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 Master / MistressHere are relevant references from the Books where the title of Master and Mistress is mentioned. I make no pronouncements on these matters, but report them as I find them. Arrive at your own conclusions. I wish you well, Fogaban As a Free Person, you can command a slave to address you using any title you see fit. You could use a title like Clown, Hammer Swinger, Grand PooPa, Mostest Bestest, Huntress or Stabby Stick Holder. Or, you could just be satisfied using title of Master or Mistress, as shown in the books. As she moved slowly before me, she asked softly, "Do I please you, Master?" There had been no scorn, no irony in her voice. "Yes," I said, not thinking to repudiate the title by which she had addressed me. On Gor I had not minded owning women as much as I should have but I had never been overly fond of being addressed by the title of Master. Slave girls, on Gor, address all free men as master, though, of course, only one such would be her true master. "I wager," she said, "that I will reach the lance." This irritated me. Moreover, I was not insensitive to the fact that though she were slave and I a free man, she had not addressed me, as the custom is, by the title of Master. The Gorean slave girl addresses all free men as "Master" and all free women as "Mistress." But a Gorean slave addresses all free men as Master, all free women as Mistress, though, of course, normally but one would own him. A Gorean slave, incidentally, always addresses free men as "Master," and all free women as "Mistress." Slave girls on Gor address all free men as Master, all free women as Mistress. "Win Leah, Master!" she challenged. She, with the archery talmit, was the prize in the shooting. I noted her brand. It was a southern brand, the first letter, in cursive script, of Kajira, the most common expression for a Gorean female slave. It was entered deeply in her left thigh. Further, I noticed that she had addressed me as "Master," rather than "my Jarl." I took it, from these indications, that she had learned her collar in the south; Girls are not, commonly, permitted to speak the name of their master. He is addressed as, or responded to, as "Master" or "my Master." Any slave girl, incidentally, addresses any free man as Master, any free woman as Mistress, though only one, of course, at a given time, is likely to be her true Master or Mistress. "Considering your future status," said my master, "you may begin now to address free men by the title of 'Master.' The experience and the practice will do you good." Also, but a moment ago, you addressed a free man not as Master, but by his name." "You had best form the habit early, of addressing free men as 'Master,' Slave Girl," said the heavy man. Free men were to me as master, as free women were to me as mistress. She stood in the water, blindfolded, waiting for me. Miss Beverly Henderson, once a proud girl of Earth, now only a Gorean slave girl, waited to bathe a free male, one whom she must address as master and serve as he pleased. "You have called me 'Mistress,'" I said. "Why?" "That is the customary way in which girls such as I address all free women," she said. "Yes, 'Master'!" she cried. "As a slave I must address all free men as 'Master'." It is customary for Gorean slaves to address free women as "Mistress" and free men as "Master." Slave girls must address all free men as "Master." Commonly, however, the expression "my Master," when it is used, is reserved for the actual master of the girl, he who is her literal master, he who literally owns her. "And you are now a slave," I said. "Yes," she said. She would now call all free men "Master," and, of course, all free women "Mistress." "You will address all free men as 'Master,'" I said, "and all free women as 'Mistress'." I was pleased to note that she, as she was a slave, had now recollected to address free men by the title of 'Master'. "It might be wise to accustom yourself, even though you are legally free now," I said, "to addressing free men as "Master" and free women as "Mistress." We, of course, do not address free men by their names but as "Master." Similarly, we address free women as "Mistress." I did not even know the name of he who reclined upon the divan. But what needed I to know, other than the fact that he was a free man, and I would address him as "Master"? "I have never before in my life addressed men in such a way," she said. "With respect?" I asked. "Yes," she said. "I have strange feelings," she said, "when I address men in that fashion." "Such feelings are natural," I said. "But you do not address them as 'sir'?" "No," I said. "We address them as "Master"." "Master?" whimpered Dorna, questioningly. As she had said the word 'Master' it had not been simply as a customary from of deferential address, suitable for use in the addressing any free man by a female slave, but in it, rather, it seemed that she had, to her relief, recognized, or thought she had recognized, the voice of her own master. "She addressed them as "Master," you see, as she addressed us as "Mistress." She served in the chamber, though free, as, in effect, a slave of slaves, that her character might be improved, and that such experiences might to some extent mitigate the abruptness of any possible transition to bondage, when such behaviors would not only be suitable for her, but required. And she would address free men as "Master," similarly, that she might become accustomed to that form of address, it perhaps becoming incumbent upon her one day. Too, the pit master thought it fitting, as she was a female. She had learned, incidentally, that she must address all free men as 'Master' and all free women, though she had not yet encountered one on this world, as 'Mistress'. "Do not speak his name!" warned one of the sisters from Venna. "You could be beaten. One refers to free men as "Master" and free women as "Mistress," unless given permission to use their names." The slave addresses all free men as "Master" and all free women as "Mistress." The phrase 'my Master,' when used, is commonly addressed to one's personal master, one's owner. Similarly, if the slave is owned by a woman, the phrase 'my Mistress' is commonly addressed only to the slave's actual mistress. To be sure, the slave commonly refers to her owner as she refers to free men and free women in general, namely, simply as "Master" or "Mistress." Ellen was now much on her guard. Had it been a trap? A slave girl does not address a free person by their name, but will use the expressions 'Master' or 'Mistress', or, sometimes, if referring to one's owner, 'my Master' or 'my Mistress.' Similarly, in referring to a free person, one would commonly use expressions such as 'Master Publius', 'Mistress Publia', and so on. If asked, say, her master, the slave might respond, 'My master is Selius Arconious, of Ar', or such. A slave addresses free men as Master, free women as Mistress. "You will commonly kneel in the presence of free persons," said Cabot. "You will address free men as "Master," free women as "Mistress." Do not all slaves call free men "Master," and free women "Mistress"? "Yes, Mistress," said Cecily. Cecily knew enough to address all free women as Mistress," and all free men as "Master." All free men are to be addressed as 'Master', all free women as 'Mistress'." "Do not call men 'Master'," said Pertinax, angrily. "I must," she said, "Master. I am a slave and must address all free men as 'Master', and all free women as 'Mistress'." Thus, technically, in that time she should have been exhibiting deference to the free, addressing free men as "Master," free women as "Mistress," and so on. "And remember," she said, "you are to address all free males as Master, and all free females as Mistress. Do you understand?" And how naturally I had addressed a free man as "Master!" I recalled, from the party, that all free males were to be addressed as "Master," and all free females as "Mistress!" The slave, of course, addresses all free men as 'Master', all free women as 'Mistress'. Sometimes women are enslaved, but not claimed. They must then wait, in trepidation, perhaps being inspected and appraised, to see who will claim them. They are free, of course, as they are unclaimed, to beg to be claimed by a given male. Similarly even an owned slave who is up for sale may utter the "Buy me, Master" solicitation. Indeed, the "Buy me, Master" solicitation is not unoften required of girls exhibited in selling lines, on slave shelves, in exposition cells and cages, and such. He then addressed us. "You are now slaves," he said. "Commonly you will find yourself owned by a single master or mistress. Nonetheless, you will address all free men as 'Master', all free women as 'Mistress'. You have learned, I trust, that all free men are to be addressed as 'Master', all free women as 'Mistress'. The slave addresses all free men as 'Master', and all free women as 'Mistress', but she uses the words 'my Master' only to her actual master, her owner. "Free males are to be addressed as 'Master'," he said, "and free females as 'Mistress'." All free men are addressed as "Master," of course, and all free women as "Mistress." How pleased I was to address men as "Master." It seemed so right. I was so slight, and soft, compared to them. I was so much at their mercy! Too, of course, as a slave, I must address them as "Master," and to me, in all legality, as well as in the order of nature, they were "Master." "A slave," I said, "is to address all free women as 'Mistress' and all free men as 'Master,"' I said. |       
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