Time is relative in such cases. If you have led a company for days and weeks, it is not much if you led them 'another three hours'.
As Selmo points out time is different for each race. Gandalf says to Theoden that 'the day that Eorl the Young came out of the North till this very day is long for the Rohirrim but only a short while for the Ents and the greet deads of the Rohirrim only of small concern to them'.... I guess it's the same way with Gandalf: we would think 17 years as a long time for we live only 80 years or so, but Gandalf has lived from the very beginning so 17 years ain't long. Rather a short while, so to speak.
So I think Tolkien pointed out the value of time quite well.
greetings,
lathspell
__________________
'You?' cried Frodo.
'Yes, I, Gandalf the Grey,' said the wizard solemnly. 'There are many powers in the world, for good or for evil. Some are greater than I am. Against some I have not yet been measured. But my time is coming.'
|