🧙Gandalf's defence of Frodo

[Beorn]

This is from The White Rider:

'Yes,' said Gandalf, 'that was Gwaihir the Windlord, who rescued me fro Orthanc. I sent him before me to watch the River and gather tidings. His sight is keen, but he cannot see all that passes under hill and tree. Some things he has seen, and others I have seen myself. The Ring now has passed beyond my help, or the help of any of the Company that set out from Rivendell. Very nearly it was revealed to the Enemy, but it escaped. I had some part in that: for I sat in a high place, and I strove with the Dark Tower; and the Shadow passed....

Gandalf says that he was fighting the Dark Lord. How come at various points in the story did the Dark Lord not come and bother Gandalf? How did Gandalf strive with Sauron?

What do you think of this, what questions do you ask, and what answers do you have to offer?

 

[BlackCaptain]

I actualy wondered the same thing. Can anyone help us out?

 

[Glomund]

I always assumed it was a battle of wills, somewhat like the one between Aragorn and the Mouth of Sauron, or some of the battles of song in the Silmarilian, like Sauron and Finrod or Luthien song before Morgoth. Since Gandalf and Sauron are more than human, they did not need to be near each other to wrestle with each others minds

 

[Maeglin]

This is only an inference, but I would assume that Sauron did not come after Gandalf because he was not worried about him. I mean think about it, if you had Saruman of many Colors, Head of the White Council, on your side, and hundreds of thousands or orcs and men to take on one Grey Wizard and probably no more than 20 thousand men, would you really be worried about the wizard? I mean once you kill everyone else, what's Gandalf going to do, even if he is Gandalf the White?

As to the High Place that Gandalf sat at, I would assume it was on top of Amon Hen, though how he could have sat right next to Frodo and helped him fight with the Dark Lord without Frodo noticing or the Dark Lord noticing Frodo and the Ring, I do not know.

 

[FoolOfATook]

Frodo did notice- the voice/thought that he hears urging him to take off the Ring has to be Gandalf's. That's what Gandalf means, I think- that he and Sauron strived with each other over Frodo while the Ringbearer was on Amon Hen. If I had my books with me, I could probably say more.

 

[Mirabella]

Gandalf was indeed referring to the contest of wills upon Amon Hen. As to the "high place" he referred to, it could have been Caras Galadhon, since by then he was in Lothlorien.

 

[Niniel]

I always assumed he was talking about the peak of Caradhras where he had fought the Balrog... but I might be wrong then.
The reason why Sauron did not come after Gandalf is that he had not the strength yet, because he didn't have the One Ring, or that he was afraid to leave Mordor in case someone attacked when he was not there.
Or maybe he didn't need to go after Gandalf in person, like Glomund says, because they could fight each other with their will.
I do think Sauron was afraid of Gandalf; after all Gandalf ''won" the battle in Frodo's mind, Frodo took off the Ring when Gandalf ordered him to. Sauron must have realized that Gandalf was very powerful and he must have been afraid of him. Indeed I think his greatest fear was that Gandalf would take the Ring and use it against Sauron.

 

[Beleg]

Actually as Sauron and Gandalf are both Maiar, it may be correct to assume that they can talk telephatically. Much like the way A plantir works.

 

[aragil]

I just like the way the Mouth of Sauron describes Gandalf:

From the Black Gate Opens
‘So!’ said the Messenger. ‘Then thou art the spokesman, old greybeard? Have we not heard of thee at whiles, and of thy wanderings, ever hatching plots and mischief at a safe distance? But this time thou hast stuck out thy nose too far, Master Gandalf; and thou shalt see what comes to him who sets his foolish webs before the feet of Sauron the Great.

It would seem that the Dark Tower does not feel that Gandalf has ever been close enough for punitive action, not until the Battle at the Black Gates, at any rate. Sauron was powerful, but he couldn't just attack anyone anywhere - first he had the small matter of Gondor to look after.

 

[Ithrynluin]

Originally posted by Beleg_strongbow
Actually as Sauron and Gandalf are both Maiar, it may be correct to assume that they can talk telephatically. Much like the way A plantir works.

I wouldn't say that they talked telepathically. Of what use would the palantirs be to Sauron and Saruman then?
Saying that they "strove for power mentally (and from afar)" would be more correct IMO.