Elrond Identifies the Swords
During the company's stay at the Last Homely House, Elrond, the master of Rivendell, examined the swords that Gandalf and Thorin had taken from the trolls' cave. He immediately recognized that these were not ordinary weapons made by trolls or men, but ancient blades of great renown. Elrond identified the sword Thorin carried as Orcrist, the Goblin-cleaver, a famous blade forged in Gondolin for the Goblin-wars. Gandalf's sword he named Glamdring, Foe-hammer, which had once been worn by the king of Gondolin. These revelations connected the company directly to the legendary history of the Elves and the wars against evil, imbuing their journey with a deeper, more mythic significance.
The Swords' Provenance and Significance
Elrond explained that the swords must have come from a dragon's hoard or goblin plunder, as dragons and goblins had destroyed the city of Gondolin many ages ago. This context placed the trolls' lair within a larger network of ancient conflicts and treasures. The identification of the swords as High Elven weapons from the West, kin to Elrond himself, elevated the company's status and purpose. Thorin, upon hearing this, declared he would keep Orcrist in honour and wished it might soon cleave goblins once again, a wish Elrond noted would likely be granted soon enough in the mountains. This moment transformed the swords from mere spoils into symbols of a heroic lineage and a direct link to the epic past.
Thematic and Narrative Role
The identification of the swords serves as a crucial moment of revelation and preparation. It reinforces the theme of hidden history and the enduring legacy of ancient conflicts, reminding the reader that the present adventure is part of a much larger struggle between good and evil. For Bilbo, who had only recently left his comfortable hobbit-hole, this encounter with Elrond and the ancient blades deepened his immersion into a world of legend and danger. The event also foreshadows the coming battles with goblins, as the swords' names—Goblin-cleaver and Foe-hammer—directly anticipate the violence to come. Elrond's wisdom and knowledge thus provide the company with not only practical tools but also a profound sense of their place in the wider history of Middle-earth, a theme that resonates throughout the rest of the tale and beyond, as Bilbo himself later becomes an elf-friend and keeper of a legendary ring.
