Posted: March 22, 2000 at 07:18:03: by Shane@Laurelindorinan
To say that Sauron has no respect for life may be correct. However I believe that he allows life to go on that he may defile and control it even torture it if you like. If the dark lord did capture Sam and Frodo he would most certainly not kill them but rather make them suffer terrible torments (similar to Hurin in that greates of tragedies 'Narn i hin Hurin') (although without the god like powers of Melkor, Sauron being maia himself). To answer the question we can look to Gandalf. He knew that Sauron was bluffing, he knew that if he had the ring/ringbearers his lust for power and revenge would not allow him the pleasure of playing 'parley games', Sauron's victory would have been complete and swift. Gandalf also knew that Sauron would revel in the chance to see some of his most feared enemies (Isildur's heir and his old rival Olorin to name just two) humiliated right on his front doorstep as they sued for peace and mercy. Why did Sauron believe it? Absolute vanity, and Gandalf knew it:
: : : : As the captains of the West stood before the Black Gate, the Mouth of Sauron came forth, and offered them terms of peace in return for the return of Frodo. I doubt that Sauron would really have kept his side of the argument, even if he had really held Frodo captive, and even if he had, he would certainly find some loophole to continually re-adjust the truce to his advantage before striking his final blow.: : : : This is all in line with the evil nature of Sauron, who often pretends to be well-meaning and a friend, as he did in Numenor, only to corrupt his friends and use them to his advantage. : : : : What surprises me is not this, but the fact that he was prepared to respect the life of a hostage at all. Sauron appeared to have practically no respect for life of any sort. Would he have made any attempt to have any of his own people returned had they been captured? I doubt it. Then why would he even begin to believe the captains of the West would be prepared to consider paying such a price for the return of a single, or at the best two hobbits? Yes, I know he was playing, as a cat plays with a trapped mouse before killing it, but it is the fact that he even considered such an offer in his wildest dreams that puzzles me. : : : I believe it was because he regarded his enemies as foolish and their weakness lay in their compassion - so he was playing this card thinking them blind to him being so evil that he would have no respect for life. : : Sauron was not always evil and therefore had some distant memory of the way the 'balanced' mind works.
: : He was also using a very base offer (go away and I'll return 1 prisoner) hoping to make the bearer of the one stand forth and challenge him. I am sure he must have concluded that such a small army has no chance, so the wielder of the one must be amongst them here to challenge my power, and hoped to draw them out for a swift strike - the offer of one prisoner an attempt to raise the anger of the 'bearer' into rash action. The point is he missed the double bluff and that gave Frodo (and Gollum) the time they needed.....
: : IMHO as ever
: : Dave : My take on this is somewhat different.
: You offer to exchange a prisoner that you have or have not captured. You have no intention of turning the prisoner over to your enemy. : If the offer is accepted, this will confirm that the "prisoner" is important to your enemy, or your enemy's plans. Definitly, someone you should make every effort to capture or eliminate. : The reaction to seeing Frodo's mail shirt, told Sauron that its owner was known to one or more of his enemy. The refusal to treat for the owner's release, told Sauron that the owner was of little importance and perhaps, as he suspected, only a spy.
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