Boromir I

[Hobbitt_Fan]

Is Boromir I(11th Steward of Gondor), one of the greatest, if not the greatest warriors Elf or Human? I have found several citations on the net, supposedly from the Appendices of LoTR and they seem to indicate, aside from retaking Ithilien and defeating the first Uruk army, the Witch King feared him.

It's surprising, considering that in Rivendell, only Glorfindel is mentioned with the power to stand openly against the Nazgul. If I am looking at the years right, Boromir confronted him nearly 500 years after Glorfindel's prophecy. It seems interesting that the Witch King, didn't seem cowed by Earnur, even in defeat who was the last King until Aragorn but he did fear a Steward.

[Inziladun]

ROTK Appendix A does say

Boromir was a great captain, and even the Witch-king feared him. He was noble and fair of face, a man strong in body and in will...

.

Though Boromir I did defeat the uruks, it isn't said that he ever 'confronted' the Witch-king or any of the Nazgûl personally.
That the WK 'feared' him could mean simply that he had special worry about Boromir as a double threat; a powerful field-leader and a wise and respected ruler.
I don't think based upon that that it could be said Boromir I was 'one of the greatest warriors Elf or Human', though.

[Hobbitt_Fan]

Since the Witch King is a creature that time had different meaning for, I would think that a fear of someone is in the person and confrontation. An immortal being could just build his forces and wait a mortal out until a less skilled commander was in charge. We do know that Boromir confronted a Nazgul, presumably the Witch King since his life was shortened by a Morgul wound.

Although King Earnur was a mighty commander, Tokien never mentions the Witch King fears him.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Hobbitt_Fan

We do know that Boromir confronted a Nazgul, presumably the Witch King since his life was shortened by a Morgul wound.

That doesn't necessarily mean the wound was the result of single combat between the two. A 'Morgul wound' could indicate the use of a poison, as Orcs were wont to use.
The wording used to decribe the action in taking Osgiliath merely states Boromir defeated the uruks, with no mention of the Nazgûl even being directly involved in the fighting.

[Hobbitt_Fan]

I agree but the Witch King faced other great Gondorian leaders and warriors but Tolkien clearly inferred something great in Boromir and it seems that if it was simply as a tactician, Tolkien who was gifted with words would have indicated that.

I have always believed the most literal translation is the best unless otherwise indicated by the author. Clearly, Earnur had also dealt the Witch King a terrible blow when he destroyed Angmar but the Witch King still rode him down and challenged him to combat.

Absent any other explanation and in comparison to the Witch King's dealings with other Gondorian leaders, the easiest interpretation is that Boromir was personally mighty enough in arms that the Witch King feared him.

[Findegil]

I would think that it is not 'in arms' that you have to be mighty to be feared by the Witch King.

Eanur was strong in arms as well. But he lacked other qualities that make him in the end an easy victim for Witch King. Not so Boromir I it seems.

And look who did deal the fatal blows to the Witch king in the end: A Hobbit in his first time battle expirence and a woman how had to disguise to be allowed to that battle at all. Not what you would call 'mighty in arms'.

It seems that it is more Boromirs being 'a man strong in ... will' that the Witch King feared, since that quality he shared with Merry and Eowyn.

Respectfuly
Findegil

[Galin]

I agree, strong in will is notable here in my opinion.

Instilling unreasoning fear (as the Witch-king seemingly can do) in combat is a great advantage! However, if someone is both strong and notably strong-willed for example...

[Dakêsîntrah]

The wisdom of the will if far superior to skill in arms.

[Pitchwife]

I'm with Findegil and Galin here about strength of will being Boromir's forte against the Nazgûl.
Concerning his death, the draft versions of The Heirs of Elendil in HoME XII read:

A: Death hastened by wounds got in the war.
B: His life was shortened by wounds received from the poisoned weapons of Morgul.
C: His life was shortened by the poisoned wounds he received in the Morgul-war.

So I'm inclined to read the 'Morgûl wound' of the final text in Appendix A as abbreviation/condensation of the wordings in B and C above.
Besides, if he'd been wounded with a Morgûl knife like the one the WK used against Frodo on Weathertop, wouldn't he have been turned into a wraith rather than killed or letally poisoned?