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Anglachel

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Brief Description   
Details and Comments   

Brief Description    

Anglachel, meaning Iron of the Flaming Star.

Anglachel was a sword of great worth, being made from Iron that fell from heaven as a blazing star.

The sword was made by Eöl the Dark Elf, and was given as fee for leave to dwell in Nan Elmoth, allthough begrudgingly.

The appendix in Published Silmarillion has the following to say about Anglachel:

The sword made from meteoric iron that Thingol received from Eöl and which he gave to Beleg, after its reforging for Turin named Gurthang.

Details and Comments    

The name:

The name Anglachel is formed of the following constituents of elvish language(s).

anga = "iron", Sindarin ang and lachel = "flame(leaping)", Sindarin lach

Which gives it the literal meaning of Iron of the Leaping Flame.

The story

This is one of the pair of swords which Eöl formed and gave to Thingol as a gift.

Then Beleg chose Anglachel and that was a sword of great worth, and it was so named because it was made of iron that fell from heaven as a blazing star it would cleave all earth-delved iron....

....it was made of the same ore by the same smith and that smith was Eöl the Dark Elf, who took Aredhel Turgon's sister to wife. He gave Anglachel to Thingol as fee, which he begrudged, for leave to dwell in NanElmoth but its mate Anguirel he kept, until it was stolen from him by Maeglin, his son.

{The Simarillion}?

When Beleg choose Anglachel as his reward, Melian gave the following prophecy:

" There is malice in this sword. The dark heart of the smith still dwells in it. It will not love the hand it serves, neither will it abide with you long."

Beleg used this sword when the orcs were driven out of Dimbar, and Anglachel rejoiced to be unsheathed.

After having freed Túrin from the orcs in Taur-nu-fuin, Beleg used Anglachel to cut the fetters that bound Túrin, but the blade slipped and cut Túrin in the foot. Túrin awoke from the pain and in rage and fear he seized Anglachel and slew Beleg with it, believing him to be a foe.

After having buried Beleg, Gwindor brought Anglachel with him. Gwindor gave Anglachel to Túrin at EithelIvrin.

Túrin brought the sword with him as they went to Gwindor's folk in Nargothrond.

So,

The sword Anglachel was forged anew for him by cunning smiths of Nargothrond, and though ever black its edges shone with pale fire and he named it Gurthang, Iron of Death.

Since then its history is recorded by a seprate name and more of its fate is discussed under the fell name of Gurthang - Iron of Death.

The StudyTeam

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