To be a Warrior is to Keep the Codes.
"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 things are not truly needful; they are not, truly, 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 of iron which makes the warrior."
She looked up at me.
"It is the codes," I said.
Beasts of Gor, pg. 340
Each Warrior owns His own space-that which is within the circle of His sword.
"Within the circle of each man's sword," say the codes of the Warrior, "therein is each man an Ubar."
Marauders of Gor, pg. 10
Steel is the Coinage of the Warrior.
"Steel is the coinage of the Warrior," say the codes.
Marauders of Gor, pg 10
There is a time and place for talking and a time or place for using steel.
"There is a time and a place for speaking, as there is a time and a place for steel."
Slave Girl of Gor, pg. 269
The only death fit for a warrior is in battle.
"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..."
Priest Kings of Gor, pg. 14
If you lift a weapon against a warrior, he is permitted by
his codes to kill you.
"You have lifted a weapon against me," he said. "My codes permit me to kill you."
Outlaw of Gor, pg. 14
On who has shed your blood, or whose blood you have shed, becomes your sword brother, unless you formally repudiate the blood on your weapons.
"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 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 for those who share their station and profession, having nothing to do with cities or Home Stones."
Tarnsmen of Gor, pg. 119
Warriors' common Home Stone is battle.
"Warriors have a common Home Stone. Its name is battle."
Renegades of Gor, pg. 343
Warriors do not commit suicide.
"The warrior does not kill himself or aid others in the doing of it. it is not in the codes."
Vagabonds of Gor, pg. 446
If you want another's slave, you must challenge for her
and meet your opponent with the weapon of his
choice. This is also known as the claim of sword-right.
The only honourable reply to a canjellne (Challenge) is to accept it promptly.
"You know the codes," I said evenly. "If you want her, you must challenge for her and meet me with the weapon of my choice." The warrior's face clouded, but only for an instant. He threw back his fine head and laughed, his teeth white in his bushy beard. "Done!" he cried, fastening his lance in its saddle sheath and slipping from the back of the tharlarion. "I challenge you for her!"
"The sword," I said. "Agreed," he said.
Tarnsman of Gor, pg. 117
Honor is of the Codes with many voices and songs.
"Honor," I said, "has many voices, and many songs." He looked down at me, startled. "That is a saying of warriors," he said. "It is from the codes. It is a long time since I have heard it. I had almost forgotten it."
Witness of Gor, pg. 711
A Warrior must be able to think as well use action.
"He who cannot think is not a man, so saith the codes. Yet neither, too, they continue , is he who can only think."
Vagabonds of Gor, pg 65
In the codes of the Warrior --and the codes of all of Gor--a free man whose life was threatened by a female, has the right to slay such a woman.
"After all, according to the rude codes of Gor, I owed her nothing; indeed, considering her attempt on my life, which had been foiled only by the fortuitous net of Nar's web, I would have been within my rights to slay her, abandoning her body to the water lizards."
Tarnsman of Gor, pg. 92
Poisoned steel is against the codes.
"I would not have thought Sarus 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, pg. 18
When a woman kneels, lifts her hands up with wrists crossed, and submits to a warrior, custom demands that he either accepts the submission or slays the captive.
"I can force you to take me," she said. "How?" I asked. "Like this," she responded, 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 said, "and I know that you cannot slay me." I cursed her, for she took unfair advantage of the Warrior Codes of Gor."
Tarnsman of Gor, pg. 109
Without raising her eyes from the ground, the daughter of the Ubar said in a clear, distinct voice, "I submit myself." Later I wished that I had had binding to lash her so innocently proffered wrists. I was speechless for a moment, but then, remembering that harsh Gorean custom required me either to accept the submission or slay the captive. I took her wrists in my hands and said, "I accept your submission."
Tarnsman of Gor, pg. 93-94
If a Warrior accepts a woman as a slave, He should give her an amount of time to prove her worthiness.
"In the codes of the warriors, if a warrior accepts a woman as a slave, it is prescribed that at least for a time, an amount of time up to his discretion, she be spared. If she should be the least bit displeasing, of course, or should prove recalcitrant in even a tiny way, she may immediately be disposed of."
Players of Gor, pg. 16-17
The slave is a joy and a convenience to the warrior.
"Too, both Marcus and myself were of the warriors, the scarlet caste, and as such we were not above taking slaves. Such is not only permitted in the codes, but encouraged by them."
Magicians of Gor, pg. 315
Sword loyalty is the bond of fidelity to an Ubar, a military sovereign. It is not sworn lightly. When an Ubar is thought unfit, the sword loyalty is dishonoured and the Ubar may be deposed by his own warriors.
"Normally the office (of the Ubar) is surrendered after the passing of the crisis," said my father, "It is part of the Warrior's Code."
Tarnsman of Gor, pg. 42-43
Weakness, for any reason, physical and especially emotional, are not fitting for a warrior.
"I must try not to be weak in the way of things I love. It is unbefitting a warrior of Gor."
Tarnsman of Gor, pg 190
Honor is heavier than gold and more beautiful than diamonds.
"The 97th Aphorism in the Codes I was taught," I said,
"is in the form of a riddle: "What is invisible but more
than 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 Lavienus.
"Honour," I said.
"He is of the Warriors," said a man.
Vagabonds of Gor, pg. 305-306