THE ANCIENT MYSTERIES.
24
astronomical character; relating to the origin of
evil,
the two j^rinciples, and to
the spiritual renovation, and the future destiny of inan.^
In the Zend-Avesta, Mithras is the cliief of the Izeds, under Ormuzd,
tlie
who
is
generation,
his creator,
and in whose wars against Ahriraan he
Subsequently, however, on the
Mithraic religion spreading from Persia into Asia Minor, and thence to Alexandria and
Eome, the original Persian idea was altered. Mithras was confounded with the sun and the
the presiding agent.
is
supreme Deity, and practices were adopted quite inconsistent with the Persian worship,
the
including some of the ideas connected with other religious systems, such as those o^
Alexandrian Serapis,- tlie Syrian Baal, and the Greek Apollo.
Tlie god is generally represented as a handsome youth, wearing the Phrygian cap and
attire,
and kneeling
plunging the
on a
(or sitting)
The
sacrificial knife.
and a
is
Nothing
scorpion.
The fundamental dogma
bull,
bull
is
pressing down, or into which he is
at the same time attacked by a dog, a serpent,
which he
is
certain concerning the significance of this scene.
was the transmigration of souls unler the
The initiated were
over whose operations Mithras presided.
of the Mithraic doctrine,
influence of the seven planets,
divided into seven ^ classes or grades, which were named successively, soldiers, lions, hyaenas,
After passing victoriously through the several ordeals,
etc., after animals sacred to IVfithras.
the neophyte was presented with an engraved stone or amulet, as a token of his admission
into the brotherhood,
He was
also
and with the object
offered a
of supplying a
means
of recognition
by
its
members.
"
instructed to refuse, saying,
j\Iy
followers of Mithras, differing from the initiated of other
crown, which, however,
The
only crown is Mithras."*
systems, never wore wreaths and
when
"
lie
was
"
and proved as to their having been duly
admitted to a participation in this mystery, threw down the offered wreath, saying, "My
crown is in my God." The candidate, moreover, on the successful conclusion of his probation,
;
was marked
King
is
in
some
tried
indelible manner, the exact nature of
which cannot now be ascertained.
]\Ir
mark was not hurncd in, but incised or tatooed, but he need hardly
the members of a secret society did not receive the mark of membership on
of opinion that this
have suggested that
any consjimious part of the body.^
^
C. WellbcloTed,
^
AYe learn from sculptured tablets and from inscriptions and
An
Eburacum, 1842, p. 82.
Egyptian divinity, the worship of which was introduced into Greece in the time of the Ptolemies. Apollodorus states that Serapis was the name given to Apis, after his death and di-ification.
Hume records, as among the
best attested miracles in all profane history, the cure of blind
Serapis (Essays, 1777, vol.
^
Von Hammer,
is
Mithraica,
indisputable.
•
and lame men by Vespasian in obedience to
a vision of
p. 130).
p.
50.
Suidas says
That these Mysteries were regarded
immaterial.
the others
ii.,
Von Hammer
says,
ticch-e,
and Konnus
eighty.
The exact number, however,
as involving a greater trial of a candidate's
that the
first
is
fortitude than anj' of
founder of secret societies in the heart of Islam,
Abdollah Mainmn, established sfvcn degrees, for which reason, as well as their opinions concerning the seven Imams,
his disciples obtained the name of Sevencrs.
This appellation was afterwards transferred to the Assassins, whose founder,
Hassan, not only restored the grades to their original number, seven, but also added a particular line of condnct,
The original of the Mithraic system must, however, be
consisting of .seven points (History of the Assassins, p. 59).
looked for in the Brahminical doctrine of the seven lower and seven upper worlds, or in the seven gates and the descent
into Hades, which were features of the Egyptian Mysteries.
'
Von Hammer,
Mithraica, p. 59.
Mr King cites this practice as evidencing that " the origin of all
King, The Gnostics and their Remains, p. 62.
snch sectarian personal marks must be placed in India, the trae fount, either directly or
indirectly, of all the ideas and
°
practices of Gnosticism
"
(Ibid.).
By
Godfrey Higgins the "characteristic
declared to have been circumcision (.inacalypsis, vol.
i.,
p.
304).
mark"
of the iniiiated in all Mysteries,
is