“The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again.” - Robert Jordan
I love both (I'm one of the few who wrestled through the entire WoT twice and enjoyed that) but your citation shows very pointedly how Jordan was often just copying LoTR.
So maybe Jordan is actually the one who got ripped off. Still though, pretty cliché idea, but the formulation is too close to not be influenced one way or another.