Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Mansun
Do you think it would have been possible for Sauron to ever conquer the Undying Lands? Or would this test the patience of Eru too far for him to dare try this?
|
Concerning the force of the Numenorean fleet, Tolkien noted:
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Letter #131
Tar-Calion feels old age and death approaching, and he listens to the last prompting of Sauron, and building the greatest of all armadas, he sets sail into the West, breaking the Ban, and going up with war to wrest from the gods 'everlasting life within the circles of the world'.
|
What Sauron actually expected is that:
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Akallabeth, Silmarillion
It was greater far than aught he had looked for, hoping only for the death of the Numenoreans and the defeat of their proud king.
|
If this fleet is the mightiest that ever was, then it surpasses even that of the host of the valar during the war of wrath - which kicked Melkor and co almost for good. But even the numenorean fleet he expected to be defeated (by what means, it is not mentioned). In conclusion, I don't think he deluded himself by thinking he was mightier than the valar; he rather hoped that he won't have anything to do with Eru & co:
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Notes on motives in the Silmarillion, i, Myths Transformed, HoME X
He probably deluded himself with the notion that the Valar (including Melkor) having failed, Eru had simply abandoned Ea, or at any rate Arda, and would not concern himself with it any more. It would appear that he interpreted the 'change of the world' at the Downfall of Numenor, when Aman was removed from the physical world, in this sense: Valar (and Elves) were removed from effective control, and Men under God's curse and wrath.
|