[Thalion]

Tolkien's words on this don't conflict. I understand that he often changes his mind, but in this case the quoted material is not in conflict with older statements. Additionally, it provides a concept of all three respective "statures" as they were conceived at a single time, without any one individual of this sort of triumvirate receiving special mention due to momentary whim. Again, at the time he wrote this, he was considering the stature of all three simultaneously and as compared with one another. Therefore it is the most solid conception.

I'd concur that the statement itself contains within it a hierarchy of charcters as Tolkien (possibly through some source, I forget who within the legendarium wrote that particular statement) saw them...but again, I'd question as to what hierarchy we are talking about...Tolkien choose his words very carefully being a philologist...what exactly is the right reading of the word "greatest"?...maybe only he knows...