The legend of Mithras may be understood as follows:
MITHRAS' BIRTH
An account of Mithras' birth describes Mithras as the “light bursting from the heavens” in the mythology of the Magi. The heavens were thought of as a sold vault of rock, hence by analogy Mithras was born from a rock. The tradition ran that the “Generative Rock,” of which a standing image was worshipped in the temples, had given birth to Mithras on the banks of a river, under the shade of a sacred tree (fig. 031)
MM ¶ 0130 CW5 Ser: 3 Pg 130 (a) FigNo 031
THE GOD CAME FORTH
FROM THE ROCK
Shepherds ensconced in a neighboring mountain, had witnessed the miracle of his entrance into the world. They had seen him issue forth from the rocky mass (fig. 025) , his head adorned with a Phrygian cap, armed with a knife, and carrying a torch that had illuminated the somber depths below
MM ¶ 0131 MM Ser: 6 Pg 130 (b) FigNo 025
Worshipfully the shepherds drew near, offering the divine infant the first fruits of their flock and their harvests
MM ¶ 0MITHRAS CONCEALED HIMSELF IN
BRANCHES OF A FIG-TREE
SOL IS COMPELLED TO PAY
HOMAGE TO MITHRAS
The god concealed himself in the branches of a fig-tree (fig. 015) , eating of its fruit and making garments of its leaves (an image which perhaps gives rise to the legend that Mithras was born from a tree top)
MM ¶ 0132 MM Ser: 10 Pg 130 (d) FigNo 015
Mithras first measured his strength with the Sun (Sol) who was compelled to pay homage to Mithras' superiority and to receive from him his investiture
MM ¶ 0Sol kneels before Mithras, indicating that through conquering his animal nature (the bull) Mithras has arrogated to himself the strength of the sun and become its lord
CW5 ¶ 398Mithras crowns Helios with a crown of rays, as he kneels before him or floats up to him from belowMithras holds the shoulder of the mystic bull above the head of Helios who stands bowed before Mithras, his left hand resting on his sword hilt with a crown lying between themMithras seems to act in the capacity of patron to Helios
CW5 ¶ 288Mithras performs a kind of ceremonial investiture: he consecrates the divine power of Helios by crowning him with his own hands. This relationship corresponds to that between Christ and Peter. Peter's attribute, the cock, gives him a solar character
CW5 ¶ 289Mithras and the Sun concluded the investiture with a solemn covenant of friendship, the two heroes faithfully supporting each other in their enterprises
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