Ulmo
Vala of the Sea. Ulmo was one of the Aratar, the eight greatest Valar. Ulmo was third greatest of the Aratar after Manwe and Varda.
Ulmo was great friends with Manwe, and had always distrusted Melkor. Melkor feared Ulmo, for his seas could not be tamed. Ulmo had no dwelling on land and preferred life in the depths of the sundering seas. Ulmo was known to have a palace called Ulmonan at the bottom of the Outer Sea. Ulmo mostly kept to himself and seldom attended meetings of the Valar at the Ring of Doom in Valinor. He instead preferred the waters of Arda; he dwelt in the seas and rivers and bays, and he knew of rivers that flowed under the continents of Arda. Ulmo occasionally ventured into these underground rivers, and it was thus said that he dwelt in the very veins of the world. By dwelling underneath great landmasses, Ulmo got to know the lives of Elves and men even better than Manwe himself did.
Ulmo did not venture onto lands other than Aman, though he seldom even journeyed there. Ulmo's form on land was terrifying to mortals, for he appeared as a giant a green armor blowing the horn of Ulumuri. Through his Maiar Osse and Uinen, Ulmo was able to learn a great deal about the Elves, and he came to love and respect them.
Ulmo came to adore both men and Elves, and he came to believe them to be Eru's greatest creation. He continued to respect the Children of Iluvatar, even after the other Valar forsook them. However, Ulmo did not think it wise to bring the Elves to Aman, opposing the suggestion of Orome. Nevertheless, when the time came, Ulmo helped the Elves reach Aman, tearing a piece of land off of Beleriand in order to transport the Elves to the coasts of the blessed realm. This piece of land was anchored in the Bay of Eldamar and became the large island called Tol Eressea, on which many Elves came to live.
In time, Ulmo became the Vala who was most involved with the decline of Morgoth's power, encouraging Turgon to build Gondolin and Finrod to build Nargothrond. Both Nargothrond and Gondolin became great cities that would help shield the Elves in Middle-Earth from Morgoth's wrath. Ulmo also encouraged Tuor to go to Gondolin as a messenger to Turgon, which led to Tuor's marriage to Idril and in turn the birth of their son Earendil. Ulmo also rescued Elwing from the sack of the Havens of Sirion, which led to Elwing taking her Silmaril to her husband, ultimately gaining them entrance to Valinor. Ulmo defended Earendil and Elwing from the wrath of Mandos, and it was because of these great deeds that the Valar decided to strike Morgoth in Beleriand and put an end to his treachery.
Ulmo was great friends with Manwe, and had always distrusted Melkor. Melkor feared Ulmo, for his seas could not be tamed. Ulmo had no dwelling on land and preferred life in the depths of the sundering seas. Ulmo was known to have a palace called Ulmonan at the bottom of the Outer Sea. Ulmo mostly kept to himself and seldom attended meetings of the Valar at the Ring of Doom in Valinor. He instead preferred the waters of Arda; he dwelt in the seas and rivers and bays, and he knew of rivers that flowed under the continents of Arda. Ulmo occasionally ventured into these underground rivers, and it was thus said that he dwelt in the very veins of the world. By dwelling underneath great landmasses, Ulmo got to know the lives of Elves and men even better than Manwe himself did.
Ulmo did not venture onto lands other than Aman, though he seldom even journeyed there. Ulmo's form on land was terrifying to mortals, for he appeared as a giant a green armor blowing the horn of Ulumuri. Through his Maiar Osse and Uinen, Ulmo was able to learn a great deal about the Elves, and he came to love and respect them.
Ulmo came to adore both men and Elves, and he came to believe them to be Eru's greatest creation. He continued to respect the Children of Iluvatar, even after the other Valar forsook them. However, Ulmo did not think it wise to bring the Elves to Aman, opposing the suggestion of Orome. Nevertheless, when the time came, Ulmo helped the Elves reach Aman, tearing a piece of land off of Beleriand in order to transport the Elves to the coasts of the blessed realm. This piece of land was anchored in the Bay of Eldamar and became the large island called Tol Eressea, on which many Elves came to live.
In time, Ulmo became the Vala who was most involved with the decline of Morgoth's power, encouraging Turgon to build Gondolin and Finrod to build Nargothrond. Both Nargothrond and Gondolin became great cities that would help shield the Elves in Middle-Earth from Morgoth's wrath. Ulmo also encouraged Tuor to go to Gondolin as a messenger to Turgon, which led to Tuor's marriage to Idril and in turn the birth of their son Earendil. Ulmo also rescued Elwing from the sack of the Havens of Sirion, which led to Elwing taking her Silmaril to her husband, ultimately gaining them entrance to Valinor. Ulmo defended Earendil and Elwing from the wrath of Mandos, and it was because of these great deeds that the Valar decided to strike Morgoth in Beleriand and put an end to his treachery.
Names & Meanings
Ulmo is Quenya for "he who pours," from ulya meaning "to pour" and mo translating as the suffix -er, indicating "he who." Ulmo was also called Ullubōz, which was his name in Valarin, the Eldest Speech. Noldorin translations of Ulmo's name differ, one account translating his name into Noldorin as Ylmir and one translating it as Nûron. Ulmo's Sindarin name is also uncertain, but it has been translated into Sindarin as Ulu, Guiar, and Gulma. Ulmo was also called King of the Sea, Lord of Waters, and Dweller of the Deep in the Common Speech.
References
The Unfinished Tales: "Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin," passim
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XI, The War of the Jewels: "Quendi and Eldar: Appendix D. *Kwen, Quenya, and the Elvish words for 'Language': Note on the 'Language of the Valar'"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies," page 378
"Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies — Part Two," edited by Carl F. Hostetter and Patrick H. Wynne in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 46, July 2004, page 7
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XI, The War of the Jewels: "Quendi and Eldar: Appendix D. *Kwen, Quenya, and the Elvish words for 'Language': Note on the 'Language of the Valar'"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies," page 378
"Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies — Part Two," edited by Carl F. Hostetter and Patrick H. Wynne in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 46, July 2004, page 7
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