The Gorean Warrior lives by a strict code of honor and His caste codes of which honor is an intergral part.
For more on honor visit Honor, Respect and Duty."The 97th Aphorism in the Codes I was taught," I said, "is in the form of a riddle:
"What is invisible but more beautiful than diamonds?"
"And the answer?" inquired Labienus.
"That which is silent but deafens thunder."
The men regarded one another.
"And what is that?" asked Labienus.
"The same." said I, " as that which depresses no scale but is weightier than gold."
"And what is that?" asked Labienus.
"Honor" I said.
"He is of the Warriors," said a man.
Vagabonds of Gor pages 304 - 305
A Warrior's Honor is perhaps his most defying attribute. He is extremely loyal to pride chiefs and His homestone. Without honor a Warrior has lost respect as well as much more. He would die for His honor, for a Warrior to regain His honor is a long and arduous road, for He must prove Himself worthy once again through rigorous trials and many times a Warrior may never regain His honor. Honor is defined by each Warrior and what Honor Means to Him to a certain degree but there are caste codes that are strictly adhered to as part of the Warrior's code also.
A Warriors word is as good as any contract, it's known He will fullfill every word or His vow or promise even though none may be about to enforce and see He follows through, to Him it's a matter of "honor".The Code of the warriors, in general, characterized by a rudimentary chivalry, emphasizing loyalty to pride chiefs and the home stone. It is harsh , but with a certain gallantry, a sense of honor that I could respect.
A man could do worse then live by such a code.
Tarnsman of Gor page 41
A Warrior is prepared to honor any commitment, weither it be His dedication to His homestone (of which Warriors would easily lay Their life down for) or an agreement made with Another, They may or may not agree with why but the mere fact they stand by Their commitments make Them honorable. Those whom meet a Warrior, should remember that at all costs He will defend and enforce His decisions and personal code, it would be rather silly of One to stand in His way unless They wish a battle to the death.
Upon reaching the required skills level as in any caste training, a Warrior to be is taken before the Council of the particular city, accepted, invested with His arms and upon pledging to keep the code of Warrior's and pledging His life honor and sword to His homestone, the city which He claims as His homestone then He is accepted into the caste of Warrior's as a full fledge working member. From that moment on, His life is swore to the protection of His homestone and His caste codes."Flee!" she said.
"I am of the Warriors," I said.
"But you may die," she said.
"That is acknowledged in the codes," I said.
"What are the codes?" she asked.
"They are nothing and, and everything," I said. "They are a bit of noise, and the steel of the heart. They are meaningless, and all significant. They are the difference. Without the codes men would be Kurii."
"Kurii?" she asked.
"Beasts, such as ice beasts, and worse," I said. "Beasts such as the face you saw in the sky."
"You need not keep the codes," she said.
"I once betrayed my codes," I said. "It is not my intention to do so again."
I looked at her. "One does not know, truly what it is to stand,
until one has fallen. Once one has fallen, then one knows, you see, what it is to stand."
"None would know know if you betrayed the codes," she said.
"I would know," I said, "and I am of the Warriors."
"What is it to be a warrior?" she asked.
"It is to keep the codes," I said. "You may think that to be a warrior is to be large, or strong, and to be skilled with weapons, to have a blade at your hip, to know the grasp of the spear, to wear the scarlet, to know the fitting of the iron helm upon one's countenance, but these are things are not truly needful; they are not, truely what makes one man a warrior and another not. Many men are strong, and large, and skilled with weapons. Any man might, if he dared, don the scarlet and gird himself with weapons. Any man might place upon his brow the helm of iron. But it is not the scarlet, not the steel, not the helm which makes a warrior." She looked at me.
"It is the codes," I said.
"Abandon your codes," she said.
"One does not speak to slaves of the codes," I said."
Beasts of Gor page 340
As with other Goreans of other castes, the Warrior has much respect for all His surroundings in Gor, including the creatures and plants. Respect will get an enemy a swift painless death when it comes to that point, a Gorean respects any creature that is powerful even the powerful sleen, the sleen with it's awesome strength and ferociousness is repected by the Warrior, He knows what damage the sleen could do to Him if allowed. He respects anything that may harm Him or His fellow Man or is directly beyond His own personal control.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.
"Come forward, Tarl Cabot," said my father, and I stood before this throne of office. Behind me stood the Older Tarl."
The Older Tarl was speaking. "I, Tarl, Swordsman of Ko-ro-ba, give my word that this man is fit to become a member of the High Caste of Warriors."
My father answered him, speaking in ritual phrases.
"No tower in Ko-ro-ba is stronger than the word of Tarl, this Swordsman of our city. I, Matthew Cabot of Ko-ro-ba, accept his word."
Then beginning with the lowest tier, each member of the Council spoke in succession, giving his name and pronouncing that he, too, accepted the word of the blond swordsman. When they had finished, my father invested me with the arms which had lain before the throne. About my shoulder he slung the steel sword, fastened on my left arm the round shield, placed in my right hand the spear, and slowly lowered the helmet on my head.
‘Will you keep the Code of the Warrior?" asked my father.
"Yes," I said, "I will keep the Code."
"What is your Home Stone?" asked my father.
I replied, "My Home Stone is the Home Stone of Ko-ro-ba."
"Is it to that city that you pledge your life, your honor, and your sword?" asked my father.
"Yes," I said.
"Then," said my father, placing his hands solemnly on my shoulders, "in virtue of my authority as Administrator of this city and in the presence of the Council of High Castes, I declare you to be a Warrior of Ko-ro-ba."
"Aside from candidates for the status of Warrior, none of my caste was permitted to enter the Council armed."
Tarnsman of Gor Pages 62-63
He also has a deep respect for beauty and skill, any skill that requires time and talent to perfect. The skill of Kaissa Players, skill of musicians, skill of the bowsman or even the dancer in the sandpit pleaded in her dance to be used as the Master's desire. He may not honor a slave but respects her talent and her slave nature."One who has shed your blood, or whose blood you have shed, becomes your sword brother, unless you formally repudiate the blood on your weapons. It is a part of the kinship of Gorean warriors regardless of what city it is to which they owe their allegiance. It is a matter of caste, an expression of respect, having nothing to do with cities or Home Stones."
Tarnsman of Gor page 119
More Quotes of interest
Steel is the
coinage of the warrior, with it he purchases what pleases him
Tribesman of Gor page 9
Be strong and
do as you will . The swords of others will set you your limits.
Tribesman of Gor page 9
"I would not
have thought Sauros of Tyros would have used poisoned steel," I said. Such
a device, like the poisoned arrow, was not only against the codes of the
warriors, but, generally, was regarded as unworthy of men. Poison was regarded
as a woman's weapon.
Marauders of Gor page 18
"Yield her or I will have my tharlarion trample you...or would you prefer
to be spitted on my lance?"
"You know
the codes." If you want her, you must challenge for her and meet me with
the weapon of my choice."
"Hooded, she
cowered there, the prize, her ears filled with the sudden violent ringing
of blade on blade as two warriors fought to the death to possess her."
Tarnsman of
Gor page 117
I am of the Caste of Warriors, and it is in our codes that the only death
fit for a man is that in battle, but I can no longer believe that is true,
for the man I met once on the road to Ko-ro-ba died well, and taught me
that all wisdom and truth does not lie in my own codes
Priest Kings of Gor page 14
Could it be that I had, as the Codes of my Caste recommended, not even
considered her, but merely regarded her as a rightless animal, no more
than a subject beast, an abject instrument to my interests and pleasures,
a slave?
Priest
Kings of Gor page 48
"The 97th Aphorism in the Codes I was taught," I said, "is in the form
of a riddle:
"What is invisible
but more beautiful than diamonds?"
"And the answer?" inquired Labienus.
"That
which is silent but deafens thunder."
The men regarded one another.
"And
what is that?" asked Labienus.
"The same." said I, " as that which depresses no scale but is weightier
than gold."
"And
what is that?" asked Labienus.
"Honor" I
said.
"He
is of the Warriors," said a man.
Vagabonds
of Gor pages 304 - 305
If it turned
out badly, what I did, I would have no defense other than I did what I
did for my friend for him and for his brave kind, once hated enemies, whom
I had now learned to know and respect. There is no loss of honor in failing
to achieve such a task, I told myself. It is worthy of a warrior of the
caste of Warriors, a swordsman of the high city of Ko-ro-ba, the Towers
of the Morning.
Nomads of
Gor, pg 8
the first thing
a Gorean warrior is likely to do to the stranger in his tent is kill him,
the second is to find out who he is
Tarnsman of
Gor Page 167
I am of the
Caste of Warriors…of a high city and we do not stain our spears for the
stones of men
Nomads of
Gor Page 20
kneeling before
me, lowering her head and lifting her arms, the wrists crossed. She laughed.
"Now you must take me with you or slay me."
she took unfair
advantage of the Warrior Codes of Gor.
" you must
accept it or slay me."
Tarnsman of
Gor Page 109
