorodrim until he found Maedhros. How long did the journey last? Days? Weeks? Months? Did Fingon encounter Orc patrols, or other creatures? Was he ever in serious peril of being captured himself?
And how did Thorondor know that Fingon was trying to rescue Maedhros? The Eagles must have been watching Thangorodrim very closely, and Thorondor most likely saw Fingon (or one of Thorondor's vassals saw him) crossing Ard-galen and wandering through the Emyn Engryn. Thorondor didn't offer any help, though. He seems to have just hovered in the background, waiting, watching. Were the Eagles forbidden to help the Noldor directly? Or were they under orders only to assist in the noblest of causes?
Thorondor protected Gondolin. The hidden city was beautiful and its people for the most part stayed out of the Wars of Beleriand, but many of them were still Noldor. They were still under the curse of the Valar. It seems odd that Manwe should grant them protection unlike that extended to any other Elven group (save the Sindar of Doriath, who were warded by Melian -- and she undoubtedly had Manwe's permission, also having acted on their behalf before any of the Sindar became embroiled with the Noldor and their curse).
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