What are the Istari?
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Wizards of Middle-earth are a small group of beings outwardly resembling Men but possessing much greater physical and mental power. They are also called the Istari (“Wise Ones”) by the Elves. The Sindarin word is Ithryn (sing. Ithron). They were of the Maiar, spirits of the same order of the Valar, but lesser in power (Sauron himself was one of the most powerful of the Maiar), sent by the Valar to help and assist the peoples of Middle-earth to contest Sauron. Their Quenya names were Curunr (Saruman), meaning Man of Skill; Olrin (Gandalf); Aiwendil (Radagast), meaning Bird Lover; Morinehtar (Alatar), meaning Darknes-Slayer and Romestamo (Pallando), meaning East Helper. They came to Middle-earth roughly around the year 1000 of the Third Age. It seems that each was assigned with a colour for his clothes, white perhaps being indicative of the chief: Saruman. Gandalf was grey, Radagast was brown, and two of them, Alatar and Pallando, were blue. It is
