Snaga
Mordorb. Unknown; Third Age · d. T.A. 3019, March 14
Snaga was a small Orc of the garrison of Cirith Ungol, one of the few survivors of the fight between Shagrat's and Gorbag's companies. He refused Shagrat's order to carry news to Barad-dûr, and died falling through the trapdoor of the topmost chamber when Sam attacked him as he whipped Frodo.
Biography
A lesser Orc of the Tower
The word snaga means slave in the Black Speech, and the great Uruks used it for all the smaller breeds; the Snaga of the Tower of Cirith Ungol is the only Orc in the histories to whom it is attached as a name. He was one of Shagrat's soldiers, small and sharp-eyed, and one of the very few Orcs of either company left standing after the fight over Frodo's mithril-coat on 14 March T.A. 3019.
The refusal
Sam, climbing the stair of the Tower, heard Shagrat order Snaga to run down to Lugbúrz with word of what had happened. Snaga would not go. He believed, as Gorbag had, that a great Elf-warrior was loose on the stairs, and he told his captain to go himself; he had seen the fighter's marks by the gate. Shagrat cursed and struck at him and Snaga ran, and Shagrat at last went down alone with the bundle of Frodo's belongings.
Death
Snaga went up instead. In the topmost chamber under the turret Frodo lay naked on a heap of rags, and Snaga, finding him awake, took a whip to him for the sport of it. Sam came up the ladder behind him with Sting drawn. Snaga turned, saw the blade, stumbled backward and fell through the open trapdoor to the floor below, breaking his neck. He was the last living Orc in the Tower, and his death left the fortress to the two hobbits.
Notable deeds
- Survived the massacre in the Tower of Cirith Ungol
- Refused Shagrat's order to carry a message to Barad-dûr
- Whipped Frodo in the topmost chamber and fell to his death when Sam attacked
Possessions
- A whip
Fate
Fell through the trapdoor of the turret chamber and broke his neck when Sam came at him with Sting, 14 March T.A. 3019.
Relations
Places
Died in
- Cirith UngolPass
Dwelt in
- Cirith UngolPass
Timeline
- T.A. 3019, March 14
Death in the turret
Whipping Frodo, he is surprised by Sam and falls through the trapdoor.
- T.A. 3019, March 14
Refuses Shagrat
Snaga will not carry the captain's message down the stair, believing an Elf-warrior is loose.
Sources
- The Return of the KingThe Tower of Cirith Ungol
- The Lord of the Rings: AppendicesAppendix F, on the word snaga
See also
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