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Old 07-15-2009, 01:38 AM   #15
Gordis
Shade of Carn Dûm
 
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Minas Morgul
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nogrod View Post
The fact that he is just named as the second in command would suggest there is nothing unusual in it ie. it would be another Nazgûl just second in command?
I agree.

Moreover, let us look at the history of the sentence about Gothmog:

Quote:
In an immediately rejected version of the passage in which the new hosts streaming out of Osgiliath are described, it was said of the Black Captain: 'He was gone, and the Nazgul in fear had fled to Mordor bearing ill tidings'; but this was lost in the rewriting of the passage where appears Gothmog lieutenant of Morgul - HOME 8
If Gothmog were meant to be a nazgul, then the rejection of the sentence about all the remaining Nazgul fleeing seems explained: one (Gothmog) remained on the field and took command. Also as Tolkien put Gothmog in while editing out the sentence about the nazgul, it explains why he failed to mention that Gothmog was one of them: at the moment it seemed quite obvious to Tolkien.
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