That is true, all i was saying was that you can live to 142 and not be immortal. Hobbits live longer than men, but no one would say they were immortal.

True, but to even none fo them lived to be 142...and to have your lifespan be longer than non-corrupted Men would be wierd if you are a corrupted man. It's a tough topic.
142 could still be Men-corruption, but if Gorbag relally did live to 500...well, I'd have to see the proof of that first.

I have found this information in the Encyclopedia of Arda. I find the info on that site to be very accurate.

here it is

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 10:27 AM December 23, 2003: Message edited by: Mariska Greenleaf ]

Oh yes, I saw that the Encyclopedia said it, and I agree that it's accurate, but even the ENcyclopedia must ahve a source...and I can't help wondering if that age was an undecided or discarded idea by Tolkien.

Yeah, you're right, the Encyclopedia must have a source, and personally I don't doubt the info they give is correct, but I think I'll try to find out more about it anyway. Tolkien must have wrote something about this...

yes, and this is one of the reasons that i believe that orcs are immortal, and bred from elves. Otherwise, why would what saruman did (mix orcs with men to make the goblin-men) be so horrible? And yes, someone else said that first on this site, but it is a good reason.