Could a Dwarf melee with a Balrog?

[Gordis]

Originally Posted by CSteefel

Or simply that [Frodo] had been pursued by the Nazgul across the lengths of Eriador--I suspect this is more the reason than any general insight into the Spirit World.

I didn't mean Frodo saw the nazgul unveiled in the Spirit World again. But Frodo's senses became sharpened by the Morgul wound. The feeling of unnatural cold and the pain in his wound - that was how he recognised a nazgul.

A sudden dread fell on the Company. `Elbereth Gilthoniel!' sighed Legolas as he looked up. Even as he did so, a dark shape, like a cloud and yet not a cloud, for it moved far more swiftly, came out of the blackness in the South, and sped towards the Company.[...] Frodo felt a sudden chill running through him and clutching at his heart; there was a deadly cold, like the memory of an old wound, in his shoulder.

Gimli was the only one who thought of a Balrog. Why? perhaps Durin's Bane was a personification of his fear of the Otherworld. Yet he had seen and "felt" a nazgul -the messenger who spoke with Dain.

Originally Posted by CSteefel

Also, I am not so sure that Aragorn felt no fear in the face of the Balrog. As I quoted above, he makes specific mention about having entered Moria before and not wanting to experience that again. But Aragorn in any case, through the sheer power of his will, is able to overcome these fears that prey on all mortal men, as we see in the Paths of the Dead.

Who said Aragorn was not afraid of the Balrog? I guess not a creature but a Vala could boast of having no fear of Balrogs.

[CSteefel]

Originally Posted by Gordis

I didn't mean Frodo saw the nazgul unveiled in the Spirit World again. But Frodo's senses became sharpened by the Morgul wound. The feeling of unnatural cold and the pain in his wound - that was how he recognised a nazgul.

Gimli was the only one who thought of a Balrog. Why? perhaps Durin's Bane was a personification of his fear of the Otherworld. Yet he had seen and "felt" a nazgul -the messenger who spoke with Dain.


Who said Aragorn was not afraid of the Balrog? I guess not a creature but a Vala could boast of having no fear of Balrogs.

I can see that the wound might have contributed importantly here, but I still think that it was also the numerous other encounters with the Nazgul, beginning in the Shire itself. To me this is still different from the random encounter with a Nazgul, as Gimli would have experienced if he happened to be there...

Otherwise, I was responding to Bgreg, who said that Aragorn showed no fear...

[BGreg]

Yes, I said Aragorn showed no fear. I didn't say he didn't have any fear. I am sure he did fear, because apparently everyone who saw the Balrog (and I mean Dain too) were very much afraid.

But the story is written from Frodo's perspective, right? So maybe he just didn't notice the fear on Aragorn's face.