Húrin Thalion, Which Means Steadfast or Strong
Húrin Thalion was a mighty warrior of the Edain, of the House of Hador the descendant of Marach. Called Thalion, which means 'the Steadfast' or 'the Strong', he was, after his death, accounted the greatest of all warriors among Men. He was so powerful that he and all his family were cursed by Morgoth Bauglir, and Morgoth pursued them all with a special hate. Although he and his kin met great woe at the devices and malice of Morgoth, had they not lived the greatness of the Edain would have been much diminished.
Lineage and Family of Húrin
Húrin was the son of Galdor, who was the son of Hador Goldenhead, the chieftain of his House and servant of the High King Fingolfin. After the fall of Gundor in the Dagor Bragollach and the death of his father by Eithel Sirion, Húrin was the lord of all the House of Hador. Now Húrin married Morwen the daughter of Baragund of the House of Bëor the Old. And they had three children, who were Túrin, and Lalaith, which means laughter, and Nienor. And more of them is spoken elsewhere, but Túrin was later known as Túrin Turambar, which means Master of Doom, and his tale is the saddest of all the tales of the Men of those days, and on him the malice of Morgoth laid heavy.
Deeds of Húrin
Now in the days after the Dagor Bragollach, Galdor the Tall was wedded to Hareth of the Haladin, and Gloredhel his sister was wedded to Haldir. And the sons of Galdor, Húrin and Huor, were fostered in Brethil by Haldir as was the custom of that people. And it came to pass that one day the sons of Galdor became lost in Brethil and cut off from the rest of their people. But Ulmo the Vala watched the waters of Sirion in that land, and he called on Thorondor the Eagle of Manwë, who rescued the brothers and brought them to Gondolin, which no Man had yet seen. And they abode there for a year, and then returned by the grace of Turgon and the wings of Thorondor, swearing an oath of silence to never speak of Gondolin until the hidden city was revealed.
Soon after the return of Húrin and Huor, their father Galdor the Tall was slain in an Orc-raid, and the lordship of the House of Hador passed to Húrin. And Húrin was a mighty lord, and his House grew in strength even until the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. And Húrin, though less in stature than his father Galdor or his son Túrin after him, was great in skill and cunning, and could endure all things.
And then came the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, in which much of the House of Hador perished, and the leaguer of Gondolin was opened, and Huor fell defending King Turgon the Wise. And Húrin stood longest of all men in that battle, and as the House of Hador held the rearguard of Gondolin's retreat, Húrin shouted,
"Aurë entuluva!
Day shall come again!"
And seventy times he shouted that cry before he was overcome by the Orcs, and taken captive to Angband. And there Morgoth cursed him and all his family, and set him high upon Thangorodrim, there forced to watch all of Morgoth's devices for the destruction of Elves and Men. But Húrin never wavered, or served Morgoth, though the spies of the Dark Lord said it otherwise abroad. But the shadow of the guile of Morgoth lay heavy on Húrin, and when he was released long years later that shadow led him to his greatest sorrow.
And so many things came to pass in the years that Húrin was thus imprisoned. And these things are told elsewhere, in the tales of Túrin Turambar and Nienor Niniel. But it came to pass that Morgoth released Hurin from his bondage after those things were done, seeking that in freedom Húrin should bring to pass more of his evil designs. And so it was that when Húrin left Angband there came a large host of Morgoth behind him, who did him no harm. And so it was noised abroad that Húrin Thalion had joined with Morgoth, though this was false.
And now Húrin was feared and shunned by his own people in Hithlum, and so he went to the region of the Encircling Mountains, and cried out to Turgon to take him again to Gondolin. And so Morgoth discovered the region where Gondolin was hidden, which he had not yet known. But Turgon received not Húrin, and so Húrin wandered, and went to the ruin of Nargothrond, and there slew Mim the petty-dwarf, who had betrayed his son Túrin. And from the wasted halls of Felagund Hurin took the Nauglamir, the Necklace of the Dwarves.
And so Húrin took the Nauglamir and went to Doriath, and came before Thingol in the halls of Menegroth. And with bitter words he cast the Necklace before Thingol, and accused him of evil in the keeping of his wife and children. And Thingol restrained his wrath out of pity for Húrin, but Melian spoke, saying,
"Húrin Thalion, Morgoth hath bewitched thee; for he that seeth through Morgoth's eyes, willing or unwilling, seeth all things crooked. With the voice of Morgoth dost thou now upbraid thy friends."
Long Húrin stood at those words, and at last the shadow of Morgoth was taken from before his face. And he spoke, saying,
"My fate is fulfilled, and the purpose of Morgoth achieved; but I am his thrall no longer."
And Húrin Thalion went forth from Doriath, and passed across the western lands, and cast himself into the Sea. And so ended the greatest of all warriors of mortal Men.
Sources
J.R.R. Tolkien.
The Silmarillion.
New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2001