To HCIsland: Actually, the Black Speech was not know well among even the Numenorians, but if you've already seen my post above, it'd show you how he remembered. Also, in the words of Isildur, 'the writing was now past behind all recounting, although, if this thing were set back into the flame, perhaps it would yet yield its secret' (or something like that!); but Isildur would never have put the Ring into the fire, he would 'risk no hurt to the Ring'. Gandalf also mentioned that one has to have great strength of will to set it in the flames even for a little while, something Isidur proved he did not have when he took the Ring for himself.
|