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| Poems and Tales of Middle-Earth: |
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(illustration by Alan Lee) |
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(illustration by John Howe) |
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(illustration by John Howe) |
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The Lord of the Rings
Part III. The Return of the King
Quotes from Tolkien's Novel
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| Mordor: The Tower of Cirith Ungol |
"Sam roused himself painfully from the ground. For a moment he wondered where he
was, and then all the misery and despair returned to him. [...] He wondered what the time was. Somewhere between one
day and the next, he supposed; but even of the days he had quite lost the count. He was in a land of darkness where
the days of the world seemed forgotten, and where all who entered were forgotten too." |
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"Already the Ring tempted him, gnawing at his will and reason. Wild fantasies arose
in his mind; and he saw Samwise the Strong, Hero of the Age, striding with a flaming sword across the darkened land,
and armies flocking to his call as he marched to the overthrow of Barad-dûr. And then all the clouds rolled away,
and the white sun shone, and at his command the vale of Gorgoroth became a garden of flowers and trees and brought
forth fruit. He had only to put on the Ring and claim it for his own, and all this could be." |
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"There was no sound save the rap of his feet, which seemed to grow to an echoing
noise, like the slapping of great hands upon the stones. The dead bodies; the emptiness, the dank black walls that
in the torchlight seemed to drip with blood; the fear of sudden death lurking in doorway or shadow; and behind all his
mind the waiting watchful malice at the gate: it was almost more than he could bring himself to face. He would have
welcomed a fight - with not too many enemies at a time - rather than this hideous brooding uncertainty." |
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"It stopped short aghast. For what it saw was not a small frightened hobbit trying to
hold a steady sword: it saw a great silent shape, cloaked in a grey shadow, looming against the wavering light behind;
in one hand it held a sword, the very light of which was a bitter pain, the other was clutched at its breast, but held
concealed some nameless menace of power and doom.
For a moment the orc crouched, and then with a hideous yelp of fear it turned and fled back as
it had come. Never was any dog more heartened when its enemy turned tail than Sam at this unexpected flight? With a
shout he gave chase.
'Yes! The Elf-warrior is loose!' he cried. 'I'm coming. Just show me the way up, or I'll skin
you!' " |
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"His arm was flung
up, shielding his head, and across his side there ran an ugly whip-weal.
'Frodo! Mr. Frodo, my dear!' cried Sam, tears almost blinding him. 'It's Sam, I've come!' He
half lifted his master and hugged him to his breast. Frodo opened his eyes.
'Am I still dreaming?' he muttered. 'But the other dreams were horrible. [...]' said
Frodo, and he lay back in Sam's gentle arms, closing his eyes, like a child at rest when night-fears are driven away
by some loved voice or hand." |
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"Now it had come to it, Sam felt reluctant to give up the Ring and
burden his master
[This surely betrays that Sam has fallen under the spell of the Ring too, though he is completely unaware of it and truly attributes his reluctance to give it back as a wish not to burden Frodo, which is true to some extent but is also due to the dependence of the jewel itself, its malign will probably hoping to breed discord between the two friends, as such deceit is Sauron's way'.]
with it again.
'You've got it?' gasped Frodo. 'You've got it here? Sam, you're a marvel!' Then quickly and
strangely his tone changed. 'Give it to me!' he cried, standing up, holding out a trembling hand. 'Give me it at once!
You can't have it!'
'All right, Mr. Frodo,' said Sam, rather startled. 'Here it is!' Slowly he drew the Ring out and
passed the chain over his head. 'But you're in the land of Mordor now, sir; and when you get out, you'll see the Fiery
Mountain and all. You'll find the Ring very dangerous now, and very hard to bear. If it's too hard a job, I could share
it with you, maybe?'
'No, no!' cried Frodo, snatching the Ring and chain from Sam's hands. 'No you won't, you thief!'
He panted, staring at Sam with eyes wide with fear and enmity. Then suddenly, clasping the Ring in one clenched fist,
he stood aghast. A mist seemed to clear from his eyes, and he passed a hand over his aching brow. The hideous vision
had seemed so real to him, half bemused as he stood still with wound and fear. Sam had changed before his very eyes
into an orc again, leering and pawing at his treasure,
['The use of this word, treasure, reminds of the use of the word, precious, and betrays how much Frodo has fallen under the spell of the Ring]
a foul little creature with greedy eyes and slobbering
mouth. But now the vision had passed. There was Sam kneeling before him, his face wrung with pain, as if he had been
stabbed in the heart; tears welled from his eyes.
'O Sam!' cried Frodo. 'What have I said? What have I done? Forgive me! After all you have done!
It is the horrible power of the Ring. I wish it had never, never, been found. But don't mind me, Sam. I must carry
the burden to the end. It can't be altered. You can't come between me and this doom.'" |
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"Frodo sat for a while and shivered, dreadful fears chasing one another through
his mind." |
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"Even from where they stood they felt the malice of the Watchers beating on them,
black silent shapes on either side of the gate through which the glare of Mordor dimly showed. As they threaded their
way among the hideous bodies of the orcs each step became more difficult. Before they even reached the archway they were
brought to a stand. To move an inch further was a pain and weariness to will and limb.
Frodo had no strength for such a battle. He sank to the ground. 'I can't go on, Sam,' he
murmured. 'I'm going to faint. I don't know what's come over me.'" |
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"A bell clanged; and from the Watchers there went up a high and dreadful wail. Far
above in the darkness it was answered. Out of the black sky there came droping like a bolt a winged shape, rending
the clouds with a ghastly shriek." |
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