Note C — LETTER XLII.
Reading edition
Several inscriptions of this kind have been found both in Italy and Spain, but by far the greater number among the Gauls; and as the sacrifices to the Goddess Cybele were some of the least ancient of the Pagan rites, so they were the last which were suppressed on the establishment of Christianity. Since we find one of the Taurobolian inscriptions, with so recent a date as the time of the Emperor Valentinian the third. The silence of the Heathen writers on this head is very wonderful; for the only one who makes any mention of them is Julius Firmicus Maternus, in his dissertation on the errors of the Pagan religion; as Dalenius, in his elaborate account of the Taurobolium, has remarked.
The ceremony of the consecration of the High Priest of Cybele, which many learned men have mistaken for the consecration of the Roman Pontifex Maximus; which dignity, from the very earliest infancy of the Roman Empire, was always annexed to that of the Emperor himself.
The Priests who had the direction of the Taurobola, wore the same vestments without washing out the bloody stains, as long as they would hold together.
By these rites and baptisms by blood, they thought themselves, as it were re-born to a life eternal. Sextilius Agefilaus Ædesius says, that he was born a-new, to life eternal, by means of the Taurobolium and Criobolium.
Nor were the priests alone initiated in this manner, but also others, who were not of that order; in particular cases the regenerations were only promised for twenty years.
Besides the Taurobolia and Criobolia, which were erected at the expence of whole cities and provinces, there were others also, which were founded by the bounty of private people. We often meet with the names of magistrates and priests of other Gods, who were admitted into these mysteries, and who erected Taurobolia as offerings for the safety of the Emperor, or their own. The rites of the Taurobolia lasted sometimes many days.
The inscription, on the Taurobolium, which is on the same side with the head of the bull, we have endeavoured to explain by filling up the abbreviations which are met with in the Roman character.
taurobolio matris deum magnæ idææ quod factum est ex imperio matris idææ deum pro salute imperatoris cæsaris titi ælii adriani antonini augusti pii patris patriæ liberorumque ejus et status coloniæ lugdunensis lucius æmilius carpus sextumvir augustalis item dendrophorus vires excepit et a vaticano transtulit aram et bucranium suo impendio consecravit sacerdote quinto sammio secundo ab quindecemviris occabo et corona exornato cui sanctissimus ordo lugdunensis perpetuitatem sacerdotis decrevit appio annia atilo bradua tito clodio vibio varo consulibus locus datus dicreto decurionum.