Why didn't Sauron go to Sammath Naur?

[Úlairi]

:confused: :D :D Here is a good thread to generate some great opinions! When Sauron saw Gollum and Frodo at the Crack of Doom he called up his Nazgul.

"And far away, as Frodo put the ring on and claimed it for his own, even in Sammath Naur the very heart of his realm, the power in Barad-dur was shaken, and the Tower trembled from its foundations to its proud and bitter crown. The Dark Lord was suddenly aware of him, and his Eye piercing all shadows looked across the plain to the door that he had made; and the magnitude of his own folly was revealed to him in a blinding flash, and all the devices of his enemies was at last laid bare. Then his wrath blazed in consuming flame, but his fear rose like a vast black smoke to choke him. For he knew his deadly peril and the thread upon which his doom now hung. From all his policies and webs of fear and treachery, from all his stratagems and wars his mind shook free; and throughout his realm a tremor ran, his slaves quailed, and his armies halted, and his captains suddenly steerless, bereft of will, wavered and despaired. For they were forgotten. The whole mind and purpose of the Power that wielded them was now bent with overwhelming force upon the Mountain. At his summons, wheeling with a rending cry, in a last desperate race there flew, faster than the winds, the Nazgul, the Ringwraiths, and with a storm of wings they hurtled southwards to Mount Doom."

Sauron was a smart guy, he knew what he was doing, yet why did he call on the Nazgul. Yes he should have done so, but at the same time go himself. He was in Barad-dur, a few kilometers away, and that would mean nothing to a Maia. He would have been there in a second. He could have seized the Ring and he would be powerful enough to take over Middle-earth with no problems. It would have been easy for him. But why didn't he???:confused: :confused: :D

[Legolam]

I suppose this also begs the question - what actual physical power did Sauron have? He was a disembodied spirit, so would he have the means to attack Frodo himself and get the ring off him. Maybe sending the Nazgul was the best he could do?

Also, with Frodo finally "claiming the ring for himself", maybe Sauron was scared that Frodo would be able to harness its power or something. Because, up until that point, Frodo had never claimed the ring for himself and had always accepted that it was Sauron's.

Just an opinion, but a really good question!!!

PS 300th post - yay!!! Finally!

[Cian]

Sauron was not a disembodied spirit until after the destruction of the Ring (at this stage). Flight is fast, enter the Nazgûl.

[Arathorn]

If Suaron was disembodied, he couldn't do anything to take the ring away. If Sauron could take physical form he still had limits on his power, even with the powers of a Maia (i.e. Saruman and Gandalf). As such he knew the Nazgul could get there faster.

[Eonwe]

Well, we could probably say that he pretty much nearly jumped out the window at the top of the Barad-dur when he saw what was happening :)

I think that perhaps a Maia with a physical form, can't fly, if the physical form can't fly, unless he/she leaves the physical form... Similar to Gandalf the WHITE being carried by Gwaihir to Mount Doom.

[Úlairi]

:D :D :D Firstly, Legolam. Sauron would not at all have been scared of Frodo. He knew that none could control the ring save him and him only. If Frodo knew how to use it, Sauron would still beat him. I mean, Frodo is just a mere mortal Hobbit with the most powerful object in ME on his finger, when Sauron WAS the most powerful thing in ME with or without the Ring on his finger. Secondly, Eonwe. Eonwe, I believe that in physical form Sauron could fly. As you said, Gandalf, Saruman and Radagast could not, but their powers were limited because the Valar told them they were not allowed to use their full powers at all. There is one question that does arise amidst all of this, could Sauron at any point in The Lord of the Rings take physical form? It would be quite good to be an eye even if you could become physical, because Sauron's eye could pierce all shadows, at it says in LoTR. As a spirit, I believe Maiar still could do physical things unless they had been slain and were disembodied spirits, as has been mentioned. I hope that clears something up!:D :D :D

[Cian]

Originally posted by Ulairi
There is one question that does arise amidst all of this, could Sauron at any point in The Lord of the Rings take physical form?

Sauron had acieved a physical form by this time (that of a man of more than human stature but not gigantic). Tolkien explained it took "longer" for him to achieve this after the Last Alliance than it had after the fall of Númenor.

"I note your remarks about Sauron. He was always de-bodied when vanquished." JRRT

[Beleg Strongbow]

Gollum fell not long after that what would you say. 30 seconds a min atmost. He probably tried but he didn't get there in time. Same with the nazgul.

[Úlairi]

No Beleg, I don't think Sauron moved a meter, when he should have, but left the Nazgul to it. That is why I generated this thread as as to why he did it when he could have done it himself. There are no queries as to what speed Maiar spirits could go, for they could appear and reapper in different places. It would have been easy for Sauron to go to Sammath Naur before 30 seconds or a minute and snatch the Ring from Gollum as he fell in, or have taken it from Frodo when he claimed it, so why didn't he?

[Beleg Strongbow]

Originally posted by Ulairi
No Beleg, I don't think Sauron moved a meter, when he should have, but left the Nazgul to it. That is why I generated this thread as as to why he did it when he could have done it himself. There are no queries as to what speed Maiar spirits could go, for they could appear and reapper in different places. It would have been easy for Sauron to go to Sammath Naur before 30 seconds or a minute and snatch the Ring from Gollum as he fell in, or have taken it from Frodo when he claimed it, so why didn't he?


Yeah i geuss so. I'm not sure maybe he panicked and just made the wrong decision. Ulairi email me.

[Úlairi]

Oh yeah, sorry Beleg, I am currently changing a few things around in it, so expect it anytime soon!

[Beleg Strongbow]

Originally posted by Ulairi
Oh yeah, sorry Beleg, I am currently changing a few things around in it, so expect it anytime soon!


Yeah thats cool.

[Bucky]

>>>
I suppose this also begs the question - what actual physical power did
Sauron have? He was a disembodied spirit,

No, Sauron had a definite shape in the 3rd Age by this time.
Note Gollum: "He has only nine (fingers), but they are enough".
Does a spirit have fingers unless it has a physical form? No.
Pippin at the palantir: "Then HE (Sauron) came....'Tell Saruman this dainty is not for him. Say exactly that'".
Also, as previously stated by others, Tolkien says in his letters & Appendice B to TLOR that Sauron 'began to take shape' earlier in the 3rd Age.

And, I don't know where you got the idea that the Valar or Maiar (and specifically Sauron at this point) could just 'up & disappear' & poof! reappear somewhere else. They could certainly disappear ( although Sauron had only ONE physical form after the drowning of Numenor & it took time to re-form), but there isn't any mention I can think of where a Vala or Maia disappears & then travels a large distance & reappears immediately like Scotty just 'beamed them up'.

And, Barad-Dur is alot further than a 'few killometers' to Mt Doom.
It looks like around 25-35 miles (40-60 k's) on my map....

Finally, as I read it, although others may disagree, Sauron took the form of a man (although I buy the larger therory), an evil 'Dark Lord' manifestation, & in that form he had ONE eye. Read the end of Akallabeth & the beginning of 'Of the Rings of Power & the Third Age'.
Sauron's pleasant form goes down into the abyss.
His spirit returns to ME.
He reforms his physical shape & it can only be evil. Tolkien says of that physical shape:
'There now he brooded in the dark, until he had wrought for himself a new shape; and it was terrible, for his fair semblance had departed for ever when he was cast into the abyss at the drowning of Numenor. He took up again the great Ring and clothed himself in power; and the malice of the Eye of Sauron few even of the great amoung Elves and Men could endure.'

Now, if that form is called & contains 'The Eye of Sauron', & he's able to go out in that form & physically fight Gil-Galad & Elendil, he must be in a tangable physical form himself, correct?

[Beleg Strongbow]

Originally posted by Bucky
>>>
I suppose this also begs the question - what actual physical power did
Sauron have? He was a disembodied spirit,

No, Sauron had a definite shape in the 3rd Age by this time.
Note Gollum: "He has only nine (fingers), but they are enough".
Does a spirit have fingers unless it has a physical form? No.
Pippin at the palantir: "Then HE (Sauron) came....'Tell Saruman this dainty is not for him. Say exactly that'".
Also, as previously stated by others, Tolkien says in his letters & Appendice B to TLOR that Sauron 'began to take shape' earlier in the 3rd Age.

And, I don't know where you got the idea that the Valar or Maiar (and specifically Sauron at this point) could just 'up & disappear' & poof! reappear somewhere else. They could certainly disappear ( although Sauron had only ONE physical form after the drowning of Numenor & it took time to re-form), but there isn't any mention I can think of where a Vala or Maia disappears & then travels a large distance & reappears immediately like Scotty just 'beamed them up'.

And, Barad-Dur is alot further than a 'few killometers' to Mt Doom.
It looks like around 25-35 miles (40-60 k's) on my map....

Finally, as I read it, although others may disagree, Sauron took the form of a man (although I buy the larger therory), an evil 'Dark Lord' manifestation, & in that form he had ONE eye. Read the end of Akallabeth & the beginning of 'Of the Rings of Power & the Third Age'.
Sauron's pleasant form goes down into the abyss.
His spirit returns to ME.
He reforms his physical shape & it can only be evil. Tolkien says of that physical shape:
'There now he brooded in the dark, until he had wrought for himself a new shape; and it was terrible, for his fair semblance had departed for ever when he was cast into the abyss at the drowning of Numenor. He took up again the great Ring and clothed himself in power; and the malice of the Eye of Sauron few even of the great amoung Elves and Men could endure.'

Now, if that form is called & contains 'The Eye of Sauron', & he's able to go out in that form & physically fight Gil-Galad & Elendil, he must be in a tangable physical form himself, correct?



Yes most of that is right. Although it ws the nazgul that spoke to Pippin in the palantir not sauron.

[Legolam]

I don't know why I always thought of Sauron as a disembodied spirit. I guess it was just all this talk of eyes that made me always picture him as this evil spirit residing in Barad-Dur. :rolleyes:

[Bucky]

No, it was not the or a Nazgul who spoke to Pippin.
They were simply flying around Barad-Dur.
Read the account & Gandalf's following conclusion as to it being Sauron as he rides to Gondor with Pippin.

[Úlairi]

Bucky, there is absolutely no evidence stating that they couldn't just disappear and reappear in different places, I mean, come on Bucky, they're Gods. They have great powers, we must presume that the ability to disappear and reappear is just a normal thing with any God. We are only ever given accounts when they resume their physical form. Physically, they can't do that, but spiritually, I believe they can. Who is to say that they couldn't? The Valar were basically all-powerful and the Maiar are simply of a lesser degree but with the same powers as the Valar, except that the Valar's powers were stronger than that of the Maiar.

[Cian]

Sauron took a long time to reform his physical 'body' after the Last Alliance. And there's no evidence (I know of) to bolster the idea of a Third Age Sauron that could simply physically pop from place to place at will.

Sauron needed the Nazgûl for their speed.

[Greenwood]

Bucky is absolutely right; it was Sauron who spoke to Pippin in the Palantir.

Quote by Ulairi
there is absolutely no evidence stating that they couldn't just disappear and reappear in different places

Ulairi

More importantly, there is "absolutely no evidence" Sauron, or anyone else in Middle-earth, could do the kind of instantaneous transportation you suggest. If they could there would be no story! Why send the Nazgul to the Shire looking for the Ring? Why not just zip over himself? Why not just pop in at Rivendell while Frodo and friends are there? Why tell Pippin through the palantir that he is sending for him? Why not just pop up there? When writing a story you cannot give a character (either a good or evil one) unlimited powers, for then you cannot have a story. The science fiction author Issac Asimov, one of the few writers to ever write science fiction mystery stories, once wrote that in order to write a mystery/detective story in the science fiction genre you had to place limits on what could be done. No reader is going to tolerate a mystery where at some point the detective merely pulls out a device and announces: "My Mark IV Psychic Scanner here proves that Smithers the butler did it!" The same is equally true in a fantasy. You have to place limits on your creations, otherwise there can be no coherent story. No where does Tolkien give an instantaneous transport ability to any of his characters and for good reason. He may have made Sauron and the Maiar a form of gods, but he did not give them unlimited powers.

[aragil]

The Balrogs are described as travelling with 'winged speed'. I imagine that if the Maia could teleport, then the Balrogs would have teleported rather than travelled with winged speed. Come to think of it, if Maia could just teleport, then I can think of a pair Balrogs which wouldn't have been slain by falling.
Also, in Tolkien's metaphysics section in Morgoth's Ring (HoME v.10), I believe Tolkien attributes the same basic attributes to the Valar and Maiar as to his children: a spirit and a body. I can't remember for sure, but if that is the case then they can either disembody and then re-embody, or they can disembody and then take a long time making a new body (perhaps drawing away the substance from their former body?) like Sauron did after the fall of Numenor and the Battle of the Last Alliance. Either way, there is no indication of a swift disembodiment in one locale followed by an instantaneous embodiment in another. Also, it seems that even the spirit requires time to travel over distances. Witness Gandalf's speech about what happened after he slew (and was slain by) the Balrog of Moria. (paraphrasing) 'Long I wondered on forgotten paths, naked I was sent back to the West'. It seems that even in this instance where speed would be of the utmost importance it took Gandalf's spirit some time to make it to Valinor, even without that cumbersome body slowing it down.

[Bucky]

>>>
Bucky, there is absolutely no evidence stating that they couldn't just
disappear and reappear in different places, I mean, come on Bucky,

Um, er, there's no evidence stating they COULD either.
All circumstantial evidence says no.

I mean, what was Sauron?
Mad Baggins, just disappering with a bang & reappearing with a bag o' gold?

Don't forget Sauron in the battle with Huan on Tol Sirion.
Luthien says if he forsakes his body, he will be forever naked, scorned by his master, pierced by his eyes......

Now, if he could just change & be 'beamed back' to Angband, why wouldn't he?

[Beleg Strongbow]

Originally posted by Bucky
>>>
Bucky, there is absolutely no evidence stating that they couldn't just
disappear and reappear in different places, I mean, come on Bucky,

Um, er, there's no evidence stating they COULD either.
All circumstantial evidence says no.

I mean, what was Sauron?
Mad Baggins, just disappering with a bang & reappearing with a bag o' gold?

Don't forget Sauron in the battle with Huan on Tol Sirion.
Luthien says if he forsakes his body, he will be forever naked, scorned by his master, pierced by his eyes......

Now, if he could just change & be 'beamed back' to Angband, why wouldn't he?





i would say u r right. But i think that theyn could travel at speed. Pretty quickly. Soryy i dontknow why i said nazgul:eek: :rolleyes: :o

[Úlairi]

They are good points Bucky, aargil and Greenwood. I haven't changed my mind but the point I think aargil made on the references to Morgoth's Ring (a book which I have unfortunately haven't read, but am getting there) then perhaps they could not. I do know that Balrogs could travel quickly and I will change my opinion to the belief that Sauron, even in his re-embodied spiritual form could still travel to Mount Doom which was maybe 30-40 miles would still take him less than 30 seconds to a minute! As for Greenwood's points as to why the Nazgul went instead of Sauron himself. JRRT was a professor of English at Oxford University, he wasn't dumb, if he had sent Sauron to get the Ring for himself, Sauron would have had no trouble getting it and evil would triumph over good, making the story very drear. The Nazgul give action to the story where as Sauron would have gone there, taken the Ring from Frodo and go:

"That's mine thanks"

and bad-a-bing bad-a-boom, the end of The Lord of the Rings before it really had begun.

[Úlairi]

POST SOMEONE!!!

[Úlairi]

POST PLEASE!!!

[Bucky]

Here, since you're so desperate for a post:

There's nothing else to post......



But seriously, folks, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE ARGUMENT THAT SAURON OR ANY VALA OR MAIA COULD MOVE AT SOME EXTREME SPEED OR DISAPPEAR & REAPPEAR SOMEWHERE ELSE.
30-40 miles in a minute would be, uh, 1800-2400 MPH, correct?
Less than 30 seconds? 3600-4800 MPH minimum.

LMAO......

Now, Ulari, are you happy?

[Eonwe]

OK so Morgoth breaks into Formenos ? kills Finwe, steals the Silmarils, goes down to the trees with Ungoliant, kills the trees, and then moves at say, 7 mph out of Tirion (this is hilarious!). Ladeeda. Ok so then say within a few days of the festival the Valar and Feanor find out. So Morgoth has moved approx. 300 miles out of Tirion when they find out. If its say 700 miles to where Ungoliant says "yea with both hands" (I don't know how far actually, just a guess), it takes him and her 7 days total to get there from the two trees. And if its 300 miles from Angband to where Morgoth is, it takes the Balrogs two days to get there, so he screams for approx. 48 hours.

Sound about right? :)

I think in the case of a Vala or Maia, its possible they could use the ordinary laws of physics to move their bodies (such as the Nazgul, how long does it take one to get from Isengard to Barad-dur, a trip of say 900 miles?) in their own way. But of course this would take some time for them to do...?

[aragil]

This is as close to African/European Swallow as I hope to ever see on these boards.

[Úlairi]

This thread has gone quite silly. Bucky, provide proof that they could not disappear and reappear in different places, if not, then you are allowed to have your own opinions and I will have mine, but don't make accusations that may be false, we don't know possibly what Tolkien thought of the Valar in his own mind simply because we are not Tolkien himself which may come as a shock to some people!!!

[Greenwood]

Originally posted by Ulairi
This thread has gone quite silly. Bucky, provide proof that they could not disappear and reappear in different places, if not, then you are allowed to have your own opinions and I will have mine, but don't make accusations that may be false, we don't know possibly what Tolkien thought of the Valar in his own mind simply because we are not Tolkien himself which may come as a shock to some people!!!

You have it backwrds. It is not Bucky's, or any other forum member's, job to disprove the existence of teleportation capabilities that Tolkien never hinted at in any of his creations. It is your job, as the person advancing the theory to provide some justification, any justification, for the teleportation capabilities you are advancing. If you cannot provide a single piece of evidence from Tolkien's writings that he wanted any of his characters to possess these abilities than this thread deserves to quietly go into oblivion.

I also do not see that Bucky made any "accusations". Bucky did make the perfectly reasonable observation that if no one was posting on this thread, it probably meant no one had anything more to say on the matter. I certainly don't after this post (barring you producing evidence that Tolkien wanted his creations to have near instantaneous teleportation abilities).

[Strider97]

Ulairi-

You asked for proof that the Maia could not simply appear and reappear in a different location:

1. Gandalf when imprisioned by Saruman
2. Gandalf at the Gate of Mordor asking the eagles to transport him to Mt. Doom
3. Gandalf at Isengard travelling to Gondor using Shadowfax because of his need for speed
4. Saruman trapped in Isengard
5. Sauron using the palantir to communicate with Saruman and to view ME

[Bucky]

>>>This is as close to African/European Swallow as I hope to ever see on these
boards.


It's good to know that there's a few old timers here besides me.

What was the name of that knight who kept getting one limb after another cut off & kept fighting back, saying "Is that all you got?" or "I'm not hurt"?

No arms, no legs, head-butting his opponent.....


Now, Eonwe, I may be wrong, but isn't it Melkor & Ungoliant slay the Two Trees, THEN head north to Formenos & kill Finwe & steal the Silmarills, then further north, across the grinding ice, then the cry & the Balrogs come?

Also, nobody said they (Valar or Maiar) couldn't move faster than the children of Illuvator (but certainly not 2400 MPH+), just that they couldn't 'teleport' themselves magically from place to place like 'Mad Baggins'.

Now when Melkor escaped, he was riding Ungoliant, no?
How big was she?
25, 50, 100 feet?
That would make distances shrink in terms of time needed to get from one place to another.
Wasn't she casting webs & then going on them, maybe even swinging from place to place like Tarzan?
You can cover alot of ground that way too.

Now, if the Valar could teleport themselves, why did Tulkas & Orome start chasing them instead of 'popping up' in front of them or the 'darkness' that surrounded them?

As for the Balrogs, it's stated they could move fast, but nowhere is 'teleporting' even hinted at.

And, certainly since it took Sauron 1000 years to begin to take shape, he wasn't in any position to be switching forms at this point in his career (3018 T.A.).
Remember, the fight with Huan again (why bother, this is like trying to convince Harad)? Sauron changes shape several times but can't get away. Then, when he reliquishes control of the Tower to Luthien, does he just up & POOF!, disappear?
No, he changes to a vampire & flies away.

And, the reason the Nazgul could go between Isengard & Mordor so quickly has NOTHING to do with their 'being' or 'properties of their being', it is PLAINLY stated in TLOR that it's the speed of their steeds, in this case the flying birds.

[Beleg Strongbow]

Yes u r right. It looks like sauron couldnt teleport.

[Úlairi]

First of all, Bucky, out of all our hot-headed arguments I believe this is the first time that I agree with you, those are great points. If Ungoliant was that big then obviously she could go great distanced in small periods of time. As for Strider97, all those points on Gandalf. Well, remember this. The Valar did not permit the Istari to use their powers openly, nor to match Sauron's power with power. So, therefore, that is why Gandalf didn't 'teleport'. Bucky's points are good, and I am beginning to believe that it wasn't possible for a Maia nor a Vala could to transport in physical form but perhaps they could in spiritual if they wished.

[aragil]

I don't think that they could instantaneously teleport even in 'spirit form'

(Gandalf, in The White Rider) 'Then darkness took me, and I strayed out of thought and time, and I wandered far on rods that I will not tell.'
'Naked I was sent back--for a brief time, until my task is done. And naked I lay upon the mountain-top.'
Gandalf's journey in 'spirit from' was described as a wondering upon roads, not a teleportation.

Further, here's a excerpt from p. 15 of Morgoth's Ring, describing the Valar taking form:
Moreover their shape comes of their knowledge and desire of the visible World, rather than of the World itself, and they need it not, save only as we use raiment, and yet we may be naked nd suffer no loss of our being. Therefore the Valar may walk unclad, as it were, and then even the Eldar cannot clearly perceive them, though they be present.
Notice it says the Valar walk unclad, not teleport. From what I've read the spirit obeys the laws of the Universe and exists within it, so it would be subject to the same laws of movement as the body.

[Cian]

Into the mix, here's Tolkien commenting on a hypothetical: (after "(my edit)", the 'he' is Frodo, 'them' are the Ringwraiths)

"When Sauron was aware of the seizure of the Ring his one hope was in its power: that the claimant would be unable to relinquish it until Sauron had time to deal with him. ... (my edit) ... But if he still preserved some sanity and partly understood the significance of it, so that he refused now to go with them to Barad-dûr, they would simply have waited. Until Sauron himself came." JRRT 1963

[DGoeij]

So, Frodo would either be 'zombied' by the Ring and the Nazgul would easily bring him to Barad-Dur, or Frodo would be able to fight the powers of the Ring, in which case he would be cornered by the Nazgul until Sauro himself appeared.
Also, Sauron needed time to appear at the site. No teleporting (can't remember any reference to powers like that).
It sounds to me that the Nazgul were believed to be faster in getting at Mt. Doom than Sauron himself.

[Strider97]

Simple answers- If Sauron could have; He would have.

Ulairi- Gandalf using those powers to escape from the tower of Isengard would not have been openly . Also they would not have been confrontational to Sauron but Saruman who imprisoned Gandalf. After the fall of the ring, Saaauron was deposed and Gandalf, if he had the power would have not had to rely on the eagles to tranpost him to Mt. Doom. My last example was of Sauron.
I fall back on Buckys position- You postulated the yet unheard of notion of transportation. Where is your evidence. The affirmative in any debate is required to prove the assertion. You can believe whatever you choose to believe but to make this type of assertion without evidence is non-supportable.


The point of the thread is why did Sauron not go the Mt. Doom. He is not a Valar so information concerning their abilities whille interesting are not valid on this point.

Cian- Your point is on target as usual.
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"When Sauron was aware of the seizure of the Ring his one hope was in its power: that the claimant would be unable to relinquish it until Sauron had time to deal with him. ... (my edit) ... But if he still preserved some sanity and partly understood the significance of it, so that he refused now to go with them to Barad-dûr, they would simply have waited. Until Sauron himself came." JRRT 1963
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This falls in nicely with Saurons belief that any user of the ring would be so consumed by their lust for it that they would be unable to harm it or cast it away.

[Goro Shimura]

Ah...

No wonder it never crossed his mind that the ring might be destroyed: He was confident in it's ability to dominate the will of anyone that attempted to weild it.

I'd always puzzled over why he didn't suspect anything-- even when he knew there was a Halfling Spy on his borders....

It almost seems as if Hobbits were designed to thwart Sauron.

(They come out of nowhere... they have remarkable qualites that noone cares about or notices... they are resistant to the lust for power.... And Powers like Sauron would necessarily underestimate them becuase of their twisted value system.)

[Bucky]

The quote from 'Morgoth's Ring' is used word for word in the beginning of The Silmarillion somewhere too.
Maybe Valaquenta.

The letter from JRR in 1963 is #246 in The Letters Of JRR Tolkien. It's very informative & interesting.

Check it out if you have it.

It certainly states without a doubt that Sauron couldn't teleport or move himself at that great a speed.

[Strider97]

Goro-

Sauron truly believed that no one would harm or cast away the ring. He believed that the ringbearer would be there with the ring when the Nazgul arrived. Tolkien was also convinced that no one could willingly be able to throw away the ring. I beliueve that Sauron always felt that the ring was in Gondor under the protection of Gandalf and would be used only as a last resort.

I do wonder, as you do, why he did not become more suspicious at finding a halfling spy on the outskirts of Mordor. I am going to spin this off for feedback.

Quote Goro- It almost seems as if Hobbits were designed to thwart Sauron.

(They come out of nowhere... they have remarkable qualites that noone cares about or notices... they are resistant to the lust for power.... And Powers like Sauron would necessarily underestimate them becuase of their twisted value system.)

Slightly toungue in cheek but quite true. The common man with a good heart and courage is the bane of evil.

[Úlairi]

Once again the letters of JRRT have been my downfall, I am now dying to get myself a copy but I cannot seem to find one!!!