Who Is Like the Wise Elf? - Page 7
© Michael Martinez
A bond between leader and followers, established by the individual choices of the Elves, empower the authority of leaders as no mortal contract could. The relationship between leader and follower may not have been one of mutual obligation but rather one of mutual enchantment. A great people would literally make a great leader, and the great leader would make better choices for his people. And, hence, the Elven-wise would be the lords of the Eldar because they were empowered by their people to see matters more clearly, to choose and judge for their people, to exercise the communal wisdom and lore. Elrond is said to have been made a master of lore when he chose to be of Elven-kind. Who made him such a master? Eonwe? Manwe? Or did the Noldor who accepted him into their ranks as an Elven-lord bestow upon him a communal trust and bond?
The process of creating and sustaining the bond between leader and follower would be magical, an act of sub-creative will. It would be something only an Elven people could or would do. Under such a system, it would be easy to identify the members of the Wise: they would be the leaders of the communities, or at least the larger communities. Elrond, therefore, would not have been among the Wise until he became the leader of a community. Gildor Inglorion would be one of the Wise because he was the leader of a company of Elves. The Wise were not Wise because of what families they came from, but rather because of how many Elves followed them. An Elf king might be one of the Wise, but only if he were personally bonded to a community of Elves.
The communal bond need not enhance the leader's power, or strength. Rather, individual strength would remain constant, but the wisdom to use that strength would be enhanced. The communal bond could, however, extend to entire families. Hence, Elven realms would be more likely to maintain a dynasty than mortal realms. The Noldor were contentious and fractious, but after Feanor's rebellion they remained fairly stable.
The Elven-wise are also loremasters, great scholars and philosophers. Any Elf may learn whatever knowledge is made freely available. But the great insights provided by leaders like Finrod and Elrond might be achieved only by members of the Elven-wise, the leaders, because of their enhanced abilities. Hence, an Elf like Lindir of Rivendell may seem less wise when compared to Legolas or Elrond, but is not really dense or ignorant. Lindir trusts Elrond to lead the community with the insight of the Wise.
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