and the ring is linked to an ancient curse and mystery. A ring believed to be found by a farmer ploughing a field in Silchester in 1785. The 12 gram gold ring is so large that it fits on a gloved thumb and is inscribed with the words, "Senicianus live well in God".
And then, 100 miles away, a tablet is found some decades later, inscribed, "Among those who bear the name of Senicianus to none grant health until he bring back the ring to the temple of Nodens."
Curious, eh? The whole story is here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/apr/02/hobbit-tolkien-ring-exhibition
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12 comments:
that is interesting....but why is the name of the theif engraved on the ring?
Quite a heckling enigma! My guess is the ring was a conditional gift to the temple and healing establishment at Lydney Park --1/2 interest to receive treatment and 1/2 to be retained until the patient, Senicianus, was well. Dissatisfied patient took the ring back and had a curse recorded against him.
Interesting story, but I think I saw that ring on QVC. It was a on a three payment plan and shipping and handling was $7.95.
Lawless- it's part of the mystery....
Geo.- Your theory is as good as any, cuz nobody knows. If only we paid for treatment if we were made well!
Arleen- if anyone had it, it would be QVC. :)
Hi Laura,
Ah yes, the lord of the ring :) And no, I'm not going to mention again that Tolkien's "Middle-earth" was partly inspired from his observations of the locals of the town I live in.
Gary
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Hi Gary,
And I won't mention that every time I look at my calendar I think of little Hobbits...
Laura
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And, (damn it it all) we will never know. And since I suffer from insatiably curiosity I always wanna know.
EC- Yep, same here. We can wonder and question forever, but we'll never know for sure what it was all about!
Ah, Thank You, Dahling. I'd never run across this story before. Not that it matters all that much but in the 'Hobbit' what mattered about the ring was that it conferred invisibility upon the wearer, allowing Bilbo's escape. It wasn't until years later, after being asked for an encore to the Hobbit story, that Tolkien began his real work. I remember that when the "authorized" editions first appeared in paperback in the 1960's, the Hobbit contained notes that with the publication of 'The Lord of the Rings', the author had revised a portion of the Hobbit dealing with Bilbo's finding of the ring. It would appear that the discovery of the curse may have occurred at just the right moment to inspire the story.
Stevil- that post-war era was awash with curses and heebie-jeebie glimpses into netherworldiness. The "classical" world was full of curses, I guess in part because of the impotence of the everyman to bring change or even influence his own fate. Humans turn to gods for justice when there is none in the real world.
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