新论坛，新气象，本论坛第一只楼

diablohh

但这样又留下了一个问题：血统到底有没有关系？那些埃达精灵的王者在成为王者之前又是什么？在心智和力量上，他们天生就是精灵中最强大的吗？就是精灵的领导者吗？如果是那样的话，他们为何会显得如此重要？在首批精灵的故事中，艾敏、泰塔和厄尼尔比其他的精灵早先醒来，并开始发明语言，而且，因为他们最年长因此他们的经验也比其他的精灵丰富。但他们也应该成为精灵智者吗？他们是否有足够强大的力量以及过人的学识使他们以及他们的子孙能够比其他的精灵要高人一等？

diablohh

It may be that a natural order was established in which authority was conferred upon individuals for the sake of presiding over communities. That is, those Elves who became leaders among their peoples were enhanced. Their authority would require that they be able to judge matters fairly, if they applied their gifts fairly. The choices these leaders made would not be preordained for them. They would not always choose the wisest path. But they would be empowered to discern more clearly than the people in their followings. Which is not to say that an average Elf couldn't see through an empty window. Rather, the Elven leaders may have gained an increase in their perceptive abilities, or their analytical abilities, as they built their communities.

diablohh

有可能是，为了服众，那种将威权赋予那类个人的做法久而久之就成了惯例。也就是，那些成为众人的领导者要被拔高。如果他们能公正地运用他们的天赋的话，他们的威信要求他们能够公正地评判事务。没有谁为那些领袖预先提供他们所要做的决定。而他们所做的决策也并非全都是明智的。但他们被授予了比他们的追随者更强的洞察力。不用说，一个普通的精灵无法通过一扇空荡荡的窗户看出什么东西，当然，精灵的领导者们却能够通过他们超常的洞察力或是他们的分析能力从中得到更多的领悟，正如他们在建立他们的集团的时候。

diablohh

In a sense, the Elves themselves may have been responsible for empowering their leaders. Each Elf, in giving his or her loyalty to a particular leader, would emotionally and mentally support that leader. It seems strange that so many Noldor would abide Feanor's treachery, for example, and participate in the Kin-slayings at Alqualonde, Doriath, and Arvernien. But what if the Elves had in some way become tied to their leaders, such that part of each follower's power passed into or bequeathed upon the leader a small enhancement? A powerful bond could form between an Elven leader and followers, and the followers might begin to share their leader's temperment. The rare breach between leader and followers might prove to be an emotional and potentially debilitating experience.

diablohh

就某种意义来说，精灵们本身也要对他们授权于他们的领导者的行为负责。每一个精灵，在效忠于一位特殊的领导者之后，不论是在精神上还是情感上都要支持他的领导者。这让人有些惊讶，例如，如此之多的诺多精灵会容忍费诺的叛逆而参加了在阿夸隆迪、多利阿斯和阿瓦尼尔对同胞的屠戮。但如果精灵对他们的领袖感到有些厌倦了呢？那么，那些追寻者输入或是遗赠在那些领导者身上的那部分力量是否会变得弱一些？在精灵的领袖和他的追随者之间可以建立极为强有力的联结，一旦如此，那些追随者则可能开始被他们的领导者的气质潜移默化。而领导者和追随者之间的少数裂痕可能只是一种情感的、潜在弱化作用的体验

diablohh

Hence, when Finrod left Nargothrond, he would have been diminished, because most of his people had refused to support his commitment to the family of Barahir. But the Elves of Nargothrond would, in their own way, have been diminished because of the loss of their leader. Even though Orodreth eventually became King of Nargothrond and forced Celegorm and Curufin to leave (without their own followers), Orodreth may not have benefitted from the bond between King and Folk because it had not passed to him naturally. That is, the Elves may have lost some of their strength when they allowed their bond to Finrod to wither. Hence, Orodreth could never be the leader his brother had once been.

diablohh

因此，当芬若离开纳戈兰德的时候，他的力量有可能被削弱了，因为他大部分的人民都拒绝支持他接管巴拉赫家族。而纳戈兰德的精灵，就他们本身来说，也因为失去了他们的领袖而被削弱了。即使奥洛追斯最后成为了纳戈兰德王，并强迫凯勒贡和可汝芬离开纳戈兰德（而且不允许他们的追随者跟从），奥洛追斯可能也未从王者和子民的联结中受益，因为他的即位是不自然的。也就是，精灵们很可能因为任由他们和芬若之间的联纽的消失从而失去了一部分力量。因此，奥洛追斯永远都无法成为象他哥哥那样的领导者。

diablohh

A bond between leader and followers, established by the individual choices of the Elves, empower the authority of leaders as no mortal contract could. The relationship between leader and follower may not have been one of mutual obligation but rather one of mutual enchantment. A great people would literally make a great leader, and the great leader would make better choices for his people. And, hence, the Elven-wise would be the lords of the Eldar because they were empowered by their people to see matters more clearly, to choose and judge for their people, to exercise the communal wisdom and lore. Elrond is said to have been made a master of lore when he chose to be of Elven-kind. Who made him such a master? Eonwe? Manwe? Or did the Noldor who accepted him into their ranks as an Elven-lord bestow upon him a communal trust and bond?

diablohh

领导者和追随者之间的联结是建立在精灵的个人选择之上的，而那种对领导者的权势的认可也是任何必死的人类之间的契约所无法比拟的。领导者和追随者之间的关系，与其说是互相履行责任和义务，还不如说是二者之间在气质和魅力上的互相吸引。伟大的人民当然会成就伟大的领导者，而伟大的领导者将会为他的人民做出更好的选择。因此，精灵智者之所以都是一些埃达的领主，是因为他被他们的子民认可，能够更加明晰地辨清是非，能够为他的人民做出选择和裁断，能够发挥集体的智慧和才艺。 据说，埃尔隆是在他选择成为精灵的时候而成为一名知识的掌有者。谁（有资格）赋予他这样的头衔？伊欧威？曼威？还是因为那些承认他的血统以及精灵领主身份的诺多精灵将他们集体的信任寄放在他的身上并原意和他结成那种纽带关系？

diablohh

The process of creating and sustaining the bond between leader and follower would be magical, an act of sub-creative will. It would be something only an Elven people could or would do. Under such a system, it would be easy to identify the members of the Wise: they would be the leaders of the communities, or at least the larger communities. Elrond, therefore, would not have been among the Wise until he became the leader of a community. Gildor Inglorion would be one of the Wise because he was the leader of a company of Elves. The Wise were not Wise because of what families they came from, but rather because of how many Elves followed them. An Elf king might be one of the Wise, but only if he were personally bonded to a community of Elves.

diablohh

形成和持续这种领导者和追随者之间的关系的过程是奇妙的，是一种潜意识的行为。也只有精灵能做或是愿意去做。在这种体制之下，人们很容易辩识智者：他们是那些团体的领导层，或者，至少是较大的团体的领导者们。因此，埃尔隆在他没有成为一个团体的领导者之前，还不能成为一个智者。吉尔多尔·英格洛林之所以被称为智者是因为他是某一票精灵的头头。英明博学的精灵不代表就是智者，这不仅要看他来自哪个家族，更要看他有多少追随者。一位精灵王只有在他本人与某一团体的精灵结成了那种关系之后才能成为一名智者。

diablohh

The communal bond need not enhance the leader's power, or strength. Rather, individual strength would remain constant, but the wisdom to use that strength would be enhanced. The communal bond could, however, extend to entire families. Hence, Elven realms would be more likely to maintain a dynasty than mortal realms. The Noldor were contentious and fractious, but after Feanor's rebellion they remained fairly stable.

diablohh

那种团体关系不需要加强领导者的权力或是力量。当然，个人的力量可以不变，但是运用那种力量的才智需要提高。这种团体关系可以覆盖整个家族，因此，精灵的领土比人类的领土更能在一个王朝之下延续。诺多精灵比较暴躁而且纷争不断，但在费诺反叛之后，他们就保持了比较稳定的状态。

diablohh

The Elven-wise are also loremasters, great scholars and philosophers. Any Elf may learn whatever knowledge is made freely available. But the great insights provided by leaders like Finrod and Elrond might be achieved only by members of the Elven-wise, the leaders, because of their enhanced abilities. Hence, an Elf like Lindir of Rivendell may seem less wise when compared to Legolas or Elrond, but is not really dense or ignorant. Lindir trusts Elrond to lead the community with the insight of the Wise.

diablohh

精灵智者也是杰出的匠师、伟大的学者和哲学家。精灵们可以学习任何所提供的免费知识。但象芬若或是埃尔隆那样的领导者，他们的那种高超的洞察力也只有那些精灵智者、那些领导者才能达到，因为他们能力是被提高了的。所以，象利文德尔的林德那样的精灵，在才智上和莱格拉斯或埃尔隆相比可能有些逊色，但他并不是真的那么愚蠢和无知。他信任埃尔隆能以一位智者的见识来领导他们的团体。