aragorn's broken blade

[Gordis]

Ahh, we have cross-posted, Olmer...
What say you about this quote? Was Aragorn lying?

Lonely men are we, Rangers of the wild, hunters--but hunters ever of the servants of the Enemy; for they are found in many places, not in Mordor only.
`If Gondor, Boromir, has been a stalwart tower, we have played another part. Many evil things there are that your strong walls and bright swords do not stay. You know little of the lands beyond your bounds. Peace and freedom, do you say? The North would have known them little but for us. Fear would have destroyed them. But when dark things come from the houseless hills, or creep from sunless woods, they fly from us. What roads would any dare to tread, what safety would there be in quiet lands, or in the homes of simple men at night, if the Dúnedain were asleep, or were all gone into the grave?
`And yet less thanks have we than you. Travellers scowl at us, and countrymen give us scornful names. "Strider" I am to one fat man who lives within a day's march of foes that would freeze his heart or lay his little town in ruin, if he were not guarded ceaselessly.

[olsonm]

True, it would have been dangerous for Butterbur to wander the wilds with a broken sword. But Aragorn isn't Butterbur.

[Olmer]

Aha, Lady of the Ulairi , but we have almost the same answer.
The dark things which are freezing people heart could only be the wraith (you know your people's best quality ).
I think, during Angmar's regime the daggers, which were turning an opposition into allies, have been pretty much in use. So the Arnoreans from King's dinasty worked out protection and remedies against the "wrathness" in all its aspects.
And who, if not Aragorn, would know better that at the chance meeting the regular swords are a small comfort.
I guess, only that could excuse the abcense of the Guardian Aragorn's sword.

[Gordis]

Here, let us look at Aragorn's activities in summer 3018:

Strider looked grave. 'I came west with him [Gandalf] in the spring. I have often kept watch on the borders of the Shire in the last few years, when he was busy elsewhere. He seldom left it unguarded. We last met on the first of May: at Sam Ford down the Brandywine. He told me that his business with you had gone well, and that you would be starting for Rivendell in the last week of September. As I knew he was at your side, I went away on a journey of my own. And that has proved ill; for plainly some news reached him, and I was not at hand to help.
'I am troubled, for the first time since I have known him. We should have had messages, even if he could not come himself. When I returned, many days ago, I heard the ill news. The tidings had gone far and wide that Gandalf was missing and the horsemen had been seen. It was the Elven-folk of Gildor that told me this; and later they told me that you had left your home; but there was no news of your leaving Buckland. I have been watching the East Road anxiously.'

That's what we have:
February 1 - Aragorn captures Gollum in Dead Marches (see UT)
March 21 - He brings Gollum to Mirkwood (UT). There he also meets Gandalf and learns that Sauron started looking for his Ring and learned about "Shire" and "Baggins".
April 12 Gandalf comes to Hobbiton (Tale of Years), Aragorn returns west with him, but then goes to Sarn Ford (see the quote above)
May 1 Aragorn meets Gandalf at Sarn Ford
May-August(?) Aragorn goes on a "journey of his own" - most likely goes to visit Arwen in Rivendell.
September - Aragorn returns to Bree, swordless (but with Narsil),
About Sept 25 - he first hears news of the Black Riders - from Gildor. Gandalf is missing.

So, despite the disquiting info learned from Gollum, Aragorn was happily loosing his time all the summer. About this time he substituted his functional sword by a piece of historical junk - but the junk proving him the Rightful King. Why??? Why didn't they grab Frodo right there and then - in April - to lead him to Rivendell safely and at leasure?

[olsonm]

Originally Posted by Gordis

Why didn't they grab Frodo right there and then - in April - to lead him to Rivendell safely and at leasure?

As always with Gandalf's strategies, stealth and secrecy were the most impotant. He didn't want Frodo to just disappear. He wanted to gather a little information before setting out. Unfortunately this led him to Saruman.

[Olmer]

Originally Posted by Gordis

About this time he substituted his functional sword by a piece of historical junk - but the junk proving him the Rightful King. Why????

I guess, in case if he, by chance, will meet Boromir (or some other representative from Gondor) before they reach Rivendell, so in a doubt he could have a prove that he is not a sleeping under the bushes vagrant, but the rightfull heir of Gondor's throne.
He brought the news to Elrond of Frodo's exact arriving with the Ring to Rivendell, and the invitation to the interested parties had been sent beforehead. This why (what a surprise!!) everybody came to Imladris at the same time but under a different pretense. So, the arrival of the rival has been expected.

[Valandil]

Currently in *re-read mode* - I just found the reference Michael Martinez must have bee referring to when speculating that Aragorn took an opportunity to go back to Rivendell for the shards:

In "Strider" (Ch. 10 of Book I), while they're discussing Gandalf's possible whereabouts:

Stider looked grave. 'I do not know,' he said. 'I came west with him in the spring. I have often kept watch on the borders of the Shire in the last few years, when he was busy elsewhere. He seldom left it unguarded. We last met on the first of May: at the Sarn Ford down the Brandywine. He told me that his business with you had gone well, and that you would be starting for Rivendell in the last week of September. As I knew he was at you side, I went away on a journey of my own. And that has proved ill; for plainly some news reached him, and I was not at hand to help.

Not a reach at all, to think that from the start of June to sometime in September, Strider may have gone back to Rivendell to bring the shards with him, for accompanying the Ring back to Rivendell.

[Olmer]

Originally Posted by olsonm

As always with Gandalf's strategies, stealth and secrecy were the most impotant. Unfortunately this led him to Saruman.

Gandalf has to have a serious examination of his head, because, as always, Gandalf's strategy sucks.
He did not trust Saruman enough to tell him about a suspicious "unwholesome" ring, yet he goes to him to discuss the protection of the Ring of Power from Nazgul.

[Jon S.]

I'm not sure what your day job is, Olmert, nor would I ask here (so uncool ) but in mine, with my Office Director (who can be analogized to the Head of Gandalf's Order), I don't knock on his door with suspicions, I save my visits (and my "currency" with him) for more concrete, certain interruptions. Gandalf's actions - and inaction - with Saruman that seem to approximate a mental condition with you appear, to me, to be standard operating procedure vis-a-vis a superior.