Civitatis Ar, Plus!

Ostraka

Meanwhile the intrigues of Cernus, of the House of Cernus, threaded their way through the days and events of the spring and summer in Ar. Once in a Paga tavern I heard a man, whom I recognized to be one of the guards from the iron pens, though now in the tunic of a Leather Worker, declaring that the city needed for its Administrator not a Builder but a Warrior, that law would again prevail.
"But what Warrior?" inquired a fellow at the table, a silversmith.
"Cernus, of the House of Cernus," said the disguised guard, "is a Warrior."
"He is a Slaver," said one.
"He knows the business and needs of Ar," said the guard, "as would a Merchant, but he is yet of the Caste of Warriors."
"He has sponsored many games," said a Tharlarion Keeper.
"He would be better than a Hinbrabian," said another fellow.
"My admission to the races," said another man, a Miller, "has been paid a dozen times by the House of Cernus." He referred to a practice of handing out passes, dated ostraka bearing the print of the House of Cernus, outside the gate of the Slaver's house, which were dispensed on a first-come-first-served basis, a thousand a day, each day of the races. Some men spent the night at the walls of the house of Cernus, that they might obtain their ostrakon at dawn.
"I say," said the disguised guard, "Ar could do worse than have such a man as Cernus on the throne!"
To my amazement, several about the table, who were undoubtedly common citizens of Ar, began to nod their heads.
"Yes," said the Silversmith, "it would be good if a man such as Cernus were Administrator of the city."
"Or Ubar?" said the guard.
The smith shrugged. "Yes," he said, "or Ubar."
"Ar is at war with itself," said one man, who had not spoken before, a Scribe. "In these times perhaps what one needs is truly a Ubar."
"I say," said the guard, "Cernus should be Ubar of Ar."  ASSASSIN OF GOR-, (5) Pages 231-232

"The ostraka were quite expensive, weren't they?" I asked.
"Yes," he said.
It was quite commonly the case, I had learned, that for a concert by Lysander one could not buy admission at the gate, but must present ostraka purchased earlier in one of the market places or squares. These were apparently originally shells or pieces, shards, of pottery, but now were generally small clay disks, with a hole for a string near one edge. These were fired in a kiln, and glazed on one side. The glazing's colorations and patterns are difficult to duplicate and serve in their way as an authentication for the disk, the glazings differing for different performances or events. The unglazed back of the disk bears the date of the event or performance and a sign indicating the identity of the original vendor, the agent authorized to sell them to the public. Some of these disks, also, on the back, include a seat location. Most seating, however, in Gorean theaters, except for certain privileged sections, usually reserved for high officials or the extremely wealthy, is on a first-come-first-served basis. These ostraka, on their strings, about the necks of their owners, make attractive pendants. Some are worn even long after the performance or event in question, perhaps to let people know that one was fortunate enough to have been the witness of a particular event or performance, or perhaps merely because of their intrinsic aesthetic value. Some people keep them as souvenirs. Others collect them, and buy and sell them, and trade them. If the event or performance is an important one, and the ostraka are limited, their number being governed by the seating capacity of the structure or area in question, it is unlikely that they will be publicly displayed until after the event or performance. It is too easy to snatch them from about the neck in the market place. Too, sometimes rich men have been known to set ruffians on people to obtain them. Needless to say some profiteering occasionally takes place in connection with the ostraka, a fellow buying a few for a given price and then trying to sell them for higher prices later outside, say, the stadium or theater.  KAJIRA OF GOR-, (19) Pages 108-109

"The license is only a formality," he said. "No free woman, unless a capture, may proceed beyond this point unless she is in the charge of a free man who is responsible for her and has a current license for her. This is a device to control the movements of free women in the house and a precaution against the attempted escape of slave girls pretending to be free women."
"Here is your pass," said the young man, handing a small disk to Drusus Rencius. It was not unlike one of the ostraka used as tickets or tokens for admission at the theater or other such events. The guard, meanwhile, was writing something down on a small, rectangular form. I had little doubt what it was. "And here," said the young man, taking the form from the guard and handing it to Drusus Rencius, confirming my speculations, "is your license for the female." I was a woman. Accordingly, I had to be licensed in the house of Kliomenes. How humiliating! The Goreans have a saying, "There are only two kinds of women, slaves, and slaves." I pulled at my wrists. They were well held in the bracelets.  KAJIRA OF GOR-, (19) Page 137

The musicians, now, five of them, came from down the corridor. They waited within the curtain.
"Sight unseen," called Mirus to the crowd, "who will try the luck of the first ostrakon? Only a tarsk bit each! Who is first? Who is for the first ostrakon? You, sir! Yes! And you the second! The third! Yes. And you! And you!"
I listened to him selling the ostraka.
"Some men," said Hendow, "think the first ostraka are luckiest."
"You!" called Mirus. "Yes! And you, yes! Yes!"
In a little bit the first flurry of sales had lessened.
"Now," said Hendow, "we come to the more cautious buyers, those who would like to purchase early ostraka, but will appreciate a bit of reassurance. Too, we have now done, presumably, with the fellows who would buy a chance on anything, as long as it is a chance, and, too, those fellows to whom a virginity itself, regardless of whose it is, is of great interest. They would take a chance on the virginity of a tharlarion."  DANCER OF GOR-, (22) Pages 177-178

"I will buy an ostrakon!" called a man.
"And I!" called another.
"And I!" said another.
I watched Mirus take tarsk bits from these men. He dropped the coins into the sack at his belt. From the distention and apparent weight of the sack I gathered he had already taken in several tarsk bits. I supposed that I should feel flattered. I clutched the sheet up higher about my neck. I wondered where Hendow was, somewhere behind me, I thought. When a fellow had paid his tarsk bit Mirus would reach into the copper bowl carried by Tula and draw forth from it one of the small, glazed three inches long and an inch wide, thin, flat, brittle, glazed, baked-clay ostraka. They were oval and, along the long axis, slotted. The ostraka are lovely and fragile. A number, the same number, was written at the bottom and top of each item. I winced as Mirus snapped one of the ostraka in two, giving half to the purchaser and throwing the other half into Aynur's bowl. "Good luck!" he said.
"What is her name?" called a man.
"Doreen," said Mirus. "At least that is the name by which she is known to Borko."
I shuddered, and the men laughed, seeing my fear. I did not think the nature of Hendow's Borko, that massive hunting sleen, was unknown to them.
I heard the snappings of ostraka.
"Bring her over here, so we can see her better, " said a man.
"And over here," said another, on the other side.  DANCER OF GOR-, (22) Pages 182-183

"Look at that," called a man.
"That is no virgin," said another.
"She is a virgin," averred Mirus, snapping another ostrakon, not even looking about. "You will shortly have the attestation," he said.
"I will take another ostrakon," said the fellow who had touched me.
"I, too," said another.
...
"Let us have the drawing," urged a fellow.
I felt inordinately helpless, so small and weak, and desired, among such men.
I heard the snappings of the ostraka.
...
"Here is the signed attestation," said Mirus, handing it to one of the fellows near the floor. They began to pass it about.
"Only seven ostraka are left," called Mirus. "Who would like them? Only one, regretfully, I fear, may be now allowed to a customer."
I watched the attestation being handed about the tables.
Men crowded about Mirus.
I no longer had the sheet of white silk about me. It had been taken from me.
"Alas," then cried Mirus. "The ostraka are gone!"
There were cries of anger.
"Do not be dismayed, noble patrons of the tavern of Hendow," he called, "for the number of ostraka was determined in advance. If too many were sold, the chances of any particular one winning would be too few. Surely those of you who have already purchased one or more ostraka can appreciate the weight of this consideration."
Several men seemed to offer assent to this.
"And do not forget, noble patrons," he continued, "that although only one may be the first to open this lovely slave, she is now one of Hendow's women. Accordingly you may all return, time and time again, over the next weeks, and months, to sip her pleasures at your leisure."
...
"Some of you have apparently found this slave of some interest," said Mirus, "for although she has not yet even danced, already are the ostraka gone."
"True," said a fellow.
Many girls, I had gathered, do not dance before their virginity, in such contests, is disposed of. Not all girls are skillful dancers, particularly at first, before they have had slave sexual experience. I was to be danced, however, I had gathered, not only because I could, at least to some extent, dance, but also as a form of advertising. Hendow taking this occasion to introduce me to his patrons. He had hopes for me, I had gathered, as a dancer. He hoped, I think, through me, to bring new and additional business to his tavern. I hoped he would not be disappointed in me, as I did not want to be punished.
"May I have the attestation paper?" asked Mirus. He retrieved it from a fellow over to the right. "Thank you," he said. He then waved the paper over his head. "Here is the signed attestation of the noble Tamirus," he said. "She is a virgin!" he then rolled the paper and pointed to me with it. I looked at him. "Behold her," he said, "kneeling there before you, a beautiful slave awaiting her first use master."
...
"Come often to the tavern of Hendow," said Hendow, "for the finest paga in Brundisium, and the most beautiful paga slaves, wenches chosen for their luscious beauty and steaming bellies!"
I trembled. Not all paga slaves are tavern dancers, but all tavern dancers are paga slaves.
There was another round of cheering.
"The drawing!" called a man. "Let us have the drawing!"
Hendow nodded to Mirus, and Mirus summoned Aynur to the center of the floor, and near the front, with her copper bowl, laden with the halves of broken ostraka.
"Return to your seats!" called Hendow.
...
Aynur shook the bowl of ostraka. She stirred the contents with her two hands. Delving deeply into the bowl she lifted up handfuls of ostraka again and again, each time letting them fall like showers back into the bowl.
Mirus and Hendow observed her doing this.
The last bracelet was deposited in the box. Sita was lifting the strands of slave beads from my neck, placing them, too, in the box.
"That is enough," said Hendow.
"Yes, Master," said Aynur, desisting mixing ostraka.
...
I saw Mirus, near the front of the floor, draw a red ribbon from his wallet. It was identical in size and shape to the white ribbon I wore on my collar. My use master, I gathered, when he was finished with me, would change the ribbons. This would be significatory of the alteration of my status, informing anyone who might look upon it that I had not been "opened." He also had in one hand the attestation paper. There was a place at the bottom of the paper where a streak of blood, mine, might be smeared.
"Who shall choose the lucky ostrakon?" called Hendow.
"The slave!" cried a man.
"The slave!" "The slave!" cried others.
"Very well!" said Hendow.
I moaned.
Hendow approached me.
"Please, Master," I begged him.
But I saw him draw forth from his belt a half hood. This covers the head to the upper lip.
It was put over my head and drawn back, tightly, and buckled shut. I then heard a lock snapped through rings. It was locked on me, in place. I could not see under the device, at all. In this respect it differed from imperfect blindfolds and resembled the full slave hood. Similarly, although it is usually regarded as inferior to the full slave hood in its security, it tends to be more secure than many blindfolds, particularly makeshift ones, seized up from materials at hand. For example, unlike many blindfolds, it, and in this respect it is similar to the full slave hood, is not likely to become dislodged or loose, even if the girl is handled with great roughness. It does, however, of course, possess certain of the rich and attractive advantages of the blindfold, such as allowing its fair captive to speak, to use her tongue, to lick, to kiss, and so on.
"Please, Master," I begged. "Do not make me choose!"
"Do you question me?" he inquired.
"No, Master!" I said, I moaned. I must choose my own rapist.
I felt myself drawn to my feet, and, by the upper left arm, pulled forward, half dragged, to the copper bowl. There I was knelt, and my hands were placed on the ostraka.
"Mix them further, slut," said Hendow.
Obediently, doubtless as the men watched intently, I stirred them about. I felt them in my hands. They had numbers on them. I knew.
"Dig about," said Hendow. "Sift through them. Pick some up, then let them fall through your fingers."
I obeyed.
"Now," said he, "choose one."
I lifted my head in half hood to him, piteously, my lip trembling.
I heard nothing, no reprieve, no rescue. This was not such a world. Here I was a slave, ineradicably, and truly.
I held my head level, although I could see nothing. I thrust my hand into the ostraka, and closed my fingers on one. I lifted it before me. I felt someone, doubtless Hendow, pull it from my hand.
"One hundred and seventy-seven!" he called.
There were cries of good-natured protest, sounds of disappointment. "No!" cried more than one man.
"One hundred and seventy-seven," he repeated.
"There!" called Mirus. "There!"
Someone must have been getting up.
"Hold up the ostrakon!" called Mirus. "Let us all see it!"
"He has it, all right!" called a man, from somewhere out there in the front. There were groans of mock anguish in the house, and laughter, and applause.
"Come forward, Sir," invited Mirus. "Claim your prize."
"Take her well, for me!" called a fellow several yards away.
"Make her jump, for me!" laughed another, closer.
I sensed someone coming forward, others perhaps about him, slapping him about the shoulders and back.
There was applause.
"Here, Sir," said Mirus, at my side, "is your prize."
In the hood I could see nothing. I was frightened.
I then gasped, surprised. I felt myself being lifted to the shoulder of a man. He was very strong.
"Use the Ubar's alcove," said Mirus. "I will bring the attestation and ribbon."
I was helpless on his shoulder.
"Lucky sleen!" called a man.
The Ubar's alcove, I knew, was well fitted with a variety of chains and whips.
I felt myself being carried toward it.
"Make her squeak and yell!" called a man.
I was being carried as a slave is often carried, my head to the rear.
"There is only one who is first," called Hendow, "but we will draw forth fourteen more ostraka!"
There was a cheer.
I did not understand this. I was helpless on the man's shoulder.
"Then there will be a free round of paga for all!" he said.
This generosity was greeted with another cheer.  DANCER OF GOR-, (22) Pages 183-201

I glanced over to the walls of Ar, some hundred or so yards away, rearing up in the darkness. Here and there fires were lit on the walls, beacons serving to guide tarnsmen. The last time I had been to Ar, that time I had received the spurious message, to be delivered to Aemilianius, in Ar's Station, there had been no need of yellow ostraka, or permits, to enter the city. Such devices, or precautions, had in the interim apparently been deemed necessary, doubtless for purposes of security or to control the number of refugees pouring into the city which, even earlier, had been considerable. Many had slept in the streets. I had rented, at that time, a room in the insula of streets. One permitted residence in Ar received the identificatory ostrakon, for example, citizens, ambassadors, resident aliens, trade agents, and such. Such ostraka, of course, were only for free persons. The permitted residency of slaves, in their kennels, and such, was a function of their owner's possession of such ostraka. Others might enter the city on permits, usually for the day, commencing at dawn and concluding at sundown. Records were kept of visitors. A visitor whose permit had expired was the object of the search of guardsmen. Too, guardsmen might, at their option, request the presentation of either ostraka or permits. Ostaka were sometimes purchased illegally. Sometimes men killed for them. The nature of the ostraka, for example, taking different colors, being recoded, and so on.  MAGICIANS OF GOR-, (25) Page 36

"Would you like to purchase a yellow ostrakon?" asked a fellow. I had hardly heard him. I looked about, regarding him. His hood was muchly pulled about his face. Were his offer genuine, I would indeed be eager to purchase such an object.
"Such are valuable," I said.
"Only a silver tarsk," he said.
"Are you a resident of Ar?" I asked.
"I am leaving the city," he said. "I fear Cos."
"But Cos is to be met and defeated on the march to Ar," I said.
"I am leaving the city," he said. "I have no longer a need for the ostrakon."
"Let me see it," I said.
Surreptitiously, scarcely opening his hand, he showed it to me.
"Bring it here, by the light," I said.
Unwillingly he did so. I took it from his hand.
"Do not show it about so freely," he whispered.
I struck him heavily in the gut and he bent over, and sank to his knees. He put down his head. He gasped. He threw up into the dirt near the fire.
"If you cannot hold your paga, go elsewhere," growled a peasant.
The fellow, in pain, in confusion, in agony, looked up at me.
"It is indeed a yellow ostrakon," I said, "and oval in shape, as are the current ostraka."
"Pay me," he gasped.
"Only this morning I was at the sun gate," I told him, "where the current lists are posted, the intent of which is to preclude such fraud as you would perpetrate."
"No," he said.
"The series of this ostrakon," I said, "was discontinued, probably months ago."
"No," he said.
"You could have retrieved from a carnarium," I said. This was one of the great refuse pits outside the walls.
I broke the ostrakon in two and cast the pieces into the fire.
"Begone," I said to the fellow.
He staggered to his feet and, bent over, hobbled quickly away. I had not killed him.
"They may have to give up ostraka," said the peasant sitting cross-legged by the fire.
"Why?" I asked.
"It is dangerous to carry them," he said. "Too many folks are killed for them."
"What then will Ar do?" I asked.
"I think she will shut her gates," he said.
"But her forces are interposed between her gates and Cos," I said.
"True," said the peasant.  MAGICIANS OF GOR-, (25) Pages 37-38

In attending the great theater last night we had conceded to public opinion, or, more particularly, to the sensibilities of free women, clothing Phoebe modestly, or at least somewhat modestly. Indeed, had we not, we would probably not have been permitted within with her. First we drape a sheet about her. This, with a piece of cloth, we rigged a veil. After this we drew the sheet up in the back and put it about her head, that it might also serve as a hood. Phoebe herself, of course, held the sheet about her. When we were finished we thought it a job rather well done, an approximation to the robes of concealment, hood and veil. Little more than Phoebe's soft, dark eyes and the bridge of her nose could be seen, except of course, at the bottom, where one might detect her bared ankles and feet. We did not think that Phoebe could relax he vigilance in clutching the sheet about her. She was naked beneath it. Marcus did not want her to forget that she was a slave. Slaves, incidentally, may attend various such functions, particularly those intended for a general audience. Indeed, sometimes masters, with their individual slave or slaves, and even owners of feast slaves, managers of slave house, taverns, and brothels, and such, will bring a chain of slaves to various events, such as races, contests, games or performances. Private masters, for example, often relish the company of their slaves at such events, and public masters, so to speak, recognize the value of such outings for slaves, as stimulation and recreation. Also they give the master more power over the girl. What girl wishes to be left behind, in her kennel, while her chain sisters enjoy an evening at the theater or games? Marcus had had a brief altercation with the taker of ostraka at the entrance, not wishing to pay an entrance fee, or at least the entire entrance fee, for a slave. The taker of ostraka, however, had been adamant, pleading policy and arguing cogently that even a sleen or verr would have to pay, as they would occupy space in the house. Too, what if a fellow were to bring in ten thousand free slaves? Then there would be little room even for free folk. Too, think of all the money the house would lose. For example, their presence is sometimes prohibited at certain song dramas and concerts. Similarly, they may not enter temples. In such cases, facilities are usually provided for their custody, usually a walled enclosure, sometimes adjoining the structure, or sets of posts or rings, for their chaining.  MAGICIANS OF GOR-, (25) Pages 112-113
 

Kudos to you, Mr. Norman for writing the Gorean series!
A rich, yet utterly simple saga; a world, a time, a people;
those of the Counter-Earth .. the planet .. Gor.
Thank you!

The material presented herein was researched and compiled by me, naia{Saul}.
The material referenced comes from John Norman's Gor Series, The Counter-Earth Saga.
This is a work in process.
Please, do not take, copy, duplicate, or use this work as your own.
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