HIGH CASTES
"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" page 225
"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" page 61
"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."
"
"Tarnman of Gor" page 62
"'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" page 42
"'The High Castes in a given city,' said my father, '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 judgement, the crisis is passed.'"
"
"Tarnman of Gor" page 42