Friday, 4 March 2016

tolkien - How did Morgoth find Men?

Melkor knew that Men would eventually arise




In those days, moreover, though the Valar knew indeed of the coming of
Men that were to be, the Elves as yet naught of it; for Manwë had not
revealed it to them. But Melkor spoke to them in secret of Mortal Men,
seeing how the silence of the Valar might be twisted to evil. Little
he knew yet concerning Men, for engrossed with his own thought in the
Music he had paid small heed to the Third Theme of Ilúvatar; but now
the whisper went among the Elves that Manwë held them captive, so that
Men might come and supplant them in the kingdoms of Middle-earth, for
the Valar saw that they might more easily sway this short-lived and
weaker race, defrauding the Elves of the inheritance of Ilúvatar.



The Silmarillion




Although he was not as knowledgeable as the other Valar, preferring to spend his time defying Eru rather than listening to the Music, he still knew that humans would eventually come to be.



The Valar certainly believed that Morgoth might seek out humans:




These things the Valar did, recalling in their twilight the darkness
of the lands of Arda; and they resolved now to illumine Middle-earth
and with light to hinder the deeds of Melkor. For they remembered the
Avari that remained by the waters of their awakening, and they did not
utterly forsake the Noldor in exile; and Manwë knew also that the hour
of the coming of Men was drawn nigh
. And it is said indeed that, even
as the Valar made war upon Melkor for the sake of the Quendi, so now
for that time they forbore for the sake of the Hildor, the
Aftercomers, the younger Children of Ilúvatar.



The Silmarillion




And how could Melkor communicate with Men?



Melkor could touch the minds of others



As indicated by @Ber, Melkor, like all Vala, had a great ability to communicate mind-to-mind, and crucially, to know what others were thinking.




For he would come by stealth to a mind open and unwary, hoping to
learn some part of its thought before it closed, and still more to
implant in it his own thought, to deceive it and win it to his
friendship.



Osanwë-kenta




Through this, he could learn the language of Men, Elves, or whatever, so long as they were not wary of him.



Melkor may have learned their language, or taught them his own



He also was known by the Valar to have a great facility with language, such was his desire to use it to subvert the resistance of others to direct application of his will.




"From the first he was greatly interested in 'language,' that talent
which the Eruhini would have by nature; but we did not at once
perceive the malice in this interest, for many of us shared it, and
Aule above all. But in time we discovered that he had made a language
for those who served him, and he has learned our tongue with ease. He
has great skill in this matter. Beyond doubt he will master all
tongues, even the fair speech of the Eldar. Therefore, if ever you
should speak with him, beware!"



Osanwë-kenta




This suggests that whatever language those early humans may have possessed, Melkor could have acquired it, especially considering that at first they were not wary.



Indeed, it is possible that he taught some humans his own language, as indicated in the previous text, which would both facilitate communication and make it easier to shape them to his purposes.

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