Tilion
Encyclopedia
In the high fantasy
world of famous English author J. R. R. Tolkien
, there was a youth in the world of Middle-earth
named Tilion whom the Valar
chose from among the Maiar
to steer the island of the Moon.
In the days of the trees in Valinor
, the young Tilion had been a hunter from the company of Oromë. In terms of power, he is said to be less mighty than Arien
, a female. Arien was chosen to guide the Sun, while Tilion was chosen to guide the Moon.
Tolkien portrays Tilion as reckless at times, and as one who does not always follow the correct path. This causes the Moon to not always be in the sky at the same time as the Sun or to not appear at all.
In writings by Tolkien alluded to in the published Silmarillion, Tilion is said to have been in love with Arien
, and because he sought her out he came too close to the immense heat of the Sun, and the Moon was scarred.
Tilion has many similarities to a lunar deity
like the Norse Máni
, who also carried the moon across the sky.
High fantasy
High fantasy or epic fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy that is set in invented or parallel worlds. High fantasy was brought to fruition through the work of authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, whose major fantasy works were published in the 1950s...
world of famous English author J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
, there was a youth in the world of Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
named Tilion whom the Valar
Vala (Middle-earth)
The Valar are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. They are first mentioned in The Lord of the Rings, but The Silmarillion develops them into the Powers of Arda or the Powers of the World...
chose from among the Maiar
Maia (Middle-earth)
The Maiar are beings from J. R. R. Tolkien's high fantasy legendarium. They are lesser Ainur who entered Eä in the beginning of time. Tolkien uses the term Valar to refer both to all the Ainur who entered Eä, and specifically to the greatest among them, the fourteen Lords and Queens of the Valar...
to steer the island of the Moon.
In the days of the trees in Valinor
Valinor
Valinor is a fictional location in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the realm of the Valar in Aman. It was also known as the Undying Lands, along with Tol Eressëa and the outliers of Aman. This is something of a misnomer; only immortal beings were allowed to reside there, but the land itself,...
, the young Tilion had been a hunter from the company of Oromë. In terms of power, he is said to be less mighty than Arien
Arien
In J. R. R. Tolkien's high fantasy legendarium, Arien is the maiden whom the Valar chose from among the Maiar to guide the vessel of the Sun. In the Days of the Trees in Valinor, Arien had been the one to tend the tree of Laurelin...
, a female. Arien was chosen to guide the Sun, while Tilion was chosen to guide the Moon.
Tolkien portrays Tilion as reckless at times, and as one who does not always follow the correct path. This causes the Moon to not always be in the sky at the same time as the Sun or to not appear at all.
In writings by Tolkien alluded to in the published Silmarillion, Tilion is said to have been in love with Arien
Arien
In J. R. R. Tolkien's high fantasy legendarium, Arien is the maiden whom the Valar chose from among the Maiar to guide the vessel of the Sun. In the Days of the Trees in Valinor, Arien had been the one to tend the tree of Laurelin...
, and because he sought her out he came too close to the immense heat of the Sun, and the Moon was scarred.
Tilion has many similarities to a lunar deity
Lunar deity
In mythology, a lunar deity is a god or goddess associated with or symbolizing the moon. These deities can have a variety of functions and traditions depending upon the culture, but they are often related to or an enemy of the solar deity. Even though they may be related, they are distinct from the...
like the Norse Máni
Mani
Mani is a name or word occurring in several etymologically unrelated languages and cultures, including:* Maní - a legend of the indigenous tribe Tupi in Brazil.* Mani , the founder of Manichaeism....
, who also carried the moon across the sky.