Editing Mithraism (section)

====Statius====
The [[Thebaid (Latin poem)|Thebaid]] ({{circa|80&nbsp;CE<ref name=Ulansey-1991-Origins/>{{rp|style=ama|p= 29}} }}) an epic poem by [[Statius]], pictures Mithras in a cave, wrestling with something that has horns.<ref>{{cite book
 |author=[[Statius]] |title=Thebaid |at=1.719–720
}}
:{{cite web   |title=Latin text   |website=The Latin Library   |url=http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/statius/theb1.shtml   |access-date=12 April 2011   |archive-date=9 September 2017   |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909030551/http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/statius/theb1.shtml   |url-status=live   }}
:{{cite web   |title=English translation   |series=Classical e-Text   |translator=Mozey, J.H.   |url=http://www.theoi.com/Text/StatiusThebaid1.html   |via=theoi.com   |access-date=12 April 2011   |archive-date=29 September 2017   |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929092016/http://www.theoi.com/Text/StatiusThebaid1.html   |url-status=live   }}</ref>
The context is a prayer to the god [[Phoebus]].<ref>The prayer begins at<br/>
{{cite book
 |author=[[Statius]] |title=Thebaid |at=1.696
}}
:{{cite web  |title=Latin text  |website=The Latin Library  |url=http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/statius/theb1.shtml  |access-date=12 April 2011  |archive-date=9 September 2017  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909030551/http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/statius/theb1.shtml  |url-status=live  }}
:{{cite web  |title=English translation  |series=Classical e-Text  |translator=Mozey, J.H.  |url=http://www.theoi.com/Text/StatiusThebaid1.html  |via=theoi.com  |access-date=12 April 2011  |archive-date=29 September 2017  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929092016/http://www.theoi.com/Text/StatiusThebaid1.html  |url-status=live  }}</ref>
The cave is described as ''persei'', which in this context is usually translated ''Persian''. According to the translator J.H.&nbsp;Mozley it literally means ''Persean'', referring to [[Perses (son of Andromeda and Perseus)|''Perses'']], the son of [[Perseus]] and [[Andromeda (mythology)|Andromeda]],<ref name=Ulansey-1991-Origins/>{{rp|style=ama|p= 29}} this Perses being the ancestor of the Persians according to Greek legend.<ref name=Ulansey-1991-Origins/>{{rp|style=ama|pp= 27–29}}