Hi JeffF,
agree that its ambiguous, were the Haradrim outnumbering Theoden's eored, Theoden's 'division' of 2000, or the entire force of Rohirric cav? I don't think one can tell with certainty from the text but even if it were just the central division, they might be 3000 or more.
I'm also tempted to see the Haradrim as similar to the Moors in Spain or the Saracens, that were quite cavalry-heavy. Therefore 1/3 of the force being cav would be, if anything, rather on the low side. It's an open question too as to what the rest of the 18,000 or so Haradrim were, inf or cav, apart from the Mumakil of course.
Also it removes one of the few 'hard numbers' we have
!
As for Gandalf's remark it seems plain to me that this was considering the forces available at that time, to base it on the forces that would arrive in a day or two's time is illogical.
Quote:
'A sortie must be made ready. Let it be of mounted men. In them lies our brief hope, for in one thing only is the enemy still poorly provided: he has few horsemen.'
'And also we have few...' said Denethor
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