backwards?

[johnnyrod]

I'm reading the Silmarillion at the moment (again). It says that when the laps of the sun and moon were first placed in the sky, they rose in the west and set in the east. I thought this was a bit odd, but in the text it affirms this and says words to the effect of "men's eyes and hearts were drawn westwards by the rising of the sun" (not a quote). But in our world the sun and moon rise in the east. Any comments?

[markedel]

I never thought of that.

When in doubt-read Morgoth's ring!

:D

[johnnyrod]

Forgive my ignorance - Morgoth's ring?

[markedel]

It's part of the history of middle earth series that has tolkien's annotated notes. In Morgoth's ring, the 10th book of 12 various notes describing his scientific mythology, including the sun coming before the trees are mentioned. Not that is solves this conundrum.

[sheelova]

That issue is addressed latter in the chapter "Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor". It was only at first that both the sun and moon moved back and forth over middle earth, but latter the sun was drawn down by servants of Ulmo in the west, taken under the earth, and rose in the east.