XPost: rec.arts.books.tolkien   
   From: joedoe3@gmail.com   
      
   Chris Hoelscher schrieb am 04/12/2012 12:46 AM:   
   > another ponderable (i am probably missing something obvious)   
   >   
   > Why did Sauron send the (8) ringwraiths to Mount Doom as opposed to he going   
   > himself? in the past - his "spirit" fled - after losing his finger (and the   
   > ring) - form what i remember - his spirit fled to the east - even after the   
   > sinking of the HMS Numenor, he managed to flee back to MIddle Earth (yes -   
   > he did have the ring)   
   >   
   > was it that without the ring he was unable to muster up the necessary ummh   
   > to pass to Mt Doom ? would he have to forsaken his body to do so? or ...   
   > could he hav done so but chose to send the 8 because they were closer (or   
   > were at least flight-ready) ??   
      
      
   wasn't it that Sauron had lost most of his innate power to walk/act   
   unclad? IIRC, originally, Maia would wear (and dispoose of) their body   
   as humans do of clothes, but as Sauron (as before him Morgoth) invested   
   power to dominate others, they lost this freedom and became bound to   
   theor bodies, which they could no longer alter at will and which it took   
   long time to rebuild.   
   Given that Sauron hid for centuries in order "to take shape again" I   
   assumed that he was be rather ineffective as a Dark Lord without a body.   
   Therefore, my explanation for the Hour of Doom is   
   (i) S was bound to his body, which was humanoid, i.e. he could not fly   
   to Mt Doom as he was.   
   (ii) maybe he would be able to discard his body and move quickly to Mt   
   Doom in "spirit form", but then he would not be able to interact with   
   Frodo ad save the Ring   
   (iii) one may wonder why S was so inconsiderate not to include wings [1]   
   when he chose to take shape again after the War of the Last Alliance. It   
   would have helped him in the Fall of Numenor and it might have been life   
   saving in teh War of the Ring...   
      
      
   regards   
    Geza   
      
      
   [1] even lowly Balrogs were better equipped in this respect ;-)   
      
   --   
                               Now come ye all,   
   who have courage and hope!  My call harken   
   to flight, to freedom       in far places!   
                                         Lays of Beleriand   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)