Goreans
don’t really have a concept of nation or country as those on Earth do. Whereas
men on Earth think of Cities as belonging to country, the crucial political
entity on Gor is the City or Village itself. To the Gorean way of thinking all
things converge on the City, or the center of the Hub. On Earth it is more
outward look towards the imaginary boundaries of their countries.
"There is no Gorean expression for `country' in the precise sense of a
nation. Men of Earth think of cities as being within countries. Men of Gor tend
to think of cities and the lands controlled by them. The crucial political
entity for Goreans tends to be the city or village, the place where people and
power are. There can be, of course, leagues among cities and tangential
territories. Men of Earth tend to think of territory in a manner that might be
considered circumferential, whereas Goreans tend to think of it as a more
radial sort of thing. Consider a circle with a point at its center. The man of
Earth might conceive of the territory as bounded by the circumference; the man
of Gor would be more likely to think of the territory as a function of the
sweep of the radius which emanates from the central point. Geometrically, of
course, these two conceptions are equivalent. Psychologically, however, they
are not. The man of Earth looks to the periphery; the man of Gor looks to the
center. The man of Earth thinks of territory as static, regardless of the
waxing and wanings of the power that maintains it; the Gorean tends to think of
territory as more dynamic, a realistic consequence of the geopolitical
realities of power centers. Perhaps it would be better to say that the Gorean
tends to think more in teens of sphere of influence than he does in terms of
imaginary lines on maps which may not reflect current historical
realities." Fighting Slave of Gor
Generally speaking, Gorean civil law is made by whatever ruling body holds
power at one given time and applied mainly in primitive fashion, by various
magistrates. Laws are generally particular to the City/area in which the Gorean
resides. Laws in Port Kar, for instance can be very different from laws in
Ko-ro-ba. A concept on Gor known as the “City State”.
'The city-state,' said my father, speaking to me late one afternoon, 'is the
basic political division on Gor - hostile cities controlling what territory
they can in their environs, surrounded by a no-man's land of open ground on
every side.' 'How is leadership decided in these cities?' I asked. 'Rulers,' he
said, 'are chosen from any High Caste.' " Tarnman of Gor
There does not seem very much room for doubt in this system as essentially,
those trials the reader finds in the books are mostly a matter of sentencing
since the accused has most often been caught in the act. There will, however,
be mention of the law which was broken as well as what is known for that
city/area to be the common penalty for this type of offense.
An advantage of this system is that wars tend to be very local. Only a few
cities and their associated villages tend to be involved rather than the
concept of World Wars that plagued Earth in the 20th century. Gorean warfare
also tends to be conducted by trained men of their Castes (Warriors) rather than
the arming of millions of “citizens” with slaughter of hundreds or thousands of
people is not a concept Goreans are familiar with.
"One result of this attitude is that most wars, most armed
altercations, tend to be very local. They tend to involve, usually, only a few
cities and their associated villages and territories, rather than gigantic
political entities such as nations. One result of this is that the number of
people affected by warfare on Gor usually tends, statistically, to be quite
limited. Also, it might be noted that most Gorean warfare is carried out
largely by relatively small groups of professional soldiers, seldom more than a
few thousand in the field at a given time, trained men, who have their own
caste. Total warfare, with its arming of millions of men, and its broadcast
slaughter of hundreds of populations, is Gorean neither in concept nor in
practice. Goreans, often castigated for their cruelty, would find such
monstrosities unthinkable." Fighting Slave of Gor
Of course, within the Gorean reality, the slave is not a citizen and hence not
entitled to trial or defense per se. A great number of laws do pertain to what
slaves may or may not do and failure to abide by the rules can be cause for
punishment at the discretion of the free persons involved; these things do not
require legal proceedings. It is also of note that a slave who participates in
criminal activity by obeying the command of their master or another free person
is almost invariably found to have done no wrong. Indeed, since the slave is to
obey without question, she would be considered to have done the right thing no
matter what the command is.
If the events found along Tarl Cabot's journey are a reflection of what is most
common, one would have to conclude that criminals end up in collars and chains,
be it the collar of a work chain or a pleasure garden. Men will more often be
executed by whatever means is popular in the area or sent to work chains
temporarily for more minor crimes, whereas women are more likely to be enslaved,
especially if they are beautiful.
So how were Cities run, who ran them and therefore who would carry out the laws
of those cities? John Norman seems to take many of his titles from Ancient
Cultures, particularly Roman and Greek, of Earth. City rules, mostly
magistrates of one type or another included: (Also see Rulers)
Aediles
An Aedile is usually part of a board of Magistrates that most often in charge
of public buildings, streets, games and markets
"Two days ago, aediles had come to the camp to inspect the chains. They
found none which contained illicit prisoners. No mention was made of the fact
that a third of the chains was absent. The next day the auspices had been
taken, and, seemingly, all had gone well. The chains in camp were already back
at work. Preceding the time of taking the auspices, of course, and until they
have been taken, things are very quiet." Dancer of Gor
Archon of Records
A Magistrate and an authoritative figure, the Archon of Records would be the
keeper of records for the City
One of the two magistrates, he who was senior, Tolnar, of the second
Octavii, an important gens but one independent of the well-known Octavii,
sometimes spoken of simply as the Octavii, or sometimes as the first Octavii,
deputy commissioner in the records office, much of which had been destroyed in
a recent fire, was at the other portal. His colleague, Venlisius, a bright
young man who was now, by adoption, a scion of the Toratti, was with him.
Venlisius was in the same office. He was records officer, or archon of records,
for the Metellan district, in which we were located. Both magistrates wore
their robes, and fillets, of office." Magicians of Gor
City Council:
Most Gorean Cities have a City Council elected by members of the High Castes
made up from members of the High Castes only. While City Council’s may be only
comprised of High Castes, the Caste of Merchants supported by its often vast
wealth have their influence as well.
The High Castes in a given city elect an administrator and council for
stated terms …Tarnsman of Gor
"Whereas it is only the men of high caste who elect members to the
Council of the City, the gold of merchants and the will of the general populace
is seldom disregarded in their choices." Assassin of Gor
"In many cities only members of the high castes may belong to the
city's high council. Most Gorean cites are governed by an executive, the
Administrator, in conjunction with the high council." Slave Girl of Gor
"The Chamber of the Council is the room in which the elected
representatives of the High Castes of Ko-ro-ba hold their meetings. Each city
has such a chamber. It was in the widest of cylinders, and the ceiling was at
least six times the height of the normal living level. The ceiling was lit as
if by stars, and the walls were of five colors, applied laterally, beginning
from the bottom - white, blue, yellow, green, and red, caste colors. Benches of
stone, on which the members of the Council sat, rose in five monumental tiers
about the walls, one tier for each of the High Castes. These tiers shared the
color of that portion of the wall behind them, the caste colors. The tier
nearest the floor, which denoted some preferential status, the white tier, was
occupied by Initiates, Interpreters of the Will of Priest-Kings. In order,
representatives of the Scribes, Builders, Physicians, and Warriors occupied the
ascending tiers, blue, yellow, green, and red." Tarnman of Gor
Village Council
Villages are usually associated with a nearby City. Most often villages are
populated by peasants and have their own Councils. Cities protect their
villages as products and foods are produced their on which the Cities depend.
"There were the northern islands, of course, and they were numerous,
but small, extending in an archipelago like a scimitar northeastward from Cos,
which lay some four hundred pasangs west of Port Kar. But these islands were
not united, and, indeed, the government of them was usually no more than a
village council. They usually possessed no vessels more noteworthy than
clinker-built skiffs and coasters." Raiders of Gor
City Administrator
From the elected City Council, an executive, the Administrator rules the City
in conjunction with the High Council. While Council is made up of the High
Castes, it is interesting to note that while the Warrior Caste may be
considered to be the lowest of the High Castes, most often the Administrators
and Ubars for a City are selected for this task.
"In the center of the amphitheater was a throne of office, and on this
throne, in his robe of state - a plain brown garment, the humblest cloth in the
hall - sat my father, Administrator of Ko-ro-ba, once Ubar, War Chieftain of
the city. At his feet lay a helmet, shield, spear, and sword." "Tarnsman
of Gor
"In many cities only members of the high castes may belong to the
city's high council. Most Gorean cites are governed by an executive, the
Administrator, in conjunction with the high council." Slave Girl of Gor
"The high castes are normally accounted five in number--the Warriors,
the Builders, the Physicians, the Scribes, and the Initiates. The Initiates are
sometimes thought of as the highest of the five high castes, and the Warriors
as the least of the five high castes. In actual fact, the Warriors commonly
produce the administrators and ubars for a city. It is not easy in a world such
as this to deprive those who are skilled with weapons their share of authority.
If it is not given to them, they will take it." Witness of Gor
Judges
Judges, as on Earth would be the ones to prescribe punishment. These are
magistrates as well. On Gor, most often when a person is in a “trial” they have
been caught “in the act” so the job of the judge is made easier than perhaps
those of Earth.
"I saw first the girl, stumbling. She was already stripped. Her hands
were tied behind her back. Something, pushing her from behind, had been
fastened on her neck. Behind her came a flat-topped wagon, of some four feet in
height. It was moved by eight tunicked, collared slave girls, two to each
wheel, pushing at the wheels. It was guided by a man walking behind it, by
means of a lever extending back, under the wagon, from the front axle. Flanking
the wagon, on both sides, were the musicians, with their drums and flutes.
Behind the wagon, in the white robes trimmed with gold and purple of merchant
magistrates, came five men. I recognized them as judges." Hunters of
Gor
Magistrates
Magistrates are the rulers in a typical City on Gor occupy most of the administrative
positions. They are the Aediles, Archons, Judges, even Executioners.
"Both magistrates wore their robes, and fillets, of office. They also
carried their wands of office, which, I suspect, from the look of them, and
despite the weapons laws ofCos, contained concealed blades. I was pleased to
hope that these fellows were such as to put the laws of Ar before the
ordinances of Cos." Magicians of Gor
"Lying on the ground, bound hand and foot, still clad in the white
robe, was Talena. The point of the sharpened impaling post lay near her. As the
tarn had landed, her executioners, two burly, hooded magistrates, had scrambled
to their feet and fled to safety. The Initiates themselves do not execute their
victims, as the shedding of blood is forbidden by those beliefs they regard as
sacred." Tarnsman of Gor
"One of the two magistrates, he who was senior, Tolnar, of the second
Octavii, an important gens but one independent of the well-known Octavii,
sometimes spoken of simply as the Octavii, or sometimes as the first Octavii,
deputy commissioner in the records office, much of which had been destroyed in
a recent fire, was at the other portal. His colleague, Venlisius, a bright
young man who was now, by adoption, a scion of the Toratti, was with him.
Venlisius was in the same office. He was records officer, or archon of records,
for the Metellan district, in which we were located. Both magistrates wore
their robes, and fillets, of office." Magicians of Gor
Merchants Administration
Although most ports and islands on Gor and ruled in a similar fashion to
Cities, the Exchange islands are administered by the Caste of Merchants. Port
Kar, is different again and is run by a board of four magistrates, known as the
Port Consortium and they report directly to the Council of Captains.
"Also known as exchange islands, they are administered as Free Ports by
the Merchants. Included are Teletus, Tabor, and Scagnar. Others were Farnacium,
Hulneth and Asperiche. In the south are Anango and Landa, and in the far north,
Hunger and Skjern, west of Torvaldsland. These islands, and free ports on the
coast such as Lydius and Helmutsport, Schendi and Bazi make possible the
commerce between Cos and Tyros and cities of the mainland." Raiders of
Gor
"Most ports and islands on Thassa, of course, are not managed by the
Merchants, but, commonly, by magistrates appointed by the city councils. In
Port Kar, my city, the utilization of the facilities of the port is regulated
by a board of four magistrates, the Port Consortium, which reports directly to
the Council of Captains, which, since the downfall of the warring Ubars, is
sovereign in the city." Hunters of Gor
Polemarkos
A Military Govenor put into place when one City has conquered another and in
effect rules on behalf of the Ruler of the Conquering City. Temos had a
Polemarkos in Prize of Gor when it was ruled by Cos. Myron ruled on behalf of
Lurius of Jad, Ubar of Cos.
There is some pretense that the city is free, but in fact it is not. The
true ruler is, I suppose, the military governor, Myron, polemarkos of Temos,
commander of the occupational forces, or perhaps actually distant Lurius of
Jad, Ubar of Cos. Prize of Gor
Praetors
The Praetor is a magistrate who is in charge of Prefects. He is indentified
with nine strips on His sleeve, Prefects have five and lesser officials have
three. Praetors, traditionally will be second on the City Council Hierarchy to
the Administrator.
"In a moment or two, I stopped a few yards from a registration desk.
There one of Ina's pursuers, I recognized him from earlier, was making
inquiries of one of the five camp prefects, fellows under the camp praetor. The
perfects are identified by five slash marks, alternately blue and yellow, the
slavers' colors, on their left sleeve, the praetor himself by nine such
stripes, and lesser officials by three. Turning about, apparently alerted by
the prefect's notice, the fellow with one hand suddenly turned the prefect's
desk to its side so that it stood wall-like between us, and hurried behind
it." Vagabonds of Gor
Prefects
Prefects, as most City officials, are Magistrates. The would be in charge of
very specific areas of the City, for example Public Games and would report to
Praetors. Prefects tend to have five slashes or stripes on Their robes where
Praetors will have nine. Lessor officials often have only three.
"I looked about, through the curtain, at the guests of the Lady
Florence, other than the Lady Melpomene. The fellow from Venna, clad In white
and gold, was Philebus, a bounty creditor. He was known to the merchants of
several cities. Such men buy bills at discount and then set themselves to
collect, as they can, their face value. They are tenacious in their trade. I
did not know the business of the two men from Ar. They were Tenalion, and his
man, Ronald. The fourth man was Brandon. He was from Vonda. He was a prefect in
that city. His certifications on certain documents would be important. The two
ladies, both of Vonda, were Leta and Perimene, both friends of the Ladies
Florence and Melpomene. As free citizens of Vonda they could witness legal
transactions." Fighting Slave of Gor
Quaestor
Quaestors are high ranking magistrates on Gor. Most often they are in charge of
financial matters, banking for instance or other areas of Administration. The
would rank higher than the Praetors.
"Some may have been as innocent as those I had lured; others might have
been murderers and brigands, suitably enchained for the expiation of sentences,
their custody having been legally transferred to Ionicus, my master, at the payment
of a prisoner's fee, by the writ of a praetor or, in more desperate cases, by
the order of a quaestor." Dancer of Gor
Tatrix
A Tatrix is a female ruler and as such is a rarity on Gor. Tharna being the
City most famous for having a Tatrix.
“What is a Tatrix?” I asked. “A female ruler,” she said." Kajira of
Gor
"In a Gorean city it was not difficult for a woman to travel
in-cognito. By the robes of concealment this is made easy. I wore the robes of
a woman of high, caste, today the yellow of the Builders. Drusus Rencius wore a
nondescript tunic and a swirling maroon cape. The only weaponry he carried,
that I could detect, was his sword. He might have been any mercenary or armed
servant, in attendance on a lady. I was pleased to travel incognito in the
city, in this fashion. Other- wise, had I gone abroad in the robes of the
Tatrix, we would have been encumbered by guards and crowds; we would have had
to travel in a palanquin; we would have been forced to tolerate the
annunciatory drums and trumpets, and put up with all the noisy, ostentatious,
dreary panoply of office. To be sure I sometimes found such accouterments
stimulating and gratifying but I certainly did not want them every time I
wished to put my foot outside the palace gate." Kajira of Gor
"The balance of mutual regard is always delicate and, statistically, it
is improbable that it can long be maintained throughout an entire population.
Accordingly, gradually exploiting, perhaps unconsciously, the opportunities
afforded by the training of children and the affections of their men, the women
of Tharna improved their position considerably over the generations, also
adding to their social power the economic largesse of various funds and
inheritances. Eventually, largely via the conditioning of the young and the
control of education, those superiorities which the female naturally possesses
came to be enlarged on at the expense of those possessed by the male. And just
as in our own world it is possible to condition entire populations to believe
what is, from the standpoint of another population, incomprehensible and
absurd, so in Tharna both the men and the women came eventually to believe the
myths or the distortions advantageous to female dominance. Thus it was,
gradually and unnoticed, that the gynocracy of Tharna came to be established,
and honored with the full weight of tradition and custom, those invisible bonds
heavier than chains because they are not understood to exist." Outlaw
of Gor
"In a city such as Tharna the men, taught to regard themselves as
beasts, as inferior beings, seldom develop the full respect for themselves
essential to true manhood. But even more strangely, the women of Tharna do not
seem content under the gynocracy. Although they despise men and congratulate
themselves on their more lofty status it seems to me that they, too, fail to
respect themselves. Hating their men, they hate themselves." Outlaw of
Gor
Ubar
In times of crisis, the City Council elects as War Chief, known as an Ubar. He
rules without check and by His decree alone until, in His judgment, the crisis
has passed.
"The High Castes in a given city elect an administrator and council for
stated terms. In times of crisis, a war chief, or Ubar, is named, who rules
without check and by decree until, in his judgment, the crisis is passed.
"Normally the office is surrendered after the passing of the crisis. It is
part of the Warrior’s Code." ...................Those who do not desire to
surrender their power, are usually deserted by their men. The offending war
chief is simply abandoned." Tarnsman of Gor
"To truly see a Ubar," I said, "to look into his heart can be
a fearful thing." "Only one can sit upon the throne," said
Msaliti. "That is a saying of the north," I said. "I know,"
said Msaliti. "But it is a saying that is also known east of
Schendi." "Even east of Schendi," I smiled, "the throne is
a lonely country." "He who sits upon the throne, it is said,"
said Msaliti, "is the most alone of men." I nodded. Perhaps it was
just as well not to have looked too deeply into the eyes of Bila Huruma. It is
not always desirable to look deeply into the eyes of a Ubar." Explorers
of Gor
"I then, truly, for the first time looked into the eyes of Bila Huruma.
He sat upon the high platform, above the others, solitary and isolated, the
necklace of panther teeth about his neck, the lamps below him. I sensed, then,
for a moment, what it must be to be a Ubar. It was then, in that instant, that
I first truly saw him, as he was, and as he must be. I looked then on
loneliness and decision, and power. The Ubar must contain within himself dark
strengths. He must be capable of doing, as many men are not, what is necessary.
Only one can sit upon the throne, as it is said. And, as it is said, he who
sits upon the throne is the most alone of men. It is he who must be a stranger
to all men, and to whom all men must be strangers. The throne indeed is a
lonely country. Many men desire to live there but few, I think, could bear its
burdens. Let us continue to think of our Ubars as men much like ourselves, only
perhaps a bit wiser, or stronger, or more fortunate. That way we may continue
to be comfortable with them, and, to some extent, feel ourselves their
superior. But let us not look into their eyes too closely, for we might see
there that which sets them apart from us. It is not always desirable to look
deeply into the eyes of a Ubar." Explorers of Gor
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