Quote:
Originally Posted by Galadriel55
I would have said Sauron, but since the question was specifically about LOTR, I voted Wormtongue. Sauron's lying ended in the 2nd age; from the beginning of the 3rd, everyone knew he was downright evil. He was a mighty big liar in the 1st and 2nd ages, though, but not in LOTR.
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In the West maybe ... but Sauron still deceived those in the East and the South. He had huge armies of Men, Easterlings, Corsairs and Southrons, fighting on his side. What did he promise them? What lies and deceits did he tell them? Presumably some mighty lord was told he would get to sit on the throne of Minas Tirith after Gondor was overthrown, but
we all know even if that were true Sauron does not share power. Such a lord would be ruler in name only.
Even Sauron's closest servants are deceived ... listen to the Mouth of Sauron's gloating in the book - he thinks that he will rule over the West from Isengard, but
we know he will be nothing but a puppet of Sauron.
Add to that the deceit of the Elves regarding the Rings, the corruption of the Numenoreans, the corruption of the Nine, and indeed the corruption of Isildur and others via the One Ring (Sauron's mightiest creation) and it's not too hard to vote for him. I don't think I need to add any of his treachery in The Silmarillion. Not only did Sauron corrupt many of the Numenoreans in Numenor itself, but also many of those back in Middle Earth, which lead to the Black Numenoreans (cause of so much trouble to Gondor in the Third Age). He also managed to end the line of Kings in Gondor by deceiving Earnur, the last King. In other words, he lied to him.
As for Saruman, once his treachery was exposed his effectiveness as a liar was severely diminished. What did he accomplish after that time?
1. Escape from Isengard, mostly because Treebeard felt sorry for him.
2. Spoiling the Shire. Not exactly one of the great military triumphs of the Age - and utterly unworthy of a Maiar. In the end he was defeated by a small group of brave hobbits and then humbled by the mercy of Frodo. He was a fairly petty liar by that point, more in Ted Sandyman's league than Sauron's.
Sauron's deceits spanned thousand of years, and brought down civilisations. Saruman managed about 160 years. No contest, in my view.