of men took the rings from a desire for more power, Eowyn; but since Sauron was adept at half-truths and outright lies, they were unaware that the One Ring controlled the rings they received. Eventually, the nine became slaves to the rings Sauron 'gave' them, and wound up as the Nazgul: neither dead nor living, and with no will but that of their master Sauron. No longer human, and without the promise of death to release them from their mindless existence: a truly horrible fate.