pagan and christian creeds-第6章

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m　of　the　people　there　to　〃smear　the　outside　of　their　houses　and　doors　with　blood　drawn　from　their　own　ears　and　ankles；　in　order　to　propitiate　the　god　of　Harvest〃　（Kingsborough's　Mexican　Antiquities；　vol。　vi；　p。　235）。


In　order　fully　to　understand　this　extraordinary　expression　and　its　origin　we　must　turn　for　a　moment　to　the　worship　both　of　Mithra；　the　Persian　Sungod；　and　of　Attis　the　Syrian　god；　as　throwing　great　light　on　the　Christian　cult　and　ceremonies。　It　must　be　remembered　that　in　the　early　centuries　of　our　era　the　Mithra…cult　was　spread　over　the　whole　Western　world。　It　has　left　many　monuments　of　itself　here　in　Britain。　At　Rome　the　worship　was　extremely　popular；　and　it　may　almost　be　said　to　have　been　a　matter　of　chance　whether　Mithraism　should　overwhelm　Christianity；　or　whether　the　younger　religion　by　adopting　many　of　the　rites　of　the　older　one　should　establish　itself　（as　it　did）　in　the　face　of　the　latter。

Now　we　have　already　mentioned　that　in　the　Mithra　cult　the　slaying　of　a　Bull　by　the　Sungod　occupies　the　same　sort　of　place　as　the　slaving　of　the　Lamb　in　the　Christian　cult。　It　took　place　at　the　Vernal　Equinox　and　the　blood　of　the　Bull　acquired　in　men's　minds　a　magic　virtue。　Mithraism　was　a　greatly　older　religion　than　Christianity；　but　its　genesis　was　similar。　In　fact；　owing　to　the　Precession　of　the　Equinoxes；　the　crossing…place　of　the　Ecliptic　and　Equator　was　different　at　the　time　of　the　establishment　of　Mithra…worship　from　what　it　was　in　the　Christian　period；　and　the　Sun　instead　of　standing　in　the　He…lamb；　or　Aries；　at　the　Vernal　Equinox　stood；　about　two　thousand　years　earlier　（as　indicated　by　the　dotted　line　in　the　diagram）；　in　this　very　constellation　of　the　Bull。＇1＇　The　bull　therefore　became　the　symbol　of　the　triumphant　God；　and　the　sacrifice　of　the　bull　a　holy　mystery。　（Nor　must　we　overlook　here　the　agricultural　appropriateness　of　the　bull　as　the　emblem　of　Spring…plowings　and　of　service　to　man。）

＇1＇　With　regard　to　this　point；　see　an　article　in　the　Nineteenth　Century　for　September　1900；　by　E。　W。　Maunder　of　the　Greenwich　Observatory　on　〃The　Oldest　Picture　Book〃　（the　Zodiac）。　Mr。　Maunder　calculates　that　the　Vernal　Equinox　was　in　the　centre　of　the　Sign　of　the　Bull　5；000　years　ago。　＇It　would　therefore　be　in　the　centre　of　Aries　2；845　years　agoallowing　2；155　years　for　the　time　occupied　in　passing　from　one　Sign　to　another。＇　At　the　earlier　period　the　Summer　solstice　was　in　the　centre　of　Leo；　the　Autumnal　equinox　in　the　centre　of　Scorpio；　and　the　Winter　solstice　in　the　centre　of　Aquariuscorresponding　roughly；　Mr。　Maunder　points　out；　to　the　positions　of　the　four　〃Royal　Stars；〃　Aldebaran；　Regulus；　Antares　and　Fomalhaut。


The　sacrifice　of　the　Bull　became　the　image　of　redemption。　In　a　certain　well…known　Mithra…sculpture　or　group；　the　Sungod　is　represented　as　plunging　his　dagger　into　a　bull；　while　a　scorpion；　a　serpent；　and　other　animals　are　sucking　the　latter's　blood。　From　one　point　of　view　this　may　be　taken　as　symbolic　of　the　Sun　fertilizing　the　gross　Earth　by　plunging　his　rays　into　it　and　so　drawing　forth　its　blood　for　the　sustenance　of　all　creatures；　while　from　another　more　astronomical　aspect　it　symbolizes　the　conquest　of　the　Sun　over　winter　in　the　moment　of　〃passing　over〃　the　sign　of　the　Bull；　and　the　depletion　of　the　generative　power　of　the　Bull　by　the　Scorpion　which　of　course　is　the　autumnal　sign　of　the　Zodiac　and　herald　of　winter。　One　such　Mithraic　group　was　found　at　Ostia；　where　there　was　a　large　subterranean　Temple　〃to　the　invincible　god　Mithras。〃

In　the　worship　of　Attis　there　were　（as　I　have　already　indicated）　many　points　of　resemblance　to　the　Christian　cult。　On　the　22nd　March　（the　Vernal　Equinox）　a　pinetree　was　cut　in　the　woods　and　brought　into　the　Temple　of　Cybele。　It　was　treated　almost　as　a　divinity；　was　decked　with　violets；　and　the　effigy　of　a　young　man　tied　to　the　stem　（cf。　the　Crucifixion）。　The　24th　was　called　the　〃Day　of　Blood〃；　the　High　Priest　first　drew　blood　from　his　own　arms；　and　then　the　others　gashed　and　slashed　themselves；　and　spattered　the　altar　and　the　sacred　tree　with　blood；　while　novices　made　themselves　eunuchs　〃for　the　kingdom　of　heaven's　sake。〃　The　effigy　was　afterwards　laid　in　a　tomb。　But　when　night　fell；　says　Dr。　Frazer；＇1＇　sorrow　was　turned　to　joy。　A　light　was　brought；　and　the　tomb　was　found　to　be　empty。　The　next　day；　the　25th；　was　the　festival　of　the　Resurrection；　and　ended　in　carnival　and　license　（the　Hilaria）。　Further；　says　Dr。　Frazer；　these　mysteries　〃seem　to　have　included　a　sacramental　meal　and　a　baptism　of　blood。〃

＇1＇　See　Adonis；　Attis　and　Osiris；　Part　IV　of　The　Golden　Bough；　by　J。　G。　Frazer；　p。　229。


〃In　the　baptism　the　devotee；　crowned　with　gold　and　wreathed　with　fillets；　descended　into　a　pit；　the　mouth　of　which　was　covered　with　a　wooden　grating。　A　bull；　adorned　with　garlands　of　flowers；　its　forehead　glittering　with　gold　leaf；　was　then　driven　on　to　the　grating　and　there　stabbed　to　death　with　a　consecrated　spear。　Its　hot　reeking　blood　poured　in　torrents　through　the　apertures；　and　was　received　with　devout　eagerness　by　the　worshiper　on　every　part　of　his　person　and　garments；　till　he　emerged　from　the　pit；　drenched；　dripping；　and　scarlet　from　head　to　foot；　to　receive　the　homage；　nay　the　adoration；　of　his　fellowsas　one　who　had　been　born　again　to　eternal　life　and　had　washed　away　his　sins　in　the　blood　of　the　bull。〃＇1＇　And　Frazer　continuing　says：　〃That　the　bath　of　blood　derived　from　slaughter　of　the　bull　（tauro…bolium）　was　believed　to　regenerate　the　devotee　for　eternity　is　proved　by　an　inscription　found　at　Rome；　which　records　that　a　certain　Sextilius　Agesilaus　Aedesius；　who　dedicated　an　altar　to　Attis　and　the　mother　of　the　gods　（Cybele）　was　taurobolio　criobolio　que　in　aeternum　renatus。〃＇2＇　〃In　the　procedure　of　the　Taurobolia　and　Criobolia；〃　says　Mr。　J。　M。　Robertson；＇3＇　〃which　grew　very　popular　in　the　Roman　world；　we　have　the　literal　and　original　meaning　of　the　phrase　'washed　in　the　blood　of　the　lamb'＇4＇；　the　doctrine　being　that　resurrection　and　eternal　life　were　secured　by　drenching　or　sprinkling　with　the　actual　blood　of　a　sacrificial　bull　or　ram。〃＇5＇　For　the　POPULARITY　of　the　rite　we　may　quote　Franz　Cumont；　who　says：〃Cette　douche　sacree　（taurobolium）　pareit　avoir　ete　administree　en　Cappadoce　dans　un　grand　nombre　de　sanctuaires；　et　en　particulier　dans　ceux　de　Ma　la　grande　divinite　indigene；　et　dans　ceux：　de　Anahita。〃

＇1＇　See　vol。　i；　pp。　334　ff。

＇2＇　Adonis；　Attis　and　Osiris；　p。　229。　References　to　Prudentius；　and　to　Firmicus　Maternus；　De　errore　28。　8。

＇3＇　That　is；　〃By　the　slaughter　of　the　bull　and　the　slaughter　of　the　ram　born　again　into　eternity。〃

＇4＇　Pagan　Christs；　p。　315。

＇5＇　Mysteres　de　Mithra；　Bruxelles；　1902；　p。　153。


Whether　Mr。　Robertson　is　right　in　ascribing　to　the　priests　（as　he　appears　to　do）　so　materialistic　a　view　of　the　potency　of　the　actual　blood　is；　I　should　say；　doubtful。　I　do　not　myself　see　that　there　is　any　reason　for　supposing　that　the　priests　of　Mithra　or　Attis　regarded　baptism　by　blood　very　differently　from　the　way　in　which　the　Christian　Church　has　generally　regarded　baptism　by　waternamely；　as　a　SYMBOL　of　some　inner　regeneration。　There　may　certainly　have　been　a　little　more　of　the　MAGICAL　view　and　a　little　less　of　the　symbolic；　in　the　older　religions；　but　the　difference　was　probably　on　the　whole　more　one　of　degree　than　of　essential　disparity。　But　however　that　may　be；　we　cannot　but　be　struck　by　the　extraordinary　analogy　between　the　tombstone　inscriptions　of　that　period　〃born　again　into　eternity　by　the　blood　of　the　Bull　or　the　Ram；〃　and　the　corresponding　texts　in　our　graveyards　to…day。　F。　Cumont　in　his　elaborate　work；　Textes　et　Monuments　relatifs　aux　Mysteres　de　Mithra　（2　vols。；　Brussels；　1899）　gives　a　great　number　of　texts　and　epitaphs　of　the　same　character　as　that　above…quoted；　and　they　are　well　worth　studying　by　those　interested　in　the　subject。　Cumont；　it　may　be　noted　（vol。　i；　p。　305）；　thinks　that　the　story　of　Mithra　and　the　slaying　of　the　Bull　must　have　originated　among　some　pastoral　people　to　whom　the　bull　was　the　source　of　all　life。　The　Bull　in　heaventhe　symbol　of　the　triumphant　Sungod　and　the　earthly　bull；　sacrificed　for　the　good　of　humanity　were　one　and　the　same；　the　god；　in　fact；　SACRIFICED　HIMSELF　OR　HIS　REPRESENTATIVE。　And　Mithra　was　the　hero　who　first　won　this　conception　of　divinity　for　mankindthough　of　course　it　is　in　essence　quite　similar　to　the　conception　put　forward　by　the　Christian　Church。

As　illustrating　the　belief　that　the　Baptism　by　Blood　was　accompanied　by　a　real　regeneration　of　the　devotee；　Frazer　quotes　an　ancient　writer＇1＇　who　says　that　for　some　time　after　the　ceremony　the　fiction　of　a　new　birth　was　kept　up　by　dieting　the　devotee　on　MILK；　like　a　new…born　babe。　And　it　is　interesting　in　that　connection　to　find　that　even　in　the　present　day　a　diet　of　ABSOLUTELY　NOTHING　BUT　MILK　for　six　or　eight　weeks　is　by　many　doctors　recommended　as　the　only　means　of　getting　rid　of　deep…seated　illnesses　and　enabling　a　patient's　organism　to　make　a　completely　new　start　in　life。

＇1＇　Sallustius　philosophus。　See　Adonis；　Attis　and　Osiris；　note；　p。　229。


〃At　Rome；〃　he　further　says　（p。　230）；　〃the　new　birth　and　the　remission　of　sins　by　the　shedding　of　bull's　blood　appear　to　have　been　carried　out　above　all　at　the　sanctuary　of　the　Phrygian　Goddess　（Cybele）　on　the　Vatican　Hill；　at　or　near　the　spot　where　the　great　basilica　of　St。　Peter's　now　stands；　for　many　inscriptions　relating　to　the　rites　were　found　when　the　church　was　being　enlarged　in　1608　or　1609。　From　the　Vatican　as　a　centre；〃　he　continues；　〃this　barbarous　system　of　superstition　seems　to　have　spread　to　other　parts　of　the　Roman　empire。　Inscriptions　found　in　Gaul　and　Germany　prove　that　provincial　sanctuaries　modelled　their　ritual　on　that　of　the　Vatican。〃

It　would　appear　then　that　at　Rome　in　the　quiet　early　days　of　the　Christian　Church；　the　rites　and　ceremonials　of　Mithra　and　Cybele；　probably　much　intermingled　and　blended；　were　exceedingly　popular。　Both　religions　had　been　recognized　by　the　Roman　State；　and　the　Christians；　persecuted　and　despised　as　they　were；　found　it　hard　to　make　any　headway　against　themthe　more　so　perhaps　because　the　Christian　doctrines　appeared　in　many　respects　to　be　merely　faint　replicas　and　copies　of　the　older　creeds。　Robertson　maintains＇1＇　that　a　he…lamb　was　sacrificed　in　the　Mithraic　mysteries；　and　he　quotes　Porphyry　as　saying＇2＇　that　〃a　place　near　the　equinoctial　circle　was　assigned　to　Mithra　as　an　appropriate　seat；　and　on　this　account　he　bears　the　sword　of　the　Ram　＇Aries＇　which　is　a　sign　of　Mars　＇Ares＇。〃　Similarly　among　the　early　Christians；　it　is　said；　a　ram　or　lamb　was　sacrificed　in　the　Paschal　mystery。

＇1＇　Pagan　Christs；　p。　336。

＇2＇　De　Antro；　xxiv。


Many　people　think　that　the　association　of　the　Lamb…god　with　the　Cross　arose　from　the　fact　that　the　constellation　Aries　at　that　time　WAS　on　the　heavenly　cross　（the　crossways　of　the　Ecliptic　and　Equator…see　diagram；　ch。　iii）；　and　in　the　very　place　through　which　the　Sungod　had　to　pass　just　before　his　final　triumph。　And　it　is　curious　to　find　that　Justin　Martyr　in　his　Dialogue　with　Trypho＇1＇　（a　Jew）　alludes　to　an　old　Jewish　practice　of　roasting　a　Lamb　on　spits　arranged　in　the　form　of　a　Cross。　〃The　lamb；〃　he　says；　meaning　apparently　the　Paschal　lamb；　〃is　roasted　and　dressed　up　in　the　form　of　a　cross。　For　one　spit　is　transfix