Word of the Day: Valaquenta

Word of the Day: Valaquenta, the “Account of the Valar and Maiar, according to the lore of the Eldar” (The Silmarillion).

Valaquenta in The Silmarillion

When Tolkien describes Valaquenta as the “Account” of the Valar and Maiar, I think it means what sets the stone for them, as it does mean (in this context) a statement of who and what they are, or their context.

After all, when the music (see Ainulindalë) was being made by the Ainur, they then arose into the world at the beginning of times in Middle-earth (Arda, the Kingdom of Earth).

Valar

The first part of Valaquenta is the Valar. The Valar (powers of Arda) and the Men were named by the Elves – and then soon you’ll find that there are seven Lords and seven Queens of the Valar, who are:

The Lords of the Valar

• Manwë (Lord of the realm of Arda, king, and spouse of Varda)
• Ulmo (Lord of waters, lover of Elves and Men, dwells alone, and is next to Manwë.)
• Aulë (little less might than Ulmo, a smith and master of all crafts, spouse of Yavanna)
• Oromë (a mighty lord, who loved the lands of Middle-earth, though he could be dreadful when he’s weaker than Tulkas, spouse of Vána)
• Mandos or Námo (keeper of the Houses of the Dead)
• Lórien or Irmo (master of visions and dreams)
• Tulkas Astaldo, the Valiant (comes last to Arda, and the spouse of Nessa)

The Queens of the Valar

• Varda (Lady of the Stars of Eä, spouse of Manwë)
• Yavanna Kementári (Giver of Fruits, lover of things that grow, next to Varda in reverence. Spouse of Aulë)
• Nienna (sister of the Fëanturi, see below)
• Estë the gentle (healer of hurts, spouse of Lórien)
• Vairë (a weaver, spouse of Mandos)
• Vána (the ever-young, spouse of Oromë, flowers spring and birds sing at her coming)
• Nessa (noted for her speed, and delights in dancing. Spouse of Tulkas, and the sister of Oromë)

Then the following were introduced:

• Fëanturi (masters of spirits, true names Námo and Irmo)
• Nienna (sister of the Fëanturi, who dwells alone, loves deer, and and acquainted with grief of the wounds suffered in Arda by Melkor)
• The Valar that are of chief power and reverence: Aratar, Manwë and Varda, Ulmo, Yavanna and Aulë, Mandos, Nienna and Oromë (formerly Melkor, but he was no longer counted among the Valar)

Maiar

After the Valar, the Maiar were introduced in the Valaquenta:

• Ilmarë (handmaid of Varda)
• Eönwe (banner-bearer and herald of Manwë)
• Ossë (vassal of Ulmo, spouse of Uinen)
• Uinen (Lady of the Seas, Spouse of Ossë)
• Melian (served both Vána and Estë)
• Olórin (the wisest of the Maiar, learned pity and patience from Nienna)

Enemies

Lastly, the enemies were listed:

• Melkor
• Sauron
• Morgoth