Around 4,000 years ago, for the transition from the era of the bull to the era of the ram: the Indo-Iranian solar deity Mithra was represented killing a bull with his sword by piercing its heart. The blood of this animal then fertilized the world. The forces of evil, represented by a dog, a snake and a scorpion, bit the animal to oppose the sacrifice and the fertilization of the world. This cosmic scene represents the end of the era of the bull; the old is sacrificed, and his death fertilizes the new world. The forces of evil oppose this inevitable cosmic evolution by clinging to the old.
The symbolism can go very far between the celestial cycles, the character of Mithras representing the avatar of the cycle and the animals representing the constellations. One detail reveals the relationship between the constellations Scorpio and Taurus which are on opposite sides of the ecliptic. On the statue of Mithras killing the bull, therefore representing the solar deity closing the era of the bull, there is a scorpion pinching the bull’s testicles.
This corresponds perfectly to celestial realities because the Scorpio sign corresponds to the genitals of the human body. In addition to this human and sexual symbolism, the scorpion is well known for representing the cycles of death and rebirth. The signs of Scorpio and Taurus being opposites, when one goes up the other goes down. When the sign of Scorpio appears, the sign of Taurus disappears, and vice versa. The scorpion also participates in the sacrifice of the bull.