f all
creatures." He had a thousand ears and ten thousand eyes. His worship
was probably more widely extended than that of Ormazd himself, and was
connected in general with a material representation.

In the early times this was a simple disk, or circle; but from the reign
of Artaxerxes Mnemon, a human image seems to have been substituted.
Prayer was offered to Mithra three times a day, at dawn, at noon, and
at sunset; and it was usual to worship him with sacrifice. The horse
appears to have been the victim which he was supposed to prefer.

Sraosha, or Serosh, was an angel of great power and dignity. He was the
special messenger of Ormazd, and the head of his celestial army. He was
"tall, well-formed, beautiful, swift, victorious, happy, sincere, true,
the master of truth." It was his office to deliver revelations, to show
men the paths of happiness, and to bring them the blessings which Ormazd
had assigned to each. He invented the music for the five most ancient
Gathas, discovered the barsom or divining-rod, and first taught its use
to mankind. From his palace on the highest summit of the Elburz range,
he watched the proceedings of the evil genii, and guarded the world
from their attempts. The Iranians were his special care; but he lost
no opportunity of injuring the Powers of Darkness, and lessening their
dominion by teaching everywhere the true religion. In the other world
it was his business to conduct the souls of the faithful through the
dangers of the middle passage, and to bring them before the golden
throne of Ormazd.

Among minor angelic powers were Vayu, "the wind," who is found also in
the Vedic system; Airyanam, a god presiding over marriages; Vitraha, a
good genius; Tistrya, the Dog Star, etc. The number of the minor
deities was not, however, great; nor do they seem, as in so many other
polytheistic religions, to have advanced in course of time from a
subordinate to a leading position. From first to last they are of small
account; and it seems, therefore, unnecessary to detain the reader by an
elaborate description of them.

From the mass, however, of the lower deities or genii must be
distinguished (besides Mithra and Serosh) the six Amesha Spentas, or
Amshashpands, who formed the council of Ormazd, and in a certain sense
reflected his glory. These were Vohu-mano or Bahman, Ashavahista
or Ardibehesht, Khsha-thra-vairya or Shahravar, Spenta-Armaiti or
Isfandarmat, Haurvatat or Khordad, and Ameretat or