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When this standard is applied anachronistically to the Hesiod fragment, it translates that the Nymphs can live in excess of 5,000 years. In later texts the general standard for the lifespan of a Phoenix is 500 years. The Nymphs in the text above say that they can outlive ten Phoenixes. The point being that Phoenix's are particularly long-lived birds:Ī chattering crow lives out nine generations of aged men, but a stag's life is four times a crow's and a raven's life makes three stags old, while the Phoinix (Phoenix) outlives nine raves, but we, the rich-haired Nymphai (Nymphs), daughters of Zeus the aigis-holder, outlive ten Phoinixes. Within the text, Nymphs are measuring the length of their lifespans in units of Phoenix's lifespans in order to show just how long-lived they are.
![phoenix creature phoenix creature](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WvEIZcpAROo/TQ9TYcADz2I/AAAAAAAAAB4/9rzfhYV5wDA/s1600/Phoenix-3.jpg)
The earliest use of the term " Phoenix" is from a fragment of text attributed to Hesiod, who lived between the 8th and 7th centuries BCE. In some stories, the new Phoenix embalms the ashes of its old self in an egg made of myrrh and deposits it in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis (literally " Sun-City" in Greek). The newborn Phoenix is destined to live as long as its previous incarnation. The bird is then consumed by the fire of it's nest, but from its ashes a young Phoenix arises, reborn anew. It has a 500 year life-cycle, near the end of which, it builds itself a nest of incense and sacred materials that it then ignites. There is only ever one Phoenix alive at a time. The Phoenix is a mythical bird with colorful plumage that is said to be either from Arabia or India.
#Phoenix creature full#
And he is a full fair bird to look upon, against the sun, for he shineth full gloriously and nobly. And he hath a crest of feathers upon his head more great than the peacock hath and is neck his yellow after colour of an oriel that is a stone well shining, and his beak is coloured blue as ind (indigo) and his wings be of purple colour, and his tail is barred overthwart (crosswise) with green and yellow and red. This bird men see often-time fly in those countries and he is not mickle more than an eagle. The most extensive and imaginative description of a Phoenix comes from " The Travels of Sir John Mandeville," which was a supposed travel memoire written in the 14th century CE by an unknown author:
![phoenix creature phoenix creature](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d3/93/79/d39379602c89af366ae350cfc429c52d.jpg)
In Medieval Christian Bestiaries, the Phoenix was considered to be Phoenician purple in color, as an explanation for its name. In Roman wall art, the Phoenix is depicted as having a crest similar to a peacock's. According to Herodotus, the Phoenix is an eagle-like bird with red and gold feathers. The appearance of the Phoenix differs over time depending on the source.