The Balrog as the Loathly Lady from medieval literature.

[Mithadan]

Tall Ships and tall kings
Three times three.
What brought they from the foundered land
Over the flowing sea?
Seven stars and seven stones and one white tree.

Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne,

I have previously posted about the recurrence of prime numbers in Tolkien's writing. Let's see, the seven sons of Feanor? The seven rivers in Ossiriand? Not coincidence. Personally, my view is that Tolkien's repeated references to prime numbers is based upon similar practices in northern and even Greek mythology. He was striving for a sense of authenticity.

monks is not the first to seek hidden meanings, codes or numerological significance in Tolkien's writings and I doubt that monks will be the last to do so. monks has certainly dedicated some time to this. I personally lack interest in such musings and have doubts as to the degree that such analysis will yield any meaningful insight. Others here seem to harbor similar doubts. However...

If you wish to actually discuss monks' posts or the subject matter, please do so. If you do not, please feel free to focus your attentions on other threads and, by all means, start some new ones. But please remain polite and respectful.

Thank you!

[Mithadan]

And, yes, nine is not a prime. But then again, the Nine Nazgul did not prevail...

But then why was Gandalf against 13 Dwarves heading to Erebor? And the Seven Gates of Gondolin, the city with seven names, didn't do so well either...

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Mithadan

I have previously posted about the recurrence of prime numbers in Tolkien's writing. Let's see, the seven sons of Feanor? The seven rivers in Ossiriand? Not coincidence. Personally, my view is that Tolkien's repeated references to prime numbers is based upon similar practices in northern and even Greek mythology. He was striving for a sense of authenticity.

There are also the seven Lords and seven Queens of the Valar.

I am by no means on the level of many of the learnéd on this forum, but the use of seven I've thought a reference to the Biblical number of Perfection.

Originally Posted by Mithadan

monks is not the first to seek hidden meanings, codes or numerological significance in Tolkien's writings and I doubt that monks will be the last to do so. monks has certainly dedicated some time to this. I personally lack interest in such musings and have doubts as to the degree that such analysis will yield any meaningful insight. Others here seem to harbor similar doubts. However...

If you wish to actually discuss monks' posts or the subject matter, please do so. If you do not, please feel free to focus your attentions on other threads and, by all means, start some new ones. But please remain polite and respectful.

Thank you!

You are quite right, of course, and I fall below my own standards of courtesy by needing a reminder.

I ask monks to forgive any rudeness on my part.

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Yeah, but did they have wings? (Loathly or not.)

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Originally Posted by Fordim Hedgethistle

Yeah, but did they have wings? (Loathly or not.)

Well, in that context, I would observe that the leading reported cause of death among Balrogs (3 out of 3 cases) is plummeting.

[mindil]

That (plummeting) may be a vote in favor of wings. Things whose airborne-ness depends on wings (birds, planes) will plummet when those wings are compromised. Things that can fly or hover without wings (helium balloons, loose feathers, mists) tend to drift downward when their levitation fails.

[Galin]

Going by BOLT one could say Ecthelion's Balrog plummeted into the fountain with a helmet spike in his rogly body

. . . but in a late text Tolkien wrote that the duel with Glorfindel and "the Demon" may need revision, so who knows.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Originally Posted by mindil

That (plummeting) may be a vote in favor of wings. Things whose airborne-ness depends on wings (birds, planes) will plummet when those wings are compromised. Things that can fly or hover without wings (helium balloons, loose feathers, mists) tend to drift downward when their levitation fails.

Aha! Now we have the answer! Balrogs were full of hydrogen, hence the flames!