# Aging of Elves **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 20, 2014, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-of-elves/679306 "2014-01-20T21:04:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-of-elves/679306/21 "2014-01-22T01:53:43Z")
He may already be blind and you haven’t noticed. He’s a lot better off than blind people in that he can still jump. ---
**Author:** ![weemart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f14d63/32.png) [@weemart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/weemart)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-of-elves/679306/22 "2014-01-22T04:05:11Z")
I’m pretty certain he’s not blind. He tried to jump on the kitchen counter a few weeks ago and missed and has never tried again. He still jumps lower heights though. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-of-elves/679306/23 "2014-01-22T08:27:42Z")
weemart, You’ve got Elves jumping on you kitchen counter ? Cool. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-of-elves/679306/24 "2014-01-22T08:32:29Z")
So would Círdan be the elf with the oldest-looking physical appearance? ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-of-elves/679306/25 "2014-01-22T08:40:14Z")
Has there even been a description of Cirdan? I don’t remember. Those who came from Valinor and saw the light of the trees were: Galadriel, Glorfindel, Cirdan(?), Gildor and company. Glorfindel certainly looked young. These are among the oldest elves, though some who never went to Valinor (like Thranduil and Celeborn) may be even older. Perhaps elves are as Sam described: “Some as merry as children, others as terrible as kings.” ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-of-elves/679306/26 "2014-01-22T08:49:42Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > Has there even been a description of Cirdan? I don’t remember. I don’t have my copies available, but I think he’s described when they meet him at the Grey Havens at the end of the LOTR. IIRC, he has grey hair and a beard and something like “years of wisdom”, but I’m not sure. ETA: Found this > [@](#): > > “As they came to the gates Círdan the Shipwright came forth to greet them. Very tall he was, and his beard was long, and he was grey and old, save that his eyes were keen as stars; and he looked at them and bowed, and said ‘All is now ready.’” ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-of-elves/679306/27 "2014-01-22T08:57:05Z")
Ah, yes. I think it was that. There was a significance to his greeting to Gandalf, concerning the ring of fire. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-of-elves/679306/28 "2014-01-22T09:09:43Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > Ah, yes. I think it was that. There was a significance to his greeting to Gandalf, concerning the ring of fire. There’s this quote: > [@](#): > > “Take this ring, Master… for your labours will be heavy; but it will support you in the weariness that you have taken upon yourself. For this is the Ring of Fire, and with it you may rekindle hearts in a world that grows chill. But as for me, my heart is with the Sea, and I will dwell by the grey shores until the last ship sails. I will await you.” Found it on the Tolkien Gateway site, which had these two pages of interest: [Círdan](http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/C%C3%ADrdan) [Elven Life cycle](http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Elven_Life_cycle#.22Cycles_of_life.22_and_aging) ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-of-elves/679306/29 "2014-01-22T14:28:12Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > Has there even been a description of Cirdan? I don’t remember. Those who came from Valinor and saw the light of the trees were: Galadriel, Glorfindel, Cirdan(?), Gildor and company. Glorfindel certainly looked young. These are among the oldest elves, though some who never went to Valinor (like Thranduil and Celeborn) may be even older. > > Perhaps elves are as Sam described: “Some as merry as children, others as terrible as kings.” Cirdan never crossed to Valinor. He remained in Beleriand with the Teleri that were searching for Elwe (later Thingol). It’s also possible that as a leader of the Teleri on their journey across Middle Earth he awoke at Cuiviénen. That would make him older than Galadriel. He’s described as having a beard and I think, though I have to check my books, to be grey haired. I also remember reading the idea that elves’ fëa (spirit) would eventually burn away their hröa (body). You can hear echos of this in the description of elves in later ages as diminished. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-of-elves/679306.md?page=1)