Miruvor
"*Yéni ve lintë yuldar avánier
mi oromardi lisse-miruvóreva*"― Namárië
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John Howe - Miruvor
Miruvor and miruvórë was, or were, a type of cordial used by the Valar and the Elves.
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[edit] History
The miruvórë was the nectar of the Valar made from Yavanna's flowers, poured during their festivals in Valinor.[1] The Quenya word lisse-miruvóreva occurs in the "Lament" sung by Galadriel in "Farewell to Lórien"; it is translated "of the sweet mead".[2].
The name miruvor refers to a reviving cordial of the Elves in Rivendell, a liquor with the power to grant renewed vigour and strength. Miruvor was clear and colourless, with a pleasant fragrance. It was possibly a different substance, an imitation, to miruvórë, and perhaps named after it.
Elrond gave a flask of the "Cordial of Imladris" to Gandalf before the Company of the Ring departed on their southward journey. Gandalf used this drink to revitalize themselves on Caradhras.[3]
Other races, such as the Dúnedain and even the Orcs possessed drinks with similar properties, but miruvor was known to be the most potent of these cordials.
[edit] Etymology
miruvor is Sindarin, said to be a "form taken by borrowed Quenya word" miruvórë, generally held to mean "precious juice" or "thought of as precious drink (and largely of honey)" (cf. root WOR).[4] The Quenya form also appears as miruvórë, explained as "a special wine or cordial".[5] These form were derived from Valarin mirubhōze.[4][5]
[edit] Inspiration
The invented word goes back to at least 1915. In that early phase of the legendarium, Tolkien envisioned it as derived from real-life Gothic elements *midu "mead" + wopeis "sweet" > miduwopi > miduwodi > misuwosi > Q. miruvore.[6]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Donald Swann, The Road Goes Ever On, "Namárië (Farewell)"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Farewell to Lórien"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Ring Goes South"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in *Parma Eldalamberon* XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), pp. 37-8
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Four. Quendi and Eldar: Appendix D. *Kwen, Quenya, and the Elvish (especially Ñoldorin) words for 'Language': Note on the 'Language of the Valar'", p. 399
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Qenyaqetsa: The Qenya Phonology and Lexicon", in *Parma Eldalamberon* XII (edited by Carl F. Hostetter, Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), p. xi