December 11 1997
- "I shout
for madder music, and I call for stronger wine;
- But when the
moons are swollen and my questing heart seeks more
- The veil
parts and draws me forth beyond my Earthly door
- To trace your
footfalls, Cabot! For the world I seek is thine.
- And Enemies
surround me, but my spirit will not bow
- Nor falter
like the weak who came before;
- And I will
follow, Cabot! In the best way I know how,
- And keep
alive the wonder that is Gor."
Tal,
Goreans!
I
have been rather busy during the past week, what with all the
researching and answering of e-mail. Nevertheless, I have
received some excellent quotes and commentary over the last seven
days, much of which I will share with you here. I add that I am
quite pleased at any ruckus my column has stirred up. A little
bit of revolution every now and then is a healthy thing, after
all.
In
addition I am displaying all of my quotes about slaves and
slavery in my next few columns, after which I will stay out of
the slavery discussion and stick to other topics. In such a way I
hope to keep from stepping on any toes, considering there is a
new feature in the Times which displays only quotes specific to
slavery. Although I know that it is quite allowable for any free
person to step on slave toes, I hate the sound it makes when they
smush. Anyway, here come the quotes. Enjoy!
GOR
according to Norman
This
week I was sent a quote which has always been one of my
favorites, though I had not yet displayed it here. I will do so
now, and my thanks go to the person who sent it in. His name is
Kalun Hail, which sounds suspiciously like "Kill and
Hail," which is, oddly enough, similar to a song title by
one of my favorite bands. Actually the song is named "Hail
and Kill," and it's by ManoWar, a heavy metal group which
delights in blowing out people's eardrums. But if you've ever
heard their song "Pleasure Slave," in which they
practically quote from Norman, you understand why I like their
music. In addition, I suspect that their lyricist possesses a
modicum of familiarity with the Gor books...but I could be wrong.
Still, with lyrics like "with my chains and collar I have
brought you to your knees, now you are free, free to
please," you be the judge.
GOREAN
MORALITY
- "The
Morality of Earth, from the Gorean point of view, is a
morality which would be viewed as more appropriate to
slaves that free men. It would be seen in terms of the
envy and resentment of inferiors for their superiors. It
lays great stress on equalities and being humble and
being pleasant and avoiding friction and being
ingratiating and small. It is a morality in the best
interest of slaves, who would be only too eager to be
regarded as the equals of others. We are all the same.
That is the hope of slaves; that is what it is in their
interest to convince others of. The Gorean morality on
the other hand is more one if inequalities, based on the
assumption that individuals are not the same, but quite
different in many ways. It might be said to be, though
this is oversimple, a morality of masters. Guilt is
almost unknown in Gorean morality, though shame and anger
are not. Many Earth moralities encourage resignation and
accommodation; Gorean morality is bent more toward
conquest and defiance; many Earth moralities encourage
tenderness, pity and gentleness, sweetness; Gorean
morality encourages honor, courage, hardness and
strength. To Gorean morality many Earth moralities might
ask, `Why so hard?' To these earth moralities, The Gorean
ethos might ask, `Why so soft?'"
- --p.8,
Marauders of Gor (submitted by Kalun Hail)
PAGA
TAVERNS
- "This
was not much different, incidentally, than what was the
case in even the most prestigious paga taverns. In such
places, free women were generally not permitted. In them,
usually, the only women to be found would be collared
slaves, generally belonging either to the tavern keeper
or the guests, who may have brought them in, to avail
themselves of the facilities of the alcoves. In such
places, the mastery was practiced. Such places,
regardless of their cost, their location, their
appointments, the excellence of their food and drink, the
beauty of their slaves, the quality of their music,
existed, as did the tavern of Hendow, for the pleasure of
men. That was the purpose of such places, whether they
were within lofty towers, reached by graceful bridges, or
near the wharves, close enough to hear the tide lapping
at the pilings, whether they had a dozen musicians or
only a single, dissolute czehar player, alone with his
music, whether the girls were richly silked or stark
naked, save for brands and collars, whether there were
chains of gold and luxurious furs in the alcoves or only
wire and straw mats. They were paga taverns."
- --p.245,
Dancer of Gor
FREE
WOMEN IN PAGA TAVERNS
- "`If
you may pleasure yourself in taverns,' she said, `surely
so, too, may I.'
- `Free
women,' I said, `do not come here. It is too close to the
wharves. It is dangerous. This is Gor.'"
- --p.158,
Rogue of Gor
FREE
WOMEN TRYING TO CLOSE PAGA TAVERNS
- "Once
in Ar, several years ago, several free women, in their
anger at slaves, and perhaps jealous of the pleasures of
masters and slaves, entered a paga tavern with clubs and
axes, seeking to destroy it. This is, I believe, an
example, though a rather extreme one, of a not
unprecedented sort of psychological reaction, the
attempt, by disparagement or action, motivated by envy,
jealousy, resentment, or such, to keep from others
pleasures which one oneself is unable, or unwilling, to
enjoy. In any event, as a historical note, the men in the
tavern, being Gorean, and thus not being inhibited or
confused by negativistic, antibiological traditions,
quickly disarmed the women. They then stripped them,
bound their hands behind their back, put them on a neck
rope, and, by means of switches, conducted them swiftly
outside the tavern. The women were then, outside the
tavern, on the bridge of twenty lanterns, forced to
witness the burning of their garments. They were then
permitted to leave, though still bound and in coffle.
Gorean men do not surrender their birthright as males,
their rightful dominance, their appropriate mastery. They
do not choose to be dictated to by females."
- --p.51,
Magicians of Gor
- [NOTE:
If you don't think the quote above is at least a little
humorous, then you don't understand Gor at all.
Personally, I laugh every time I read it. Gorean males
take their paga taverns quite seriously, it would seem.]
SOME
SLAVE TRIVIA
- "`What
is your duty?' asked my master.
- `Absolute
obedience,' I replied, in Gorean."
- --p.106,
Slave Girl of Gor
- "'What
is the duty of a slave girl' I inquired.
- 'Absolute
obedience' she said, frightened.
- 'What
are you?' I inquired.
- 'A
slave girl,' she said.
- 'What
is your duty?' I asked.
- 'Absolute
obedience,' she cried out."
- --Hunters of
Gor, page 258
- "`How
many ways are there,' I asked, sitting cross-legged in
the center of the compartment, on the stone couch, `to
enter a room?'
- `It
depends on the city,' said Elizabeth. 'In Ar we are the
best; we have most ways to enter a room. One hundred and
four.'"
- --p.204
Assassin of Gor
- "`There
are one hundred and eleven basic shades of slave
lipstick,' said Sucha. `Much depends upon the mood of the
master.'"
- --p.261,
Slave Girl of Gor
- "He
suddenly snapped his fingers and, in the swift double
gesture of the Gorean Master, pointed to a place on the
dirt floor before him, almost simultaneously turning his
hand, spreading the first and index fingers, pointing
downwards.
- I
fled to him and knelt before him, my knees in the dirt,
in the position of the pleasure slave, my head down,
trembling."
- --p.143,
Captive of Gor
- "In
most cities, even the touching of money, unless in an
authorized situation, is prohibited to slaves."
- --p.238.
Dancer of Gor
- "It
can be a capital offense on Gor, incidentally, for a
slave to so much as touch a weapon."
- --p.57,
Mercenaries of Gor
- "One
of the men lifted his cup and I hurried to him. I took
the cup and filled it...then I pressed my lips to his cup
as I must, as a slave girl, and handed it to him."
- --p.89, Slave
Girl of Gor
- [Slave
girls, therefore, are expected to kiss the beverage
vessel when they serve.]
- "He
extended the goblet to me. `Drink,' he said, offering me
the cup.
- I
looked at the rim of the cup. I shook with terror. `A
slave girl dares not touch with her lips the rim of that
cup which has been touched with the lips of her master,'
I whispered.
- `Excellent,'
said Verna."
- --p.302,
Captive of Gor
- [On
the other hand, slave girls are not supposed to drink
from a beverage vessel that a free person has already
drunk from.]
SLAVE-HEAT
- This
is an interesting topic. Thinking back over the nearly
two years I have been on Gorean IRC, I cannot recall
precisely when the phrase "slave heat" came
into general usage. Though I am almost certain it appears
in the books (probably in Marauders of Gor, which is the
one book I am currently missing... I loaned it to a
friend. Not very prudent of me) I cannot find any
specific references to the term. The term "slave
heat" now seems to be widely used to indicate the
genitalia of a female slave. While I certainly understand
the need for non-vulgar terms for such things,
particularly when they are being discussed in open
channel, I am unsure as to how accurate this is. Like the
term "slave belly" (which Norman tells us has
two meanings; either a slave's irresistable desire to
serve or her navel, take your pick) I suspect it has just
been adopted by us as an IRC colloquialism. I have found
the reference below, which mentions degrees of
"slave heat" but which makes no mention of any
particular bodily part. In the quote below, Norman seems
to indicate that slave heat is a slave's uncontrollable
sexual response to her slavery.
- "A
certification of a girl's heat, in certain cities... is
sometimes furnished, with the slaver's guarantee, among
the documents of sale. Her degree of heat, in such a
situation, would also be listed of course, among her
other properties, on her sales sheet, posted in the
vicinity of the exhibition cages, available twenty Ahn
before her sale... Similarly a girl who is only average,
generally, so to speak, may, at the very glance of a
given master, one who is special to her for no reason
that is clear, become so weak and paga hot she can
scarcely stand."
- --p.242-243,
Beasts of Gor
If
anyone out there can find any other pertinent information
regarding "slave heat" as described in the books, I'd
love to display it in a future column. In the meantime I'll keep
looking myself (grumble grumble).
QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
- Q: Master
says that it should be understood that freewomen in Ar
are not required by law to wear robes of concealment or
veils. It is expected that they should maintain a
"standard of decorum" regarding their dress. Do
you know the laws in regard to this in other cities?
- (submitted by
sharon)
A: Yes,
sharon, your Master is quite correct. For the benefit of our
readers, and any free women who might be interested, I display
the quote you sent me, as well as a few others which discuss the
matter.
- "`In
Ar's Station,' he said, `as in Ar, robes of concealment,
precisely, are not legally obligatory for free women, no
more than the veil. Such things are a matter of custom.
On the other hand, as you know, there are statutes
prescribing certain standards of decorum for free women.
For example, they may not appear naked in the streets, as
may slaves. Indeed, a free woman who appears in public in
violation of these standards of decorum, for example,
with her arms or legs too much bared, may be made a
slave.'"
- --p.367-368,
Renegades of Gor (submitted by sharon)
- "Veils
are worn in various numbers and combinations by Gorean
free women, this tending to vary by preference and caste.
Many low-class Gorean women own only a single veil which
must do for all purposes...The veil, it might be noted,
is not legally imperative for a free woman; it is rather
a matter of modesty and custom. Some low-class,
uncompanioned, free girls do not wear veils. Similarly
certain bold free women neglect the veil. Neglect of the
veil is not a crime in Gorean cities, though in some it
is deemed a brazen and scandalous omission."
- --p.107,
Slave Girl of Gor
- "Free
women, drinking, commonly lift their veil, or veils, with
the left hand. Low-caste free women, if veiled, usually
do the same. Sometimes, however, particularly if they are
in public, they will drink through their veil, or veils.
Sometimes, of course, free women will drink unveiled,
even with guests. Much depends upon how well the
individuals are known, and who is present. In their
homes, of course, with only the members of their families
present, or servants and slaves, most free women do not
veil themselves, even those of high caste."
- --p.276,
Fighting Slave of Gor
There
are many other quotes in the books which allude to the fact that
free women are not typically required by law to conceal
themselves. Also, much is dependent upon culture. The free women
of the Wagon Peoples, the Alar tribe, and the Red Savages and Red
Hunters do not veil themselves; that is rather a social custom of
the high cities of Gor. To do otherwise in the more civilized
realms of Gor is considered by polite society to be scandalous at
best, or to the extreme to be an invitation for a collaring.
Perhaps the reason that so many free women of the high cities do
go veiled is that so many of their sisters who chose not to are
no longer free women. Norman seems to imply this, at least.
QUOTES
OF INTEREST
- "`You
found your humanity,' said Samos.
- `I
betrayed my codes!' I cried.
- `It
is only at such moments,' said Samos, `that a man
sometimes learns that all truth and all reality is not
written in one's own codes.'"
- --p.310,
Raiders of Gor
- "`Do
you know who fears to tell the truth?' he asked.
- `No,'
she said.
- `A
slave,' said Kamchak."
- --p.168,
Nomads of Gor
- "I
bit out the cork in the Paga and passed it past Elizabeth
to Kamchak, as courtesy demanded. About a third of the
bottle was missing when Elizabeth, looking faint at
having smelled the beverage, returned it to me."
- --p.152,
Nomads of Gor
- [The
above quote reiterates my past comments about paga in one
regard: its pungent odor. Rancid? I dunno. Smelly?
Definitely.]
- "Why
does the nibbling urt chatter and laugh at the larl? Is
it because he himself is not a larl, or is it because he
fears its paw?"
- --p.229,
Explorers of Gor
- "`A
true man is gentle, kind, tender, respectful, at all
times, sweet and solicitous! That is a true man!'...
- `You
are female,' I said casually. `I do not accept your
definition of a man.'"
- --p.300,
Nomads of Gor
- "Enmeshed
in the legalities, negativities and socialized
expectations it is difficult to relate as biological
human beings...The order of nature, and the obdurate and
thematic equations of dominance and submission, denied
though they might be, and even if hysterically
repudiated, will continue to lurk in the microstructures
of every cell in the human body."
- --p.240,
Rogue of Gor (submitted by JaKil)
- "There
is perhaps little to be said for the Gorean world, but in
it men and women are alive. It is a world which I would
not willingly surrender. It is a very different world
from mine; in its way, I suppose it is worse; in its way,
I know it is better.
- It is its own
place, and not another's. It is honest and real. In it
there is good air."
- --p.212,
Slave Girl of Gor
- My Quote for
the Week:
- "Logic
is as neutral as a knife."
- --Tarl Cabot,
p.223, Explorers of Gor
This
week, while during one of my numerous visits online, I spoke to a
young woman regarding her concerns that not many people realize
that Gor means various things to various people, and each must
"seek his own level" of understanding. I advised her
that Gorean IRC is often fraught with peril and misconception,
and that to some, "their own level" of being Gorean is
actually NOT being Gorean at all. I suspect our online society
harbors a certain number of individuals to whom the word
"Gorean" is little more than a convenient category for
their own personal weirdness. Which is fine, provided the
particular weirdness in question is Gorean weirdness. Much of
what Norman describes in his novels is considered
"weird" by those who have never read or sought to
understand the books. Still, when one practices
"weirdness" in a manner which the typical rank and file
Gorean described in the Gor books would not, then one is simply
projecting one's own belief system atop the Gorean one which
Norman details in the novels. Which is, in my own opinion, kind
of pointless.
Also
I recently read somewhere that "the Gor books are a great
introduction to Gorean IRC, just until someone is ready to accept
the real, greater truths of the Gorean IRC community." I am
paraphrasing here, but still... does that seem a bit backward to
you? Gorean IRC should try to emulate Gor, rather than using Gor
as a crash course to train people in how to behave in Gorean IRC
channels, at least in my opinion. Otherwise our channels cease
being paga taverns and bathhouses and war camps, and
become...well, just IRC channels. While a channel need not
pretend to be something it's not in order to be Gorean, the fact
remains that in order to actively practice Gorean interaction on
line, we need the environmental freedom provided by the world of
Gor, as it exists in the books. Take that away and you wind up
being a bunch of would-be Goreans stuck on Earth, in a rather
hostile environment.
Not
me. I like my virtual paga. Not because I can actually taste it;
rather for the reason that it reminds me that I am, in some
sense, on Gor, among friends who expect me to comport myself in a
Gorean manner. If the only way I can exist upon Gor, in a society
which accepts and respects my beliefs and philosophies, is to
visit it online, then I have no problem with that. But we can
still do our best to make Earth a little more Gorean, rather than
allowing Gor to become watered down by the dictates of Earth.
Well,
that's this week's rant. I now relinquish control of your
computer, until this time next week when we'll take another trip
into the Gorean Zone. : )
For
those of you have sent in specific questions which need
answering, I intend to get to them all. Also, in some cases a
certain amount of research is required to answer them to my own
(and I hope, your own) satisfaction. In the meantime, I ask your
favor and hope you will keep reading. The answers are there; they
just need a little discovering and uncovering.
- I wish you well!
- _Marcus_
Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
If you have any of the above, have queries regarding the source
books, or have a quote or brief passage from the books which you
would share here, feel free to e-mail me through the link below.
- This page brought to you by
- courtesy of the Gorean Daily
Times
- (When you're bored with the
First and Second Knowledge, you're ready for the Third.)
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