70 lines
4.6 KiB
Plaintext
70 lines
4.6 KiB
Plaintext
The Complete Guide to Middle-earth / Robert Foster
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Adapted by Amit Margalit.
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Gandalf: One of the Istari, as Gandalf the Grey the second most powerful
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-------- of the Order. Gandalf can be said to have been the person most
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responsible for the victory of the West and the downfall of Sauron in the
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Third Age; he laboured ceaselessly and ever faithfully for two thousand
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years towards that goal, and by his foresight he built up many powers to
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oppose Sauron in the final struggle.
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On his arrival in Middle-earth about Third Age 1000, Cirdan gave him
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Narya, one of the Three Rings. Gandalf had many adventures and trials
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during the Third Age, only the chief of which can be mentioned here. In
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2063, at the request of the White Council, he went to Dol Guldur as a spy
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but was unable to determine the identity of its lord. In 2850 he again
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entered Dol Guldur, discovered that its lord was Sauron, received the key
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to Erebor from Train, and managed to escape. Later, in 2941, Gandalf
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interested Thorin in the recovery of Erebor, his goal being the
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establishment of a strong realm in the north to oppose an attack by
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Easterlings allied with Sauron. Gandalf's further action of persuading
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Thorin to hire Bilbo Baggins as burgler for the expedition, perhaps
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because he wished to use the latent strength of the Shire-folk at a later
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date, had even more important consequences, since Bilbo obtained the One
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Ring. Gandalf suspected that Bilbo's treasure was indeed the One, and from
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2941 to 3001, with the aid of the Rangers, he put a close watch over Bilbo
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and the Shire. In 3001 Gandalf persuaded Bilbo to give the Ring to Frodo
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(an unparalleled action which confirmed Gandalf's high opinion of Hobbits),
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and in 3018 set into motion the Quest of Mount Doom. Gandalf was an
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important influence at the Council of Elrond, since he alone knew the full
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history of the Ring and of Saruman's treachery; later he was on of the
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Companions of the Ring. Although he was slain defending the Company from the
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Balrog in Khazad-dum, he was sent back to Middle-earth as Gandalf the White
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to complete his task. During the War of the Ring, he released King Theoden
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from Grima's spells, cast Saruman out of the order of the Istari, and gave
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invaluable counsel to Gondor and Rohan. During the Battle of the Pelennor
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Fields Gandalf contested the gates of Minas Tirith with the Lord of the
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Nazgul for the few crucial minutes between their breaking the arrival of the
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Rohirrim.
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After the successful completion of the War of the Ring, his task being
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completed, Gandalf went over Sea with the Last Riding of the Keepers of the
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Rings.
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Gandalf looked like a grey-cloaked, grey-haired (after his resurrection,
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his hair and cloak were white) bent old man, and passed easily for a
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meddlesome old conjurer; at times however, he revealed his true majesty and
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power. Prior to his fight with the Balrog, his body was apparently mortal,
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vulnerable both to weapons and 'magical' force; but as Gandalf the White, no
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weapon could harm him, and his power over the Unseen was greatly increased.
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Gandalf travelled mostly in the West and had no permanent home. Of all the
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Istari, he was the closest to the Eldar and was the only Wizard who truly
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cared about things of seemingly small value like Hobbits and trees. He was a
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great master of lore and (perhaps due to Narya) of fire. Gandalf was a
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friend and teacher to Aragorn seeminglly above all other Men, and the two
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helped each other greatly. After 2941, in addition to his staff Gandalf bore
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the great sword Glamdring. In 3018, after escaping from Isengard, he tamed
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Shadowfax, the greatest of the mearas of Rohan, and rode him for the rest of
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the War of the Ring.
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'Gandalf' was the name given to him by the Men of the North. He was called
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Mithrandir by the Elves; the Westron forms Grey Wanderer and Grey Pilgrim
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were also used. He was called Tharkun by the Dwarves, Incanus by the
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Haradrim, Gandalf Greyhame by the Rohirrim, and at various times Stormcrow
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(by Theoden and himself), Lathspell (by Grima), and the Grey Fool (by
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Denethor II, who disliked him because of his friendship with Thorongil, the
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rival of his youth). He was also known as the Enemy of Sauron and (during
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the War of the Ring) the White Rider. His real name, given to him in Valinor
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in his youth, was Olorin; he may have been a Maia.
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AM
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