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Olorin_TLA · 12-24-2003, 09:14 AM

One thing: in the note where Tolkien decides there were only 7 Balrogs at the most probably, the refernece to Glorfindel's duel has the word "Balrog" crossed out and replaced, immediately, with "Demon", and the next (and last reference) to the duel also says "Demon", NOT "Balrog" - yet the note refers to 7 (max) Balrogs, not Demons.

Coupled with the post-LotR conception of Balorgs being VERY, VERY much more powerful than thier pre-LotR counterparts, it appears that these 7 Balrogs are as powerful as Durin's Bane (Gothmog being more so likely) (Durin's Bane decimated Moria, single-handedly...somehting the pre-LotR Balorgs probably couldn;t have done) , and therefore that Glorfindel fights a Demon isntead, as a Balrog would be tto storng possibly for him.

So more than 7 Balorgs of the psot-LotR type (which they would of course have to be now) , especially these armies of them in the pre-LotR texts, would probablky have annihalted everyone very, very quickly. Times were black enough without thousnads of the Demons of Might!

12-24-2003, 09:14 AM	#37
Olorin_TLA Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Gardens of Lórien, Valinor. Posts: 420	One thing: in the note where Tolkien decides there were only 7 Balrogs at the most probably, the refernece to Glorfindel's duel has the word "Balrog" crossed out and replaced, immediately, with "Demon", and the next (and last reference) to the duel also says "Demon", NOT "Balrog" - yet the note refers to 7 (max) Balrogs, not Demons. Coupled with the post-LotR conception of Balorgs being VERY, VERY much more powerful than thier pre-LotR counterparts, it appears that these 7 Balrogs are as powerful as Durin's Bane (Gothmog being more so likely) (Durin's Bane decimated Moria, single-handedly...somehting the pre-LotR Balorgs probably couldn;t have done) , and therefore that Glorfindel fights a Demon isntead, as a Balrog would be tto storng possibly for him. So more than 7 Balorgs of the psot-LotR type (which they would of course have to be now) , especially these armies of them in the pre-LotR texts, would probablky have annihalted everyone very, very quickly. Times were black enough without thousnads of the Demons of Might! __________________ "For I am Olórin! And Olórin means me!" ELENDIL! - Join "Forth Tolkiengas!"