The Grey HavensHome
Middle-earth Balrogs Dwarves Elves Hobbits Humans Orcs Else Songs & Tales Rings Tolkien URLs Pictures Awards Feedback Bookshop Search Forum Navigation toolbar
 Else

Was anything known about the other two Istari?


From: The Tolkien FAQ by William D.B. Loos

Very little. No names given them in Middle-earth are recorded, just the title Ithryn Luin, 'The Blue Wizards' (for they were clad in sea-blue) (their names in Valinor were Alatar and Pallando). When the Istari first arrived in Middle-earth, Saruman and the Blue Wizards journeyed into the east, but only Saruman returned. The Essay on the Istari says:
    "Whether they remained in the East, pursuing there the purposes for which they were sent; or perished; or as some hold were ensnared by Sauron and became his servants, is not not known."
    (Unfinished Tales, p. 390)
Tolkien speaking as himself was only barely more explicit. In a letter he said that he knew "nothing clearly" about the other two: 'I think they went as emissaries to distant regions, East and South, far out of Númenórean range: missionaries to enemy-occupied lands, as it were. What success they had I do not know; but I fear that they failed, as Saruman did, though doubtless in different ways; and I suspect they were founders or beginners of secret cults and "magic" traditions that outlasted the fall of Sauron.' (The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, p. 280).
Separator
On this page you can read about things that I don't have enough material to make whole section or couldn't decide where to put some texts.
To the top
This site is maintained and copyrighted (c) 1996-2002, by Cirdan.
All rights reserved. Hosted by cro.net.