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Free Women of the city cultures, eating & drinking
This scene, in Kajira of Gor, in the city of Corcyrus, is one of the most enlightening as a slave explains how a free woman is to eat and drink. I quickly left the couch and went to the small table, on which the tray reposed. I did not wish to displease Ligurious. He was the sort of man who was to be obeyed, immediately and perfectly. I loosened my robe and sat down, cross-legged, on the cushion before the table. I picked up a piece of the yellow bread. "Oh, no, Mistress," said the girl, putting out her hand. "That is how men sit. We are women. We kneel." "I will sit," I told her. "Mistress understands, surely," said the girl, in misery, "that I must make reports to Ligurious, my master." "I will kneel," I said. "That is much more lovely," said the girl, approvingly. I then began to eat, kneeling. ... "Mistress' drink is cold," said the girl. "Let me have it reheated or fetch you a fresh one." "No," I said. "It is fine." I lifted the small, handleless bowl he had used the word in two hands. I was excited that she had said "fetch." She was the sort of girl who might carry or fetch for a Master or a Mistress. "Mistress," said the girl. "You are a woman. Drink more delicately." I drank from the bowl. "Yes, Mistress," she said. "That is more feminine." I then realized, even more profoundly than before, bow deeply sexuality must characterize and penetrate this culture. The differences between men and women were to be expressed even in their smallest behaviors. What a significant and real thing it is in this culture to be a man or a woman. "This is warmed chocolate," I said, pleased. It was very rich and creamy. "Yes, Mistress," said the girl. "It is very good," I said. "Thank you, Mistress," she said. "Is it from Earth?" I asked. "Not directly," she said. "Many things here, of course, ultimately have an Earth origin. It is not improbable that the beans from which the first cacao trees on this world were grown were brought from Earth." "Do the trees grow near here?" I asked. "No, Mistress," she said. "We obtain the beans, from which the chocolate is made, from Cosian merchants, who, in turn, obtain them in the tropics." I put the chocolate down. I began to bite at the yellow bread. It was fresh. "Perhaps Mistress should take smaller bites," she said. "Very well," I said. I then began to eat as she had suggested. I was a woman. I was not an adolescent boy. Again, even in so small a thing as this, I began to feel my femininity keenly. Too, again, I became very sensitive of the depth and pervasiveness of the sexuality which might characterize this world. Men and women did not even eat in the same way. "Exceptions can occur under certain circumstances, of course," said the girl. "Mistress might, for example, in the presence of a man she wishes to arouse, take a larger than normal bite from a fresh fruit, and look at the man over the fruit, letting juice, a tiny trickle of it, run at the side of her mouth." "But why would I wish to arouse a man?" I asked. The girl looked at me, puzzled. "Perhaps the needs of Mistress might be much upon her," she said. "Perhaps she might wish to be taken and overwhelmed in his arms, and forced to surrender to him." "I do not understand," I said, as though horrified. "That is because Mistress is free," she said. Kajira Here, in a scene in the city of Ar, free women delicately put tidbits beneath their veils. Some lift their veils *somewhat* to drink. Some low caste women drink through their veils. The crowd was now engaged in various pursuits, no fixed center now holding their attention. Several were going about seeking the odds Merchants, several of whom wandered in the stands, but others of whom kept their tables at the foot of the stands, on the sand itself, almost under the nets beneath the rings. The hawkers of candies and such were now crying their wares. I heard a slave girl wheedling her master for a pastry. Free women, here and there, were delicately putting tidbits beneath their veils. Some even lifted their veils somewhat to drink of the flavored ices. Some low-caste free women drank through their veils and there were yellow and purple stains on the rep-cloth. Assassin Again, in this scene at a private dinner party of friends in the city of Vonda, free women lift their veils to drink. "I lift my wine to the Lady Florence of Vonda!" said the Lady Melpomene. "We lift our wine to the Lady Florence of Vonda," said the guests. All then drank, save the Lady Florence, who, smiling, did not lift her cup. Free women, drinking, commonly lift their veil, or veils, with the left hand. Low-caste free women, if veiled, usually do the same. Sometimes, however, particularly if in public, they will drink through their veil, or veils. Sometimes, of course, free women will drink unveiled, even with guests. Much depends on how well the individuals are known, and who is present. In their homes, of course, with only members of their families present, or servants and slaves, most free women do not veil themselves, even those of high caste. Fighting Slave Unfortunately even though the story continues quite a bit at this dinner party, we are given no more glimpses of the free women eating. Also unfortunate is that during the splendid dinner party scene that occurs in Nomads of Gor, in the city of Turia, in which we meet the lovely Aphris of Turia, we are not offered any further insight on this topic. Aphris descends from her quarters to join her guardian and his guests well after the dinner part is over and the men have been drinking paga for some time. gorean_librarian@yahoo.com 
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