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Old 06-17-2003, 02:46 PM   #40
Attalus
Symbol of Bane
 

Join Date: November 26, 2001
Location: Texas
Age: 77
Posts: 8,167
Quote:
Originally posted by MagiK:


I read that link and the debators are making concessions that I would not. As written JRRT litterally said this Balrog had wings...either you accept that or you accept that while being so careful and precise in the rest of the book, he got sloppy here...I don't think so.

JRRT wrote: "the shadow about it [the Balrog] reached out like two vast wings. (Italics mine) Note the "like", the sign of a simile. Then, "its wings were spread from wall to wall." The crucial passage. But, the above passage had already noted that the wings were merely the shape of the shadow. As you say, if you read the passage as careful and precise, it follows that all the Balrog was doing wa manipulating shadow as another Maia, Ungoliant, did.
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