Mithras, n.Definitions

Mithras (n.) as ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the god who slays the Bull may represent the leader of the brother horde — the one who simply gloried in his deed.

Mithras (n.) slaying ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the bull is really slaying himself — the world bull was once Mithras — which may be why the bull-slayer wears an agonized face like Guido Reni's Christ.

Mithras (n.) slays ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the bull willingly and unwillingly at once — hence the sickly, sorrowful face of the bull-slayer: he is both sacrificer and sacrificed.

Mithras (n.) slaying ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the bull may be the son who alone sacrificed the father and so redeemed his brothers from complicity — Christ took the other way, sacrificing himself.