The Seven and the Nine

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Alfirin

In the book Gandalf refers to Sauron in his mastery of the rings as "He who holds the Seven, and the Nine" (the seven dwarven rings, and the nine mortal). I get the "nine" part but, since three of the Dwarven rings were destroyed before Sauron could get his hands on them again, why is Gandalf still counting them? Gandalf presumably knows the rings were destroyed since he makes mention of Dragon fire as being one of the possible ways the One ring could have been destroyed (at least, could have if any dragons of sufficient caliber were still left, which there aren't)

The quote to which you refer sounds familiar, but I haven't yet been able to place it. Gandalf does make it clear in other places though that he believes only some of the Seven still remained.

'So it is now: the Nine he has gathered to himself; the Seven also, or else they are destroyed.'

FOTR The Shadow of the Past

'The Nine the Nazgûl keep. The Seven are taken or destroyed.'

FOTR The Council of Elrond