Tauroctony from the Villa Borghese

TNMM 131 ↔ CIMRM 415 & 416

White marble relief (H. 2.54 Br. 2.65), was erected on the Piazza Capitolino (Pignorius) in the 17th century, then transported to the Villa Borghese, nowadays Paris, Louvre, Inv. No. 1023. Second cent.

In a grotto Mithras tauroctone in the usual attitude and attire. The dog, the serpent and the scorpion are present; the raven is perched on the rocky border of the cave.

Cautes clasps with his l.h. the ears (two or three) from the bull's tail, he lifts with the r.h. his torch. Before the bull Cautopates is standing. with the torch pointed downwards. Both torchbearers are not cross-legged.

In the l. upper corner Sol in a quadriga. He wears a flying shouldercape. With a whip, which is lost now, he urges the horses, which he leads with the reins. Before the horses a naked child with a upraised torch (Phosphorus).

In the r. upper corner Luna descends in a biga, also guided by a naked child with a torch pointed downwards (Hesperus). In the middle three twisted trees.

Of the numerous, often bad restorations we mention Mithras' head, his r. arm with a great part of the dagger, the l. arm and a part of his r. leg; the front part of the bull's head; the heads and torches of both torchbearers, moreover the l. leg of Cautopates and his l.h. with a bunch of grapes, the r. leg of Cautes; the greater part of the dog and a part of the serpent; the raven has been restored as an owl; the head of Sol and the foremost part of his horses; the head of Luna and her horses (originally probably bulls) almost entirely; the heads of the two children.

On the bull's neck and body an inscription:

CIMRM 416

Next to the wound:

Nama Sebesio.

On the bull's body and on the lower border of the relief:

Deo Soli invict[o] Mitrhe(sic!) /
C(aii) Aufidii Ianuarius [et…

Further:

Nam/a/ necs.

The graffiti on the thigh are modern (Cumont in Rev. Phil., 1892, 96).