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#REDIRECT ] |
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{{About|the Elf of the ]|the King of Men in the ]|Beleg of Arnor}} |
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{{In-universe|date=October 2009}} |
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{{Rcat shell| |
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{{Tolkienchar | |
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{{R with history}} |
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image_character = BELEG.JPG | |
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image_caption ='''Beleg Strongbow'''<br> |
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illustration by Tom Loback| |
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character_name = Beleg| |
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character_alias = Cúthalion<br>Strongbow | |
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character_title = | |
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character_race = ] | |
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character_culture = ] | |
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character_gender = Male| |
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character_realm = ]| |
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character_death = {{ME-date|YS|489}} | |
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character_lifespan = {{ME-date|YS|?}}–{{ME-date|YS|489}} | |
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Book(s) = '']'',<br>'']'' | |
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}} |
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}} |
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{{Portal|Middle-earth}} |
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In the fiction of ], '''Beleg''' is a major character who appears in numerous books, tales and poems about the '']'' of '']'' such as '']'', '']'' and the '']''. |
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<blockquote> |
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''"I am the hunter Beleg - of the hidden people;''<br> |
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''the forest is my father - and the fells my home."'' <ref>'']'', Vol. III, p.111</ref> |
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</blockquote> |
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==Name== |
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Beleg's name is said to mean 'might'. He is further known as '''Beleg Cúthalion''', or '''Beleg Strongbow'''. This nickname, or ], ''Cúthalion'' meaning "Strongbow" was bestowed for his skill as an archer. Cú- means "bow." While Thalion means "strong." ((e.g. Húrin Thalion)Silmarillion, The Ruin of Doriath). Beleg was a ]in ] who served in the army of King Elu ] of ]. He "followed no man", and "could not be restrained". Together with ] he is one of the great captains of Thingol. |
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==Battles== |
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Beleg conducts the defence of the realm of Doriath leading smaller companies in actions along the borders as Chief of the Marchwardens. He has larger commands such as the battle in ] against a Legion of ]s as Captain commanding the axe-armed Sindar with Halmir and the Haladin archers. He leads the front line scouts in the battle against ]'s Orc-host on the North March.<ref>'']'' Vol. IV, p. 113; ''History of Middle-earth'', Vol. III, p. 313</ref> Beleg, along with ], Thingol, Mablung and ], is a member of the party in the legendary hunt of the great wolf ]. He later defeats Orcs invading ]. Beleg serves in battles of the wider struggle beyond the borders of Doriath fighting in the Fifth Battle. He is said to be unequalled in woodland skills of stalking, hunting, tracking. |
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After the catastrophe of the Fifth Battle, the ], the boy Túrin is sent to Doriath for protection from ]'s special enmity for the House of ]. Beleg becomes the mentor, steadfast friend and brother-in-arms of ]. The two fight together in defending the north marches of Doriath from the Orcs of Morgoth. When Túrin is accused of murder, Beleg searches out and produces at the last moment a witness who can testify to extenuating circumstances. When Túrin pridefully leaves Doriath after the affair, Beleg receives permission from Thingol to follow him into exile and is granted the sword Anglachel to help in this endeavour. Beleg long seeks Túrin. At ] he is captured and tortured by Túrin's men, until Túrin returns and releases him. Although Beleg beseeches Túrin to return to Doriath, where he has been pardoned and would be welcomed, Túrin still pridefully refuses and Beleg loyally chooses to stay with Túrin. Together, with Túrin wearing the Dragon-helm of ], they lead a band of men against the invaders of Morgoth. The land where the "Two Captains" dwell becomes known as the ''Land of Helm and Bow'', but the small realm was destroyed two years later. |
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When Túrin is captured by ] in a treacherous ambush, Beleg is grievously wounded. Yet with the strength of a great Elven warrior and his extraordinary healing skills, he recovers swiftly and tracks the Orcs. In the deadly land of ] Beleg meets the elf ], recently escaped from Morgoth's thralldom, and together they rescue Túrin, with Beleg performing an heroic feat of ], slaying numerous wolf sentinels in the dark. After they carry Túrin from the Orc-camp, while removing Túrin's bonds, Beleg accidentally cut Túrin with his sword. Túrin awakes and does not recognize Beleg in the darkness, mistaking the shape over him with a blade as an Orc. In a sudden rage of self defence, he wrests the sword from Beleg and kills him. When he recognizes the truth of his friend's loyalty and bravery and his own fatal mistake, Túrin is so overcome with grief that he walks in a daze for weeks, being led out of danger by Gwindor. After returning to himself, Túrin takes Beleg's sword and wields it in further battles against Morgoth's forces for the rest of his life. Years later, Túrin himself dies upon the sword Anglachel when his tragic life becomes too hard to bear, and the sword is thus avenged for the death of Beleg.<ref>In '']'', ], Vol. III, p.25, ] notes curious statements and a mystery about Beleg. Quoting from ''The Lays'', Beleg is "a son of the wilderness who wist no sire", "ageless". Beleg himself states, "the forest is my father" and it is said "whose father was the forest". These statements strongly suggest that Beleg is not an Elf born of parents. Only Elves of the original Awakening have no parents. That Beleg may be one of these is also supported by the "ageless" description, and his phenomenal undiminished recuperative ability. Beleg may be the only named, awakened elf known, other than the original six: Imin and Iminyë, Tata and Tatië, Enel and Enelyë. If this is so, then Beleg's sacrifice for Túrin was dear indeed.</ref> |
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After a time in grief and in honour of his friend, Túrin made and sang the ''Laer Cú Beleg'', the Song of the Great Bow. |
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==Skills== |
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He is master of the bow, axe, sword and spear, having considerable magical skills with weapons. His bow, ], is made of black Yew, strung with bear sinew and can only be drawn by Beleg's might and magic; an arrow called ] can always be found unsought. He wields the sentient, magic sword, ]<ref>Anglachel is said to have been forged by Eöl, in ''History of Middle-earth'' Vol. IV, p. 125, ''The Quenta'' the sword is said to be made of iron from a fallen blazing star.</ref> and hones it with a song of sharpening. He is stated to be a master of healing. Much is said of him, his character and his individual heroic feats and deeds in the various versions of the tales of Túrin and the ''Lays of Beleriand'' in particular. |
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==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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