Sauron's knowledge of the Istari

[Angry Hill Troll]

Here's the quote that Olorin_TLA is referring to (from Myths Transformed in Morgoth's Ring):

If [Sauron] thought about the Istari, especially Saruman and Gandalf, he imagined them as emissaries from the Valar, seeking to re-establish their lost power again and 'colonize' Middle-earth, as a mere effort of defeated imperialists (without knowledge or sanction of Eru). His cynicism, which (sincerely) regarded the motives of Manwë as precisely the same as his own, seemed fully justified in Saruman. Gandalf he did not understand... [Sauron probably imagined that Gandalf] was only a rather cleverer Radagast-cleverer, because it is more profitable (more productive of power) to become absorbed in the study of people than of animals.

It's not clear why Sauron would tell the Witch-King or the Mouth about the Istari's true nature. "This Gandalf fellow is a Maia just like me, and he can easily kick your ****!" All that would accomplish would be to make the WK apprehensive. Probably the WK truly believed that Gandalf was just a man, and therefore (according to the prophesy) wasn't going to do anything to him.

I think that if Gandalf was actually attacked by the WK at the gates of Minas Tirith, he would have fought him (as he did with the Balrog--which made it pretty clear to the rest of the Fellowship that he wasn't an ordinary human). But the reinforcements from Rohan showed up at just the right time to make this unnecessary [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]