I have been quiet about The Silmarillion for about two weeks now, so let's pick up where we left off, which was the capture of Eöl by the scouts of Curufin. After hearing the dark prophecy of Curufin, Eöl mounted his horse and rode westward to the fords of Aros filled with hatred of all the Noldor and the anger of his humiliation. At length, he came to the ford of Brithiach, where he caught sight of Aradhel and Maeglin, and he marked them seeking among the hills for the secret entrance to the Mountains.
Aradhel was welcomed by the guards with joy, and came thus to Gondolin with her son. Maeglin was amazed at the strength and majesty of the Hidden City, and he took Turgon the King as lord. But he stood and looked about, and by nothing was his gaze held longer than Idril, daughter of the King. The King listened in wonder to all that Aradhel had to tell of her time beyond the Mountains.
But at length messengers came into the hall bearing news of the coming of Eöl, for following Aradhel, he had discovered the Dry River and the Outer Gate. And being held by the guards, he was wrathful and hard to restrain. And Aradhel bid the messenger bring him to the King's Judgement, for she was in truth his wife and he was the father of their son. And so it was done. Eöl was amazed at all that he saw no less than his son, but this but increased his bitterness, and he spoke in wrath to the King, refusing his embrace. And so the King offered him two choices - to live in Gondolin as vassal of the King or to die in Gondolin, the same also for Maeglin (for it was the King's law that none who found the way thither would be given leave to depart).
Eöl looked into the eyes of Turgon and was not daunted, and in hatred he seized a javelin that he had concealed beneath his cloak crying: ''The second choice I take and for my son also! You shall not hold what is mine!'' But Aradhel sprang before the javelin, and she was wounded in the shoulder, and Eöl was overcome and led away in bonds. It was decided that Eöl would be brought to the King's Judgement the next day, and Aradhel moved Turgon to mercy. But she sickened during the night and died, for too late it was discovered that the point of the javelin was poisoned. Therefore when Eöl was brought to judgement, he found no mercy and was led away to the Caragdûr, a dark precipice on the north side of the city, and so he ended - for he was cast over the edge, cursing his son.
To all, the death of Eöl seemed just, but Idril was troubled, and she mistrusted Maeglin. But Maeglin grew swiftly to high honour in the City, and was loved by all. He led many bent to his craft into the Encircling Mountains, where they would find ore, and Gondolin was enriched in those days, and profited much from his teaching. But a grief he had which robbed him of all joy - he desired Idril the King's daughter, without hope. The Eldar did not marry with kin so near (she was his cousin), nor had any ever desired to do so before (or after). And the Wise have afterwards declared this desire to be perverse, a dark fruit of the Kinslaying. And Maeglin grew to resent Idril, and all the more desired to have his will in other matters (often in defiance of the King). And so, amid all its splendour, a dark seed of evil was sown within the city of Gondolin.
The above image depicts the death of Eöl, and is by the artist Ted Nasmith.
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