Сильмариллион
Of the Voyage of Earendil and the War of Wrath
NowElrosandElrondhisbrotherweredescendedfromtheThreeHousesoftheEdain,butinpartalsobothfromtheEldarandtheMaiar;forIdrilofGondolinandLuthiendaughterofMelianweretheirfore-mothers.TheValarindeedmaynotwithdrawthegiftofdeath,whichcomestoMenfromIluvatar,butinthematteroftheHalf-elvenIluvatargavetothemthejudgement;andtheyjudgedthattothesonsofEarendilshouldbegivenchoiceoftheirowndestiny.AndElrondchosetoremainwiththeFirstborn,andtohimthelifeoftheFirstbornwasgranted.ButtoElros,whochosetobeakingofMen,stillagreatspanofyearswasallotted,manytimesthatoftheMenofMiddle-earth;andallhisline,thekingsandlordsoftheroyalhouse,hadlonglifeevenaccordingtothemeasureoftheNumenoreans.ButElroslivedfivehundredyears,andruledtheNumenoreansfourhundredyearsandten.
Thustheyearspassed,andwhileMiddle-earthwentbackwardandlightandwisdomfaded,theDunedaindweltundertheprotectionoftheValarandinthefriendshipoftheEldar,andtheyincreasedinstaturebothofmindandbody.
Forthoughthispeopleusedstilltheirownspeech,theirkingsandlordsknewandspokealsotheElventongue,whichtheyhadlearnedinthedaysoftheiralliance,andthustheyheldconversestillwiththeEldar,whetherofEresseaorofthewest-landsofMiddle-earth.
