Monday, May 27, 2019

The Fall of Gondolin and the Fall of Troy

I think the development of the Lay of the Fall of Gondolin was partly influenced by the tradition of tales about the Fall of Troy.  But the only major article I've found already exploring that is one by Alexander M Bruce written in 2012 focusing mainly on the account of Troy's Fall in Book II of the Aenied with Tuor as Aeneas.

Tolkien certainly may have read that, but given what his overall goals and interests were in developing his Arda mythology, I think the reference to Troy in Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda is far more likely to be the main account of Troy that Tolkien would have drawn on.

Like in Bruce's Aeneid theory it has Turgon as Priam and Idril Celebrindel as a daughter of Priam.  But Tuor would instead be Múnón or Mennón.  There is some disagreement on who in the earlier accounts of Troy Múnón is based on, he could be the Menon mentioned in Book 12 of the Illiad.  But the more popular fan theory is that he's Memnon.

Memnon lead an army of "Aethiopians" to Troy from the East.  Aethiopia in Greek Mythology didn't quite always mean the kingdom(s) in Africa south of Egypt, Homer said there were Aethiopians at both the far Western and Eastern ends of the Earth.  Being called a "Son of the Dawn" implies Memnon came from the East.  Remember during the time of Tuor from the Elves POV Men had only just recently entered Beleriand from the East.

However the key detail that I think Sturluson's version of Troy has in common with Gondolin that I don't think any other version does is having Twelve Houses.
Near the earth's centre was made that goodliest of homes and haunts that ever have been, which is called Troy, even that which we call Turkland. This abode was much more gloriously made than others, and fashioned with more skill of craftsmanship in manifold wise, both in luxury and in the wealth which was there in abundance. There were twelve kingdoms and one High King, and many sovereignties belonged to each kingdom; in the stronghold were twelve chieftains.
This same description is why I sometimes think Sturluson was just using Troy as a stand in for Jerusalem, but but that may just be me.
Of Gondolin's 12 Houses Tuor became Captain of the White Wing.