I have a few questions ....again (
)
1/
From the ROTK:
The light was still grey as they rode, for the sun had not yet climbed over the black ridges of the Haunted Mountain before them. A dread fell on them, even as they passed between the lines of ancient stones and so came to the Dimholt. There under the gloom of black
trees that not even
Legolas could long endure they found a hollow place opening at the mountain’s root, and
right in their path stood a single mighty stone like a finger of doom.
And so they came at last deep into the glen; and there stood a sheer wall of rock, and in the wall the Dark Door gaped before them like the mouth of night. Signs and figures were carved above its wide arch too dim to read, and fear flowed from it like a grey vapour.
.....between which there faced the riders, the grim black wall of the Dwimorberg, the Haunted Mountain rising out of steep slopes of sombre pines. Dividing the upland into two
there marched a double line of unshaped standing stones that dwindled into the dusk and vanished in the trees. Those who dared to follow that road came soon to the black Dimholt under Dwimorberg, and the menace of the pillar of stone, and the yawning shadow of the forbidden door.
Such was the dark Dunharrow,
the work of long-forgotten men. Their name was lost and no song or legend remembered it. For what purpose they had made this place, as a town or secret temple or a tomb of kings, none could say. Here they laboured in the Dark Years, before ever a ship came to the western shores, or Gondor of the Dúnedain was built; and now they had vanished, and only the old Púkel-men were left, still sitting at the turnings of the road.
So, my question is: What to think of the Road and the Door - Were they made BEFORE the breaking of the oath ? - then For what purpose? .... or.... Were they made AFTER the breaking of the oath? ...then WHO made them? (for the purpose could be = warning)
2/
From the ROTK:
Long had the terror of the Dead lain upon that hill and upon the empty
fields about it. For upon the top stood a black stone, round as a great globe, the height of a man, though its half was buried in the ground. Unearthly it looked, as though it had fallen from the sky, as some believed; but those who remembered still the lore of
Westernesse told that it had been brought out of the ruin of
Númenor and there set by
Isildur at his landing. None of the people of the valley dared to approach it, nor would they dwell near;
for they said that it was a trysting-place of the Shadow-men, and there they would gather in times of fear, thronging round the Stone and whispering.
So:
1) What "business" had the Dead with the Stone, which is obviously one of the
Palantiri, brought from
Numenor.
2) How, do you think, did Isildur manage to bring the enourmous
Palantir to Erech? Looking at the
maps and reading about the place... I just can't figure out how he could!
3) Why Erech?
3/
Maybe I shall have to wait for Walter to return. He might have some opinion on the next question as he comes from Germany....
But perhaps some of you, too could answer. I'll be most interested to learn your opinion on this:
I have noticed that on several occasions, the Professor expressed quantities using the "German way" of saying the numbers and not the English one.
For example:
five and fifty hundreds = German: "funf und funfzig" (don't laugh at my Deutch!
) still it is NOT the English " fifty five hundred"
a hundred leagues and two ...
There are several other examples, but I just can't find them now.
Your comments?
4/
From ROTK:
Legolas stood before the gate and turned his bright eyes away north and east, and his fair face was troubled. ‘I do not think that any would come,’ he answered. ‘They have no need to ride to war; war already marches on their own lands.’
Could someone, please, say what war exactly did Legolas mean?
As far as I remember,
Lothlorien was not at war at that point. Yes, there were fell
creatures that the Elven warriors chased out of the wood, but a WAR????
*****
Well, I will be very much obliged if some of you wish to comment on these questions.