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the last debate 1149
‘And I for the folk of the Great Wood,’ said Legolas, ‘and
for the love of the Lord of the White Tree.’
Then the companions fell silent, but a while they sat there
in the high place, each busy with his own thoughts, while the
Captains debated.
When the Prince Imrahil had parted from Legolas and
Gimli, at once he sent for Éomer; and he went down with
him from the City, and they came to the tents of Aragorn
that were set up on the field not far from the place where
King Théoden had fallen. And there they took counsel
together with Gandalf and Aragorn and the sons of Elrond.
‘My lords,’ said Gandalf, ‘listen to the words of the Steward
of Gondor before he died: You may triumph on the fields of
the Pelennor for a day, but against the Power that has now arisen
there is no victory. I do not bid you despair, as he did, but to
ponder the truth in these words.
‘The Stones of Seeing do not lie, and not even the Lord of
Barad-dûr can make them do so. He can, maybe, by his will
choose what things shall be seen by weaker minds, or cause
them to mistake the meaning of what they see. Nonetheless
it cannot be doubted that when Denethor saw great forces
arrayed against him in Mordor, and more still being gathered,
he saw that which truly is.
‘Hardly has our strength sufficed to beat off the first great
assault. The next will be greater. This war then is without
final hope, as Denethor perceived. Victory cannot be
achieved by arms, whether you sit here to endure siege after
siege, or march out to be overwhelmed beyond the River.
You have only a choice of evils; and prudence would counsel
you to strengthen such strong places as you have, and there
await the onset; for so shall the time before your end be made
a little longer.’
‘Then you would have us retreat to Minas Tirith, or Dol
Amroth, or to Dunharrow, and there sit like children on
sand-castles when the tide is flowing?’ said Imrahil.
‘That would be no new counsel,’ said Gandalf. ‘Have you