Elrond's Words and Deeds
Elrond addresses the Fellowship of the Ring:
(from The Return of the King, Book II, Chapter 2: 'The Council of Elrond' and Chapter 3: 'The Ring Goes South')
"The Company of the Ring shall be Nine; and Nine Walkers shall be set against the Nine Riders that are evil."
"The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On him alone is any charge laid... The others go with him as free companions, to help him on his way. You may tarry, or come back, or turn aside into other paths as chance allows. The further you go, the less easy will it be to withdraw; yet no oath or bond is laid on you to go further than you will. For you do not yet know the strength of your hearts, and you cannot foresee what each may meet upon the road."
"Farewell, and may the blessings of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you. May the stars shine upon your faces."
Elrond to Frodo as he says farwell to Bilbo in Rivendell:
"I think, Frodo, that maybe you will not need to come back, unless you come very soon. For about this time of the year, when the leaves are gold before they fall, look for Bilbo in the woods of the Shire. I shall be with him." (from The Return of the King, Book VI, Chaper 6: 'Many Partings')
Elrond speaks of Aragorn's destiny and his relationship with Arwen:
(from Appendix A, V:'The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen')
"Aragorn, Arathorn's son, Lord of the Dúnedain, listen to me! A great doom awaits you, either to rise above the height of all your fathers since the days of Elendil, or to fall into darkness with all that is left of your kin."
"There will be no choice before Arwen, my beloved, unless you, Aragorn, Arathorn's son, come between us and bring one of us, you or me, to a bitter parting beyond the end of the world. You do not know yet what you desire of me."
"My son, years come when hope will fade, and beyond them little is clear to me. And now a shadow lies between us. Maybe, it has been appointed so, that by my loss the kingship of Men may be restored. Therefore, though I love you, I say to you, Arwen Undómiel shall not diminish her life's grace for less cause. She shall not be the bride of any Man less than the King of both Gondor and Arnor. To me then even our victory can bring only sorrow and parting - but to you hope of joy for a while. Alas, my son! I fear that to Arwen the Doom of Men may seem hard at the ending."
The end of the Third Age:
"Soon Celeborn and Galadriel and their folk would turn eastward... They had journeyed thus far by west-ways, for they had much to speak of with Elrond and with Gandalf, and here they lingered still in converse with their friends. Often long after the hobbits were wrapped in sleep they would sit together under the stars, recalling the ages that were gone and all their joys and labours in the world, or holding council, concerning the days to come. If any wanderer had chanced to pass, little would he have seen or heard, and it would have seemed to him only that he saw grey figures, carved in stone, memorials of forgotten things now lost in unpeopled lands. For they did not move or speak with mouth, looking from mind to mind; and only their shining eyes stirred and kindled as their thoughts went to and fro." (The Return of the King, Book VI, Chapter 6)
"Then Elrond and Galadriel rode on; for the Third Age was over, and the Days of the Rings were passed, and an end was come of the story and song of those times." (The Return of the King, Book VI, Chapter 9)
