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Poems and Tales of Middle-Earth:
(illustration by Alan Lee) |
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(Faramir's lament for Boromir)
"Boromir, O Boromir!
What did she say to you,
the Lady that dies not?
What did she see?
What woke in your heart then?
Why went you ever to Laurelindórenan,
and came not by your own road,
upon the horses of Rohan
riding home in the morning?"
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The Lord of the Rings
Part II. The Two Towers
Quotes from Tolkien's Novel
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| Ithilien: Henneth Annûn, the Window of the Sunset. |
"But in front a thin veil of water was hung, so near that Frodo could have put an
outstretched arm into it. The level shafts of the setting sun behind beat upon it, and the red light was broken into many
flickering beams of ever-changing colour. It was as if they stood at the window of some elven-tower, curtained with
threaded jewels of silver and gold, and ruby, sapphire and amethyst, all kindled with an unconsuming fire."
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"Sam struggled with himself, arguing this way and that. 'He may be all right',
he thought, 'and then he may not. Fair speech may hide a foul heart.' "
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" 'What hope have we?' said Faramir. 'It is long since we had any hope. The sword
of Elendil, if it returns indeed, may rekindle it, but I do not think that it will do more than put off the evil day,
unless other help unlooked-for also comes, from Elves or Men. For the Enemy increases and we decrease. We are a failing
people, a springless autumn.' "
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" 'Yet even so, it was Gondor that brought about its own decay, falling by degrees
into dotage, and thinking the Enemy was asleep, who was only banished not destroyed.
'Death was ever present, because the Némenoreans still, as they had in their old kingdom,
and so lost it, hungered after endless life unchanging. Kings made tombs more splendid than houses of the living, and
counted old names in the rolls of their descent dearer than the names of sons.' "
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" 'The lady of Lórien! Galadriel!' cried Sam. '[...] Beautiful she is, sir!
Lovely! Sometimes like a great tree in flower, sometimes like a white daffadowndilly, small and slender like. Hard
as di'monds, soft as moonlight. Warm as sunlight, cold as frost in the stars. Proud and far-off as a snow-mountain,
and as merry as any lass I ever saw with daisies in her hair in springtime. [...]
'Then she must be lovely indeed,' said Faramir. 'Perilously fair.'
'I don't know about perilous,' said Sam. 'It strikes me that folk takes their peril with
them into Lórien, and finds it there because they've brought it. But perhaps you could call her perilous,
because she's so strong in herself. You, you could dash yourself to pieces on her, like a ship on a rock; or drown
yourself, like a hobbit in a river.' "
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" 'And be comforted, Samwise. If you seem to have stumbled, think that it was fated to be so.
Your heart is shrewd as well as faithful, and saw clearer than your eyes. For strange though it may seem, it was safe
to declare this to me.' " (Faramir)
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" 'If you took this thing on yourself, unwilling, at others' asking, then you have
pity and honour from me. And I marvel at you: to keep it hid and not to use it. You are a new people and a new world to me.
Are all your kin of like sort? Your land must be a realm of peace, and there must gardeners be in high honour.' " (Faramir)
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"The Curtain was now become a dazzling veil of silk and pearls and silver thread:
melting icicles of moonlight."
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" 'Throttle them, precious. Throttle them all, yes, if we gets chances. Nice fissh. Nice
fissh!'
So it went on, almost as unceasing as the waterfall, only interrupted by a faint noise of slavering
and gurgling. Frodo shivered, listening with pity and disgust. He wished it would stop, and that he never need hear that
voice again. [...] Only one true shot, and Frodo would be rid of the miserable voice for ever. But no, Gollum had a claim
on him now. The servant has a claim on the master for service, even service in fear. They would have foundered in the
Dead Marshes, but for Gollum."
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"Gollum blinked, hooding the malice of his eyes with their heavy pale lids. [...]
'There are locked doors and closed windows in your mind, and dark rooms behind them,' said Faramir. [...]
'But I promised that if he came to me, he should not be harmed. And I would not be proved faithless.' [Frodo]"
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" 'Frodo, I think you do very unwisely in this,' said Faramir. 'I do not think you
should go with this creature. It is wicked.'
'No, not altogether wicked,' said Frodo.
'Not wholly, perhaps,' said Faramir; but malice eats it like a canker, and the evil is growing.
He will lead you to no good.' "
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" 'But there is some dark terror that dwells in the passes above Minas Morgul. [...]
it was taken by fell men whom the Enemy in his first strength had dominated, and who wandered homeless and masterless
after his fall. It is said that their lords were men of Númenor who had fallen in dark wickedness; to them
the Enemy had given rings of power, and he had devoured them: living ghosts they were become, terrible and evil. [...]
a shapeless fear lived within the ruined walls. [...] It is a place of sleepless malice, full of lidless eyes.' "
(Faramir)
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" 'It is a hard doom and a hopeless errand', said Faramir. 'But at the least, remember
my warning: beware of this guide, Sméagol. He has done murder before now. I read it him.' He sighed."
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" 'The land dreams in a false peace, and for a while all evil is withdrawn.' " (Faramir)
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