The Cult of Mithras

Home Glossary Stories & Myths Values & Philosophy Epithets of Mithras

Epithets of Mithras

Lord of the Sun/Lord of Light

The sun is the primary sphere of power Mithras is known and revered for, and many of his other epithets stem from the symbolic and/or literal associations of the sun. The sun is the source of all life on Earth (save for a few very small ecosystems in the deep oceans - but then, Mithras is also the Lord of the Waters); without its light and warmth, none of us could survive. Even Kindred, cursed by Mithras after the Betrayal to burn in the sun's light, are dependent on it - mortals need sunlight to stay healthy, and moreover to feed the crops that then feed both humans and their livestock, and Kindred need humans in turn. The sun isn't always gentle, and neither is its god - too much of it can burn anyone, not just a vampire - but it is a source of joy and life and power. As the myth of the tauroctony tells it, Mithras became the god of the sun after slaying a wild bull that had been rampaging in the countryside; after overcoming it, he sacrificed it to Sol (either an older sun god or a symbolic representation of the literal sun, depending who you ask) and shared the meal with him. Sol then shook his hand and knelt to him, granting him the sun's power and elevating him to godhood.

Lord of the Waters

Mithras's association with the Waters has ties to Zoroastrianism and the Persian roots of Mithraism; there, water and the overarching concept of the Waters are highly revered. The Waters in Mithraism refers to water in all its forms, and the way water is integral to the structure and form of the world; water is another thing life could not exist without, and it shapes almost every aspect of our world directly or indirectly. It changes the shape of the land over time; it creates, changes, and destroys materials and substrates it passes through and over; it covers over 70% of our planet's surface and makes up over 60% of the human body. Mithras calls forth water from stone and in doing so both provides sustenance for life and permanently changes the land itself.

Seer of Truth and Lord of Covenants

These titles are bound up together, so I've put them into one section. Mithras the Sun sees all and knows truth from falsehood; his childer are expected to be honest and open with each other. The deception common among vampires in the modern nights is one of the key factors of the Kindred as a whole turning their backs on Mithras - the honesty Mithraics practice with each other is anathema to a society where politicking and deceit rule more often than not. As a god of truth, oaths and covenants are especially sacred to Mithras, and oathbreaker is one of the worst accusations one Mithraic can make against another. Mithraics aren't necessarily expected to be unfailingly honest with non-Mithraics (see the Values & Philosophy section), but a solemn oath is sacred no matter who it was made to, and breaking it is a serious crime, one of the worst violations of the law of honesty that can be made. Mithras oversees the agreements people make with each other and ensures that they're upheld - being able to trust each other in at least that much is what holds society together. Honesty, truth, and integrity are key to keeping a society functional and working for the benefit of all; Mithras as the Lord of Covenants and Seer of Truth helps keep that keystone in place.

Father of Justice

Directly adjacent to his role as the god of truth and covenants, Mithras the Father of Justice is a god of law and right. Justice in the Mithraic concept is rarely gentle, but it does strive to be fair, meting out reward and punishment proportional to the actions of those receiving them. Justice is often about punishing wrongdoing, but it's just as often about fixing the results of a wrongdoing as much as one can, or about rewarding good and just behavior. Mithraics everywhere are called to act against injustice wherever we can - though what exactly that call means is debated by different sects of the faith. (See the Values & Philosophy section for details.)

Guardian of the Pastures

The life-giving aspect of the sun feeds into Mithras's role as a god of pastures and livestock - as does the myth of the tauroctony; as the animal whose sacrifice led to Mithras's godhood, cattle are considered sacred to Mithras and some form of beef is present at almost every Mithraic feast. The sun's light keeps the pastures and crops alive, and that in turn feeds the animals who feed the people. Mithras as the Guardian of the Pastures keeps plants and animals alike alive and well, and provides for the community as such. Mithras the Guardian of the Pastures is also often considered to be a guardian of ghouls and kine - protecting and feeding both the livestock the mortals feed on and the mortals the Kindred feed on. It's the Guardian of the Pastures who charges his childer with protecting and guarding the mortals and ghouls under their care. This doesn't mean the ghouls and kine are seen as livestock - far from it; most sects treat them more as equals than most other clans - but rather that they don't have the same powers and ability to defend themselves as Kindred do, and thus it's the duty of the Kindred to protect them when they can't protect themselves, because we rely on them just as much as they rely on us (and sometimes more).