![]() in the lifetime of one squawking crow, five human generations come and go." (Hesiod quoted by Aristophanes, The Birds 609). Concerning the Nymphs, who live in the woodlands, rivers, and meadows, some have thought that they do not live longer than a tree. The table shows, however, that the Phoenix lives 972 years and not 500, as others have claimed. ![]() Such interpretation yields better results: For 108 doubles 54, which is considered to mark the middle years of human life, being also a number related to the creation of the world. Thus, they reason, the crow lives 9 years out of those which an aged or vigorous man may live, which could be 30 years if he is going to be counted as a generation for his vigour, or 108 if he is counted as a generation for his age. And as some apparently find that very large numbers may confuse the mind, making it run away from any meaning whatsoever, they have wished to keep them low. For the Indians, for example, say they have existed for more than 1.000.000.000 years, and the Scythians say for 88.638.417 years, and the Chinese for 2.760.000 years, and the Japanese for 2.362.584 years, and the Chaldeans for 720.000 years, and the Persians for 100.000 years, and the Phoenicians for 30.000 years. For those who count with lesser numbers, as the Etruscans and the Atlanteans, whose ages amount repectively to 12.000 years and 11.044 years, may tend to find enormous, the fashion in which other peoples pile up digits. For the word "generation," says Plutarch, is to be interpreted as "one year," thus opening a wiser way of counting, able to yield results (table below), which, for being more modest must also be more reasonable. But this is not right counting that reaches such immense results. The NYMPHS then would live 777600 years before they also die. The raven lives as long as three stags, which amounts to 8640 years (2880 x 3) and the Phoenix lives as long as nine ravens, which is 77760 (8640 x 9). The stag's life being four times a crow's would then amount to 2880 years (720 x 4). Now, if the crow outlives nine generations of aged men, and if we were to call an aged man he who is 80 years old, then the crow would live 720 years (80 x 9). "A 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 phoenix outlives nine ravens, but we, the rich-haired Nymphs, daughters of Zeus the aegis-holder, outlive ten phoenixes." (Hesiod, quoted by Plutarch, Obsolescence of Oracles 415c). On the length of the life of the Phoenix, the following has been said: The difficult science of life span, years, ages and generations This is the only thing that the Phoenix, though he lives five hundred years, has been reported to do. Now, once in the course of his life, the Phoenix removes the nest from the palm and bears it to Heliopolis, where he lays it down before the doors of the Temple of the Sun. Having then placed himself upon the nest, he dies but from the dead body a little Phoenix springs up, who also lives the length of five centuries. When the Phoenix has lived for five hundred years, he builds a nest at the top of a palm-tree, which he covers over with cassia-bark, spikes of nard, cinnamon, and myrrhall of them highly aromatic plants. They add that unlike other birds, the Phoenix does not feed on seeds, but on the gum of frankincense, an aromatic resin, and the juices of amomum, a herb of the ginger family. For this bird, they say, is the only creature capable of renewing and reproducing its own being. ![]() Yet the Phoenix has no father in the usual sense. Having done this, he plasters over with more myrrh the hollow of the egg, and carries it to Egypt. In order to do this, the Phoenix first moulds an egg of the bitter tasting but aromatic plant called myrrh, and then hollows it out, putting his father into it. It is said that the Phoenix, carrying his father encased in myrrh, comes from Arabia to the Temple of the Sun in Heliopolis, where he buries him. ![]() It is from the pictures that they have described the Phoenix, saying that it had the appearance of an eagle, both in shape and size, and that his plumage was partly golden, and partly red. Historians have apparently never claimed to have seen this extraordinary creature, except in pictures, and they have found the accounts about this bird quite incredible. The Phoenix is a fabulous and sacred bird.Īccording to the people of Heliopolis in Egypt, the Phoenix came to that city once in five hundred years to bury his father.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |