(1) Everyone in the Fellowship was a volunteer. If Elrond had asked one of the Eagles to make the committment, would the eagle have done so? As pointed out, they are independant creatures and may have felt that the matter of the Ring (at that time in the story) was a matter for Men and Elves and not the Eagles. (By the time of the battle before the Black Gates, the deprivations of the Orcs would have convinced them that it was a matter for All Creatures.)
(2) By the time they reached Amon Hen, when the decision of where to go next had to be made, perhaps there were none of the Great Eagles within summoning distance. After all, at that point, Gandalf was gone.
(3) As noted, one of the Great Eagles flying into the air space of Mordor would have to face the Nazgul. As we see when Frodo, Sam & Gollum are crossing the Dead Marshes, they were regularly in the air around the borders. That puts too much at risk -- Frodo could fall off if there was a fight in the air, and the Ring would fall into the hands of who knew whom; the Eagle and Frodo could be brought down, into the hands of the Nazgul or even Sauron himself.
(4) There was actually a black out period going on for air travel. :) (Remember the darkness that issued out of Mordor.)
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Date: 2008-06-06 05:49 am (UTC)(1) Everyone in the Fellowship was a volunteer. If Elrond had asked one of the Eagles to make the committment, would the eagle have done so? As pointed out, they are independant creatures and may have felt that the matter of the Ring (at that time in the story) was a matter for Men and Elves and not the Eagles. (By the time of the battle before the Black Gates, the deprivations of the Orcs would have convinced them that it was a matter for All Creatures.)
(2) By the time they reached Amon Hen, when the decision of where to go next had to be made, perhaps there were none of the Great Eagles within summoning distance. After all, at that point, Gandalf was gone.
(3) As noted, one of the Great Eagles flying into the air space of Mordor would have to face the Nazgul. As we see when Frodo, Sam & Gollum are crossing the Dead Marshes, they were regularly in the air around the borders. That puts too much at risk -- Frodo could fall off if there was a fight in the air, and the Ring would fall into the hands of who knew whom; the Eagle and Frodo could be brought down, into the hands of the Nazgul or even Sauron himself.
(4) There was actually a black out period going on for air travel. :) (Remember the darkness that issued out of Mordor.)