GeneralThese are other quotes from the Books in general I have found to be of interest. I make no pronouncements on these matters, but report them as I find them. Arrive at your own conclusions. I wish you well, Fogaban Fog's favorite quote: There was only gold, and power, and the bodies of women, and steel. Raiders of Gor Book 6 Page 90 "It is not easy to be of Gor," said Pertinax. "At one time, long ago," I said, "none were of Gor." "Now, many?" "Of course," I said. "Is it good to be of Gor?" asked Pertinax. "That question can be asked only by one who does not know Gor," I said. Swordsmen of Gor Book 29 Page 341 We met in the center of the room and embraced. I wept, and he did, too, without shame. I learned later that on this alien world a strong man may feel and express emotions, and that the hypocrisy of constraint is not honored on this planet as it is on mine. Tarnsman of Gor Book 1 Page 21 A golden tarn disk was a small fortune. It would buy one of the great birds themselves, or as many as five slave girls. Tarnsman of Gor Book 1 Page 191 Inside the tunnel, though dim, was not altogether dark, being lit by dome-like, wire-protected energy bulbs. These bulbs, invented more than a century ago by the Caste of Builders, produce a clear, soft light for years without replacement. Tarnsman of Gor Book 1 Page 197 The Gorean is suspicious of the stranger, particularly in the vicinity of his native walls. Indeed, in Gorean the same word is used for both stranger and enemy. Outlaw of Gor Book 2 Page 49 And on this barbaric world I have seen it in all its beauty and cruelty, in all its glory and sadness. I have learned that it is splendid and fearful and priceless. I have seen it in the vanished towers of Ko-ro-ba and in the flight of a tarn, in the movements of a beautiful woman, in the gleam of weaponry, in the sound of tarn drums and the crash of thunder over green fields. I have found it at the tables of sword companions and in the clash of the metals of war, in the touch of a girl's lips and hair, in the blood of a sleen, in the sands and chains of Tharna, in the scent of talenders and the hiss of the whip. I am grateful to the immortal elements which have so conspired that I might once be. I was Tarl Cabot, Warrior of Ko-ro-ba. Outlaw of Gor Book 2 Page 253 There is a saying on Gor, "Gold has no caste." Nomads of Gor Book 4 Page 83 Saphrar was a rich man indeed to have energy bulbs in his home; few Goreans can afford such a luxury; and, indeed, few care to, for Goreans, for some reason, are fond of the light of flame, lamps and torches and such; flames must be made, tended, watched; they are more beautiful, more alive. Nomads of Gor Book 4 Page 203 There was only gold, and power, and the bodies of women, and steel. Raiders of Gor Book 6 Page 90 Here they knew, and would acknowledge, the dark truths of human life, that, in the end, was only gold, and power, and the bodies of women, and the steel of weapons. Raiders of Gor Book 6 Page 102 There were, in the end, only gold and steel, and perhaps the bodies of women, and perhaps songs, the meaningless noises that might sometimes be heard in the mouths of the blind. Raiders of Gor Book 6 Page 227 "Kneel, Slave," said I, not pleasantly. Uncertain of herself, she knelt. She looked up at me. There was fear in her eyes. "Am I playing a role?" she asked. "No," I told her. Hunters of Gor Book 8 Page 218 Do not ask the stones or the trees how to live , they can not tell you ; they do not have tongues, do not ask the wise man how to live for, if he knows, he will know he cannot tell you; if you would learn how to live, do not ask the question, its answer is not in the question but in the answer, which is not in words; do not ask how to live, but, instead, proceed to do so. Marauders of Gor Book 9 Page 9 In the codes of the warriors, there is a saying; 'Be strong, and do as you will. The swords of others will set you your limits.' Marauders of Gor Book 9 Page 10 I had been taught, long ago, by Kamchak of the Tuchuks, at a banquet in Turia, that where weapons may not be carried, it is well to carry weapons. Marauders of Gor Book 9 Page 41 "There is a time and a place for speaking, as there is a time and a place for steel." It is a saying of the warriors. Slave Girl of Gor Book 11 Page 269 Gorean compliments are generally meaningful, for they tend to be given only when deserved, and sometimes not then. Beasts of Gor Book 12 Page 17 Honor is important to Goreans, in a way that those of Earth might find it hard to understand; for example, those of Earth find it natural that men should go to war over matters of gold and riches, but not honor; the Gorean, contrariwise, is more willing to submit matters of honor to the adjudication of steel than he is matters of riches and gold; there is a simple explanation for this; honor is more important to him. Beasts of Gor Book 12 Page 42 "Are most Gorean women slaves?" she asked. "No," I said, "indeed, statistically, in those parts of Gor which I am familiar, very few. Commonly only one woman in say, forty or fifty is a slave. This varies somewhat, of course, from city to city. Beasts of Gor Book 12 Page 246 Culture decides what is truth, but truth, unfortunately for culture, is unaware of this. Cultures, mad and blind, can die upon the rocks of truth. Why can truth not be the foundation of culture, rather than its nemesis? Can one not build upon the stone cliffs of reality rather than dash one's head against them? But how few human beings can think, how few dare to inquire, how few can honestly question. How can one know the answer to a question which one fears to ask? Explorers of Gor Book 13 Page 11 "Is there no hope for my world?" she asked. "Very little," I said. "Perhaps, here and there, men will form themselves into small communities, where the names of such things as courage, discipline and responsibility may be occasionally recollected, communities which, in their small way, might be worthy of Home Stones. Such communities, emerging upon the ruins, might provide a nucleus for regeneration, a sounder, more biological regeneration of a social structure, one not antithetical to the nature of human beings." Explorers of Gor Book 13 Page 333 Normally only about one in forty or so Gorean women in the cities is enslaved. Explorers of Gor Book 13 Page 459 Is it not safer to cower in the caves of lies than stand upon the cliffs of truth, surveying the world? Yet when one stands in the sunlight, and feels the winds of reality, how dank and shameful seem the dark shelters of falsehood, and how foolish it seems then to have once feared daylight and fresh air. Fighting Slave of Gor Book 14 Page 103 Let those who can climb mountains climb them; let those who cannot climb them console themselves with denying their existence. Rogue of Gor Book 15 Page 19 In ancient Attica it is said there was a giant, Procrustes. He would seize upon travelers and tie them upon an iron bed. If the traveler was too short for the bed, he would disjoint and break their bodies until they fitted it; if they were too long for the bed, he would cut their feet from them, until they, again, fitted the bed. Perhaps the bed of Procrustes is the truth and men must be broken or cut to pieces that they may fit it. On the other hand, clearly there is an alternative, although Procrustes seemed not to have heard of it. The bed could be made to fit the guest. Is the bed to conform to the guest, or the guest to conform to the bed. From my own point of view, I would prefer a bed which considered the nature of human beings. I would make the human being the measure by which I judged the value of the beds. I see little of profit in making the bed the measure of the human being, and requiring that we remake, if by torture and mutilation, the human being until it fits the bed. Besides, we cannot remake the human being to fit the bed, truly. We do not make new human beings or better human beings by this method. All we make by that method is broken or mutilated human beings. Rogue of Gor Book 15 Page 107 I had a respect for caste honor. Honor is honor, in small things as well as great. Indeed, how can one practice honor in great things, if not in small things? Rogue of Gor Book 15 Page 231 "Draw your weapon," said the officer. I drew the blade quickly, smoothly, and stepped back. When a Gorean tells you to draw your blade, it is generally not wise to spend a great deal of time discussing the matter. He may have something in mind. Savages of Gor Book 17 Page 88 Truth, you see, has reality on its side. Truth's problems do not derive primarily from the complexity of nature but from the simplicity of people. It is always more convenient to adopt a slogan than conduct an inquiry. Too, the often cold and flinty nature of truth may, to many people, understandably, constitute a poor substitute for the comforts of self-deception. Harmless lies, perhaps, improve the quality of human life. They do not, of course, improve its nobility or grandeur. Blood Brothers of Gor Book 18 Page 264 "To share the kettle of a friend," I said, "is to dine with a Ubar." Blood Brothers of Gor Book 18 Page 349 Goreans have a theory that there are only two sorts of women, slaves and slaves. Players of Gor Book 20 Page 62 On the whole, however, Goreans tend to be remarkably free of vulgarity, perhaps because their world is, on the whole, so much more innocent, natural and conducive to human happiness than at least one other world. There is thus a paradox of sorts which arises. The Gorean will often tend to be courteous and refined in his speech, and yet, in action, direct and forceful, sometimes even ruthless and brutal. We thus have the combination of a gentleman and an uncompromising master in one, with that of a slave and lady in one. But then I suppose that this is not really so difficult to understand. If you are a male, reading this, ask yourself what you would rather have at your slave ring, lying there naked and chained, looking up at you, cringing in the shadow of your whip, a simple, slovenly, vulgar-mouthed slut or a highly intelligent, cultured, refined lady. Prize of Gor Book 27 Page 233 Goreans respect wealth but tend to value other attributes more highly, and, indeed, to the credit of the Merchants, it should be noted that they usually do so, as well. One such attribute is fidelity; another is honor. Gor is not Earth. Prize of Gor Book 27 Pages 491 - 492 Gor is a man's world, you see, and women are men's. Kur of Gor Book 28 Page 351 There had been much rain of late. Dry tinder was scarce. I had been dispatched to a nearby caravanserai with a tarsk-bit to purchase a 'fire package,' which consists of a spark striker, tinder, and 'black stones.' To guests at the caravanserai these packages are included in the rental fee, and supplied as a convenience for use in the cooking pits. "Would you like his hand on your leash?" That was a way of asking her if she might want him for a Master. |
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