The Small and Secret Things by Dawn Felagund

The Failure of Logic

Maedhros on standing up to Fëanor about burning the ships at Losgar. This moment has always had significance to me, for it is the first indication of Maedhros's understanding of the need--and power--of unity between the Noldor. Yet it also is the first proof of how the strife between the princes of the Noldor will forever damn their quest against Morgoth. It is a portent of many things to come.

As a child, I raised my voice against my father. He could seemingly twist logic to suit his whims and, gazing down upon me from formidable height, seethed with power that rendered me silent.

But now, I should be his better, for it is my logic against his senseless madness, only I see now what escaped me as a child: Logic cannot fight madness, a foot stamped obstinately in the dust, a ridiculous assertion upheld because it is, and there is no argument.

So the ships burn.

I should be his better, but still, I am not.

The ships burn.

Chapter End Notes

Today's word:

countervail kown-tur-VAYL, transitive verb:

1. To act against with equal force, power, or effect; to counteract.
2. To compensate for; to offset; to furnish or serve as an equivalent to.
3. To exert force against an opposing, often bad, influence or power.

Countervail derives from Old French contrevaloir, from contre-, "counter-" (from Latin contra, "against") + valoir, "to be worth" (from Latin valere, "to be strong, to avail").