filled with wrath； and he came against them with open war； demanding that all the rings should be delivered to him；
since the Elven…smiths could not have attained to their making without his lore and counsel。 But the Elves fled from him；
and three of their rings they saved； and bore them away； and hid them。
Now these were the Three that had last been made； and they possessed the greatest powers。 Narya； Nenya； and
Vilya； they were named； the Rings of Fire； and of Water； and of Air； set with ruby and adamant and sapphire； and of all
the Elven…rings Sauron most desired to possess them； for those who had them in their keeping could ward off the decays
of time and postpone the weariness of the world。 But Sauron could not discover them； for they were given into the hands
of the Wise； who concealed them and never again used them openly while Sauron kept the Ruling Ring。 Therefore the
Three remained unsullied； for they were forged by Celebrimbor alone； and the hand of Sauron had never touched them；
yet they also were subject to the One。
From that time war never ceased between Sauron and the Elves； and Eregion was laid waste； and Celebrimbor
slain； and the doors of Moria were shut。 In that time the stronghold and refuge of Imladris； that Men called Rivendell；
was founded by Elrond Half…elven； and long it endured。 But Sauron gathered into his hands all the remaining Rings of
Power； and he dealt them out to the other peoples of Middle…earth； hoping thus to bring under his sway all those that
desired secret power beyond the measure of their kind。 Seven Rings he gave to the Dwarves； but to Men he gave nine；
for Men proved in this matter as in others the readiest to his will。 And all those rings that he governed he perverted； the
more easily since he had a part in their making； and they were accursed； and they betrayed in the end all those that used
them。 The Dwarves indeed proved tough and hard to tame； they ill endure the domination of others； and the thoughts of
their hearts are hard to fathom； nor can they be turned to shadows。 They used their rings only for the getting of wealth；
but wrath and an over…mastering greed of gold were kindled in their hearts； of which evil enough after came to the profit
of Sauron。 It is said that the foundation of each of the Seven Hoards of the Dwarf…kings of old was a golden ring； but all
those hoards long ago were plundered and the Dragons devoured them； and of the Seven Rings some were consumed in
fire and some Sauron recovered。
Men proved easier to ensnare。 Those who used the Nine Rings became mighty in their day； kings； sorcerers； and
warriors of old。 They obtained glory and great wealth； yet it turned to their undoing。 They had； as it seemed； unending
life； yet life became unendurable to them。 They could walk； if they would； unseen by all eyes in this world beneath the
sun； and they could see things in worlds invisible to mortal men； but too often they beheld only the phantoms and
delusions of Sauron。 And one by one； sooner or later； according to their native strength and to the good or evil of their
wills in the beginning； they fell under the thraldom of the ring that they bore and under the domination of the One； which
was Sauron's。 And they became for ever invisible save to him that wore the Ruling Ring； and they entered into the realm
of shadows。 The Nazg？l were they； the Ringwraiths； the Enemy's most terrible servants； darkness went with them； and
they cried with the voices of death。
Now Sauron's lust and pride increased； until he knew no bounds； and he determined to make himself master of all
things in Middle…earth； and to destroy the Elves； and to pass； if he might； the downfall of Númenor。 He brooked no
freedom nor any rivalry； and he named himself Lord of the Earth。 A mask he still could wear so that if he wished he
might deceive the eyes of Men； seeming to them wise and fair。 But he ruled rather by force and fear； if they might avail；
and those who perceived his shadow spreading over the world called him the Dark Lord and named him the Enemy； and
he gathered again under his government all the evil things of the days of Morgoth that remained on earth or beneath it；
and the Orcs were at his mand and multiplied like flies。 Thus the Black Years began； which the Elves call the Days
of Flight。 In that time many of the Elves of Middle…earth fled to Lindon and thence over the seas never to return； and
many were destroyed by Sauron and his servants。 But in Lindon Gil…galad still maintained his power； and Sauron dared
not as yet to pass the Mountains of Ered Luin nor to assail the Havens； and Gil…galad was aided by the Númenóreans。
Elsewhere Sauron reigned； and those who would be free took refuge in the fastnesses of wood and mountain； and ever
fear pursued them。 In the east and south well nigh all Men were under his dominion； and they grew strong in those days
and built many towns and walls of stone； and they were numerous and fierce in war and aimed with iron。 To them
Sauron was both king and god； and they feared him exceedingly； for he surrounded his abode with fire。
Yet there came at length a stay in the onslaught of Sauron upon the westlands。 For； as is told in tile Akallabêth； he
was challenged by the might of Númenor。 So great was the power and splendour of the Númenóreans in the noontide of
their realm that the servants of Sauron would not withstand them； and hoping to acplish by cunning what he could
not achieve by force； he left Middle…earth for a while and went to Númenor as a hostage of Tar…Calion the King。 And
there he abode； until at the last by his craft he had corrupted the hearts of most of that people； and set them at war with
the Valar； and so passed their ruin； as he had long desired。 But that ruin was more terrible than Sauron had foreseen；
for he had forgotten the might of the Lords of the West in their anger。 The world was broken； and the land was
swallowed up； and the seas rose over it； and Sauron himself went down into the abyss。 But his spirit arose and fled back
on a dark wind to Middle…earth； seeking a home。 There he found that the power of Gil…galad had grown great in the
years of his absence； and it was spread now over wide regions of the north and west； and had passed beyond the Misty
Mountains and the Great River even to the borders of Greenwood the Great； and was drawing nigh to the strong places
where once he had dwelt secure。 Then Sauron withdrew to his fortress in the Black Land and meditated war。
In that time those of the Númenóreans who were saved from destruction fled eastward； as is told in the
Akallabêth。 The chief of these were Elendil the Tall and his sons； Isildur and Anárion。 Kinsmen of the King they were；
descendants of Elros； but they had been unwilling to listen to Sauron； and had refused to make war on the Lords of the
West。 Manning their ships with all who remained faithful they forsook the land of Númenor ere ruin came upon it。 They
were mighty men and their ships were strong and tall； but the tempests overtook them； and they were borne aloft on hills
of water even to the clouds； and they descended upon Middle…earth like birds of the storm。
Elendil was cast up by the waves in the land of Lindon； and he was befriended by Gil…galad。 Thence he passed up
the River Lh？n； and beyond Ered Luin he established his realm； and his people dwelt in many places in Eriador about
the courses of the Lh？n and the Baranduin； but his chief city was at Annúminas beside the water of Lake Nenuial。 At
Fornost upon the North Downs also the Númenóreans dwelt； and in Cardolan； and in the hills of Rhudaur； and towers
they raised upon Emyn Beraid and upon Amon S？l； and there remain many barrows and ruined works in those places；
but the towers of Emyn Beraid still look towards the sea。
Isildur and Anárion were borne away southwards； and at the last they brought their ships up the Great River
Anduin； that flows out of Rhovanion into the western sea in the Bay of Belfalas； and they established a realm in those
lands that were after called Gondor； whereas the Northern Kingdom was named Arnor。 Long before in the days of their
power the mariners of Númenor had established a haven and strong places about the mouths of Anduin； in despite of
Sauron in the Black Land that lay nigh upon the east。 In the later days to this haven came only the Faithful of Númenor；
and many therefore of the folk of the coastlands in that region were in whole or in part akin to the Elf…friends and the
people of Elendil； and they weled his sons。 The chief city of this southern realm was Osgiliath； through the midst of
which the Great River flowed； and the Númenóreans built there a great bridge； upon which there were towers and houses
of stone wonderful to behold； and tall ships came up out of the sea to the quays of the city。 Other strong places they built
also upon either hand： Minas Ithil； the Tower of the Rising Moon； eastward upon a shoulder of the Mountains of
Shadow as a threat to Mordor； and to the westward Minas Anor； the Tower of the Setting Sun； at the feet of Mount
Mindolluin； as a shield against the wild men of the dales。 In Minas Ithil was the house of Isildur； and in Minas Anor the
house of Anárion； but they shared the realm between them and their thrones were set side by side in the Great Hall of
Osgiliath。 These were the chief dwellings of the Númenóreans in Gondor； but other works marvellous and strong they
built in the land in the days of their power； at the Argonath； and at Aglarond； and at Erech； and in the circle of
Angrenost； which Men called Isengard； they made the Pinnacle of Orthanc of unbreakable stone。
Many treasures and great heirlooms of virtue and wonder the Exiles had brought from Númenor； and of these the
most renowned were the Seven Stones and the White Tree。 The White Tree was grown from the fruit of Nimloth the Fair
that stood in the courts of the Bang at Armenelos in Númenor； ere Sauron burned it； and Nimloth was in its turn
descended from the Tree of Tirion； that was an image of the Eldest of Trees； White Telperion which Yavanna caused to
grow in the land of the Valar。 The Tree； memorial of the Eldar and of the light of Valinor； was planted in Minas Ithil
before the house of Isildur； since he it was that had saved the fruit from destruction； but the Stones were divided。
Three Elendil took； and his sons each two。 Those of Elendil were set in towers upon Emyn Beraid； and upon
Amon S？l； and in the city of Annúminas。 But those of his sons were at Minas Ithil and Minas Anor； and at Orthanc and
in Osgiliath。 Now these Stones had this virtue that those who looked therein might perceive in them things far off；
whether in place or in time。 For the most part they revealed only things near to another kindred Stone； for the Stones
each called to each； but those who possessed great strength of will and of mind might learn to direct their gaze whither
they would。 Thus the Númenóreans were aware of many things that their enemies wished to conceal； and little escaped
their vigilance in the days of thei