the silmarillion- 第99节

　
In　all　the　days　of　the　Third　Age；　after　the　fall　of　Gil…galad；　Master　Elrond　abode　in　Imladris；　and　he　gathered　　
there　many　Elves；　and　other　folk　of　wisdom　and　power　from　among　all　the　kindreds　of　Middle…earth；　and　he　preserved　　
through　many　lives　of　Men　the　memory　of　all　that　had　been　fair；　and　the　house　of　Elrond　was　a　refuge　for　the　weary　and　　
the　oppressed；　and　a　treasury　of　good　counsel　and　wise　lore。　In　that　house　were　harboured　the　Heirs　of　Isildur；　in　　
childhood　and　old　age；　because　of　the　kinship　of　their　blood　with　Elrond　himself；　and　because　he　knew　in　his　wisdom　　
that　one　should　e　of　their　line　to　whom　a　great　part　was　appointed　in　the　last　deeds　of　that　Age。　And　until　that　time　　
came　the　shards　of　Elendil's　sword　were　given　into　the　keeping　of　Elrond；　when　the　days　of　the　Dúnedain　darkened　and　　
they　became　a　wandering　people。　
In　Eriador　Imladris　was　the　chief　dwelling　of　the　High　Elves；　but　at　the　Grey　Havens　of　Lindon　there　abode　also　　
a　remnant　of　the　people　of　Gil…galad　the　Elvenking。　At　times　they　would　wander　into　the　lands　of　Eriador；　but　for　the　　
most　part　they　dwelt　near　the　shores　of　the　sea；　building　and　tending　the　elven…ships　wherein　those　of　the　Firstborn　who　　
grew　weary　of　the　world　set　sail　into　the　uttermost　West　Círdan　the　Shipwright　was　lord　of　the　Havens　and　mighty　　
among　the　Wise。　
Of　the　Three　Rings　that　the　Elves　had　preserved　unsullied　no　open　word　was　ever　spoken　among　the　Wise；　and　　
few　even　of　the　Eldar　knew　where　they　were　bestowed。　Yet　after　the　fall　of　Sauron　their　power　was　ever　at　work；　and　　
where　they　abode　there　mirth　also　dwelt　and　all　things　were　unstained　by　the　griefs　of　time。　Therefore　ere　the　Third　Age　　
was　ended　the　Elves　perceived　that　the　Ring　of　Sapphire　was　with　Elrond；　in　the　fair　valley　of　Rivendell；　upon　whose　　
house　the　stars　of　heaven　most　brightly　shone；　whereas　the　Ring　of　Adamant　was　in　the　Land　of　Lórien　where　dwelt　the　　
Lady　Galadriel。　A　queen　she　was　of　the　woodland　Elves；　the　wife　of　Celeborn　of　Doriath；　yet　she　herself　was　of　the　　
Noldor　and　remembered　the　Day　before　days　in　Valinor；　and　she　was　the　mightiest　and　fairest　of　all　the　Elves　that　　
remained　in　Middle…earth。　But　the　Red　Ring　remained　hidden　until　the　end；　and　none　save　Elrond　and　Galadriel　and　　
Círdan　knew　to　whom　it　had　been　mitted。　
Thus　it　was　that　in　two　domains　the　bliss　and　beauty　of　the　Elves　remained　still　undiminished　while　that　Age　　
endured：　in　Imladris；　and　in　Lothlórien；　the　hidden　land　between　Celebrant　and　Anduin；　where　the　trees　bore　flowers　of　　
gold　and　no　Orc　or　evil　thing　dared　ever　e。　Yet　many　voices　were　heard　among　the　Elves　foreboding　that；　if　Sauron　　
should　e　again；　then　either　he　would　find　the　Ruling　Ring　that　was　lost；　or　at　the　best　his　enemies　would　discover　it　　
and　destroy　it；　but　in　either　chance　the　powers　of　the　Three　must　then　fail　and　all　things　maintained　by　them　must　fade；　　
and　so　the　Elves　should　pass　into　the　twilight　and　the　Dominion　of　Men　begin。　
And　so　indeed　it　has　since　befallen：　the　One　and　the　Seven　and　the　Nine　are　destroyed；　and　the　Three　have　passed　　
away；　and　with　them　the　Third　Age　is　ended；　and　the　Tales　of　the　Eldar　in　Middle…earth　draw　to　then…close。　Those　were　　
the　Fading　Years；　and　in　them　the　last　flowering　of　the　Elves　east　of　the　Sea　came　to　its　winter。　In　that　time　the　Noldor　　
walked　still　in　the　Hither　Lands；　mightiest　and　fairest　of　the　children　of　the　world；　and　their　tongues　were　still　heard　by　　
mortal　ears。　Many　things　of　beauty　and　wonder　remained　on　earth　in　that　time；　and　many　things　also　of　evil　and　dread：　　
Orcs　there　were　and　trolls　and　dragons　and　fell　beasts；　and　strange　creatures　old　and　wise　in　the　woods　whose　names　are　　
forgotten；　Dwarves　still　laboured　in　the　hills　and　wrought　with　patient　craft　works　of　metal　and　stone　that　none　now　can　　
rival。　But　the　Dominion　of　Men　was　preparing　and　all　things　were　changing；　until　at　last　the　Dark　Lord　arose　in　　
Mirkwood　again。　
Now　of　old　the　name　of　that　forest　was　Greenwood　the　Great；　and　its　wide　halls　and　aisles　were　the　haunt　of　　
many　beasts　and　of　birds　of　bright　song；　and　there　was　the　realm　of　King　Thranduil　under　the　oak　and　the　beech。　But　　
after　many　years；　when　well　nigh　a　third　of　that　age　of　the　world　had　passed；　a　darkness　crept　slowly　through　the　wood　　
from　the　southward；　and　fear　walked　there　in　shadowy　glades；　fell　beasts　came　hunting；　and　cruel　and　evil　creatures　laid　　
there　their　snares。　
Then　the　name　of　the　forest　was　changed　and　Mirkwood　it　was　called；　for　the　nightshade　lay　deep　there；　and　few　　
dared　to　pass　through；　save　only　in　the　north　where　Thranduil's　people　still　held　the　evil　at　bay。　Whence　it　came　few　　
could　tell；　and　it　was　long　ere　even　the　Wise　could　discover　it。　It　was　the　Shadow　of　Sauron　and　the　sign　of　his　return。　　
For　ing　out　of　the　wastes　of　the　East　he　took　up　his　abode　in　the　south　of　the　forest；　and　slowly　he　grew　and　took　　
shape　there　again；　in　a　dark　hill　he　made　his　dwelling　and　wrought　there　his　sorcery；　and　all　folk　feared　the　Sorcerer　of　　
Dol　Guldur；　and　yet　they　knew　not　at　first　how　great　was　their　peril。　
Even　as　the　first　shadows　were　felt　in　Mirkwood　there　appeared　in　the　west　of　Middle…earth　the　Istari；　whom　Men　　
called　the　Wizards。　None　knew　at　that　time　whence　they　were；　save　Círdan　of　the　Havens；　and　only　to　Elrond　and　to　　
Galadriel　did　he　reveal　that　they　came　over　the　Sea。　But　afterwards　it　was　said　among　the　Elves　that　they　were　　
messengers　sent　by　the　Lords　of　the　West　to　contest　the　power　of　Sauron；　if　he　should　arise　again；　and　to　move　Elves　　
and　Men　and　all　living　things　of　good　will　to　valiant　deeds。　In　the　likeness　of　Men　they　appeared；　old　but　vigorous；　and　　
they　changed　little　with　the　years；　and　aged　but　slowly；　though　great　cares　lay　on　them；　great　wisdom　they　had；　and　many　　
powers　of　mind　and　hand。　Long　they　journeyed　far　and　wide　among　Elves　and　Men；　and　held　converse　also　with　beasts　　
and　with　birds；　and　the　peoples　of　Middle…earth　gave　to　them　many　names；　for　their　true　names　they　did　not　reveal。　　
Chief　among　them　were　those　whom　the　Elves　called　Mithrandir　and　Curunír；　but　Men　in　the　North　named　Gandalf　and　　
Saruman。　Of　these　Curunír　was　the　eldest　and　came　first；　and　after　him　came　Mithrandir　and　Radagast；　and　others　of　the　　
Istari　who　went　into　the　east　of　Middle…earth；　and　do　not　e　into　these　tales。　Radagast　was　the　friend　of　all　beasts　and　　
birds；　but　Curunír　went　most　among　Men；　and　he　was　subtle　in　speech　and　skilled　in　all　the　devices　of　smith…craft。　　
Mithrandir　was　closest　in　counsel　with　Elrond　and　the　Elves。　He　wandered　far　in　the　North　and　West　and　made　never　in　　
any　land　any　lasting　abode；　but　Curunír　journeyed　into　the　East；　and　when　he　returned　he　dwelt　at　Orthanc　in　the　Ring　of　　
Isengard；　which　the　Númenóreans　made　in　the　days　of　their　power。　
Ever　most　vigilant　was　Mithrandir；　and　he　it　was　that　most　doubted　the　darkness　in　Mirkwood；　for　though　many　　
deemed　that　it　was　wrought　by　the　Ringwraiths；　he　feared　that　it　was　indeed　the　first　shadow　of　Sauron　returning；　and　he　　
went　to　Dol　Guldur；　and　the　Sorcerer　fled　from　him；　and　there　was　a　watchful　peace　for　a　long