Sauron skickar en budbärare till Erebor. Min vän säger att budbäraren inte kunde vara en Nazgûl som vi vet var de befann sig när budbäraren anlände till Erebor.
"Then about a year ago a messenger came to Dáin, but not from Moria - from Mordor: a horseman in the night, who called Dáin to his gate. The Lord Sauron the Great, so he said, wished for our friendship. Rings he would give for it, such as he gave of old. And he asked urgently concerning hobbits , of what kind they were, and where they dwelt. "For Sauron knows," said he, "that one of these was known to you on a time."...
...'At that his breath came like the hiss of snakes, and all who stood by shuddered, but Dáin said: "I say neither yea nor nay. I must consider this message and what it means under its fair cloak." LOTR : The Fellowship of the Ring
Hon nämner också att det sannolikt var mer än en person och att även om "hissing" huvudsakligen är en nazgul egenskap, säger hon att det används av många onda varelser. Så är en påskling en möjlighet?
Vet vi vem (eller vad) var budbäraren?
Citatet i frågan är en del av Glóins rapport till Elrondrådet den 25 oktober 3018 (tredje ålder). Glóin säger att budbäraren kom till Erebor för ett år sedan, så det skulle vara sent 2017.
I Oavslutade Tales beskriver Tolkien Nazgûls rörelser när de söker efter ringen, men det kontot börjar inte förrän 3018, flera månader efter att budbäraren anlänt till Erebor.
At length he resolved that no others would serve him in this case but his mightiest servants, the Ringwraiths, who had no will but his own, being each utterly subservient to the ring that had enslaved him, which Sauron held.
Now few could withstand even one of these fell creatures, and (as Sauron deemed) none could withstand them when gathered together under their terrible captain, the Lord of Morgul. Yet this weakness they had for Sauron's present purpose: so great was the terror that went with them (even invisible and unclad) that their coming forth might soon be perceived and their mission be guessed by the Wise.
So it was that Sauron prepared two strokes - in which many saw the beginnings of the War of the Ring. They were made together. The Orcs assailed the realm of Thranduil, with orders to recapture Gollum; and the Lord of Morgul was sent forth openly to battle against Gondor. These things were done towards the end of June 3018.
Unfinished Tales Part Three, Chapter IV, (i) Of the Journey of the Black Riders
Page 338 (Houghton Mifflin 1980 hardback edition)
Det finns inget berättat om Nazgûls vistelseort i månaderna före juni 3018, så en av dem kunde teoretiskt ha varit budbäraren skickad till Erebor.
Den passage som jag citerade tydliggör dock att Sauron var medveten om att Nazgûl skulle upptäckas när de reste och noggrant planerade sitt utseende i juni 3018. Det verkar osannolikt att det skulle ha varit nödvändigt om en av dem redan hade rest till Erebor föregående år.
Passagen föreslår också att Sauron hade för avsikt att endast använda Nazgûl för uppgifter som de ensam kunde utföra. Det verkar osannolikt att skicka ett meddelande till Erebor var en sådan uppgift.
Så vem var budbäraren?
Den nedersta raden, så långt jag kan se, är att budbäraren troligen inte var en Nazgûl, men vi kan inte helt utesluta det. Han kunde säkert ha varit en påskling, men det finns inga speciella bevis som pekar i den riktningen (Sauron hade många under hans kontroll).
Om det inte var en Nazgûl, så kan det ha varit Saurons mun:
RotK, bok V, Ch. 10 Den svarta porten öppnas :
At its head there rode a tall and evil shape, mounted upon a black horse, if horse it was; for it was huge and hideous, and its face was a frightful mask, more like a skull than a living head, and in the sockets of its eyes and in its nostrils there burned a flame. The rider was robed all in black, and black was his lofty helm; yet this was no Ringwraith but a living man. The Lieutenant of the Tower of Barad-dûr he was, and his name is remembered in no tale; for he himself had forgotten it, and he said: ‘I am the Mouth of Sauron.’ But it is told that he was a renegade, who came of the race of those that are named the Black Númenóreans; for they established their dwellings in Middle-earth during the years of Sauron’s domination, and they worshipped him, being enamoured of evil knowledge. And he entered the service of the Dark Tower when it first rose again, and because of his cunning he grew ever higher in the Lord’s favour; and he learned great sorcery, and knew much of the mind of Sauron; and he was more cruel than any orc.
Senare i samma kapitel:
Meddelandet och erbjudanden som Sauron gjorde till Dain var förmodligen tillräckligt viktigt för Sauron att garantera att han skickade sin bästa (levande) löjtnant. Men så långt som jag vet är budbäraren som kom till Erebor aldrig identifierad specifikt.Then the Messenger of Mordor laughed no more. His face was twisted with amazement and anger to the likeness of some wild beast that, as it crouches on its prey, is smitten on the muzzle with a stinging rod. Rage filled him and his mouth slavered, and shapeless sounds of fury came strangling from his throat. But he looked at the fell faces of the Captains and their deadly eyes, and fear overcame his wrath. He gave a great cry, and turned, leaped upon his steed, and with his company galloped madly back to Cirith Gorgor. But as they went his soldiers blew their horns in signal long arranged; and even before they came to the gate Sauron sprang his trap.
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