But if the rotor was a gyro it would have maintained position in space - it could have flapped around the hinges quite markedly regardless of the swashplate position. But it didn't because it's not a gyro - as I know you know
,...but if it were "like a gyro" then it would have something in common with a gyro.
If the pitch horns weren't offset, then when you push the cyclic forward, you wouldn't go forward, you'd go left (i.e. in the direction of the rotor's rotation),...maybe not a full 90° left, but some degree anyway. What other device does something like that? Oh yeah,...a gyro!
