What other myth is there about the phoenix bird. The Phoenix bird is the meaning of the legend of the fiery creature. The fiery bird in the myths of ancient Greece and Rome

Like a virgin - Phoenix, a miracle bird,
Burning itself, it rises from the ashes
An heir, as beautiful as herself.

Shakespeare

Phoenix (Greek Φοῖνιξ, Pers. ققنوس, Latin phoenix; possibly from the Greek φοίνιξ, "purple, crimson") is a mythological bird with the ability to burn itself and then revive.

The Phoenix bird is known in the mythologies of different cultures, it is often associated with the solar cult. According to one version, the bird was originally gray, according to another, it has appearance eagle-like with bright red or golden-red plumage. Anticipating death, he burns himself in his own nest, and a chick appears from the ashes. According to other versions of the myth, Phoenix himself is reborn from the ashes. It was usually believed that the Phoenix is ​​the only, unique individual of its kind. In the metaphorical interpretation, the Phoenix is ​​a symbol of eternal renewal.

The first written mention of the Phoenix myth is found in Herodotus (5th century BC). He reports that this bird from Arabia, lives for 500 years with its parent, and when he dies, he flies to the temple of the sun god in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis and buries the body of the parent there. Herodotus does not mention the self-burning of the Phoenix and the subsequent revival, and the myth itself characterizes it as implausible.

In the Christian world, Phoenix means the triumph of eternal life, resurrection, faith, constancy; it is a symbol of Christ. In early Christianity, Phoenix is ​​constantly found on burial slabs: here its meaning is the victory over death, the resurrection from the dead. In Russia, Phoenix had analogues: the Firebird and Finist.

In the Jewish Kabbalah there are some interpretations of the events that took place in Gan Eden (Garden of Eden), where it is said that Hawa (Eve) fed the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil to her husband Adam and all animals, birds and beasts. Only one stubborn bird Phoenix did not succumb to temptation, which subsequently retained its relative immortality because of this. This bird lives forever, every thousand years it burns up in a flame emerging from its nest, and is reborn from the ashes again. It also mentions the giant bird Ziz, which is capable of covering the entire sun with one of its wings. Both of these birds, according to legend, were the inhabitants of Gan Eden (Garden of Eden) during the stay of Adam and Eve (Hawa) there.

There is another legend about the immortal bird. During the 12-month stay of righteous Noah (Noah) in the Ark during the flood, he fed the animals that were there. Of all the inhabitants of the ark, only Phoenix lay, modestly snoozing in a corner, and to the question of Noah (Noah): Why do you not demand food for yourself - answered: - I saw how much trouble you have with others, and did not dare to bother you. Moved by these words, Noah (Noah) said: - You regretted my work, condolences to my sorrows. May the Almighty send you eternal life.

Phoenix is ​​a universal symbol of immortality: death and rebirth in fire.

One of the legends says that when the phoenix feels the approach of death, he builds a nest of fragrant wood and resins, which then exposes to the scorching rays of the sun until it burns to ashes in their flame. Then a new phoenix emerges from its remains.

"The death and resurrection of the Phoenix signifies the successive destruction and restoration of the world, which ... were accomplished by means of a fiery flood ..." (H.P. Blavatsky. "The Secret Doctrine"). As a “fiery bird,” he signifies the divinity of kingship, nobility and oneness, and meekness. In all traditions, Phoenix acts as a solar symbol. An analogy can be drawn between the phoenix and other fantastic birds - Benu in Egypt, Garuda among the Hindus, Simurg in Iranian mythology, Kerkes in the Turkish tradition. Phoenix, the “liberated soul,” as CG Jung put it, has become a symbol of human rebirth.

In Egypt, the phoenix as a symbol of the solar principle, resurrection and immortality was associated with Ra. When the ancient Egyptians represented the sun in the form of a bird, its movement across the sky during the day was compared to flight. So, in Heliopolis, the center of the sun god Atum, who later merged with Ra, a myth was formed about the appearance of a luminary in the form of a phoenix. The phoenix was considered the ba (soul, spiritual force) of the god Ra, as well as a form of manifestation of Osiris: “Like a phoenix, I will pass through the regions of the other world” (“Book of the Dead”).

But I would like to end with one more legend, in my opinion the most poetic, which I have read just now.

The Legend of the Phoenix

“... Once a rumor passed between the birds that there was a paradise in the world, and that paradise in the sun. And they gathered and began to talk about it. The Phoenix bird was also at that meeting.
And the Elder said to the congregation: “That paradise is perfect, and we birds can be there. But the way there is difficult! "
Then there was no daredevil who would dare to reach the sun without fear of being burned in its scorching rays. And all the birds said in unison: "Yes, that paradise is perfect, but, apparently, it was not created for us."
And suddenly Phoenix shouted: "I will reach the Sun!"
And the birds quieted down, looking in surprise at their brave fellow. And they did not believe him, for the Phoenix's plumage was gray and inconspicuous, and they laughed at him, saying: “Truly, he is mad who says that the sun will not kill him! As if the feathers of the Phoenix are stronger than ours ... Or does he fly higher than us? Why then ... "
And again, harder than stone and louder than thunder, a voice sounded, blocking the mocking hubbub. And it was the voice of the proud Phoenix bird: "I will reach the Sun!"
Then he spread his wings, rose into the blue expanse of the sky and flew towards the luminary. He got closer and closer to his goal, and all the other birds remained on the ground. And they looked at Phoenix from the bottom up, but not one of them dared to follow him. And he climbed higher and higher and now he already felt the deadly heat of the sun with his whole body. And then the plumage of the Phoenix flared up, and it caught fire with a scarlet fire. He screeched with indescribable pain, but did not stop!
The Phoenix did not get scared, did not slow down its flight and continued to fly, flapping its burning wings vigorously. And the birds saw on earth what fate befell the daredevil, but none of them wanted to help him.
Suddenly a bright sunbeam struck right into the heart of the brave Phoenix, and the proud bird crumbled to dust, and the dust fell on the warm mortal earth and mixed with the dust of the eternal in its vast expanses. So, in his striving for beauty, Phoenix died before everyone's eyes.
And the birds laughed, gloating: “Look what is left of this madman! Serves him right for his stupidity !! " And they did not know that the spirit of the Phoenix did not perish, just as his body perished. They did not know that the spirit of the Phoenix ascended to the sun, in order to then rush to the earth in a moment.
And the birds saw how something sparkling swept through the heavenly space and stopped above the place where a cloud of dust of the noble Phoenix had scattered. And a sheaf of white fire flared up, and a new bird flew out of that fire. She was young, strong, beautiful, her plumage sparkled with a perky purple fire.
And the burned-out Phoenix was that bird. So he rose from his dust to always continue to strive for the beautiful. "

0 This creature in Slavic folklore is usually called simply " Firebird"and it appears as a majestic flaming bird that glows in a bright red-orange color. Legend has it that feathers will glow even when plucked from this legendary bird. One feather can illuminate a large room when taken out of casket or purse, where it is usually located.
In later medieval icon painting, the usual image of the Firebird is presented as a small flaming peacock, which has a red comb on its head and “ fiery eyes»On the tail unit. On our site you can find transcripts of a wide variety of interesting words from various jargons and modern newspeak. I recommend adding this resource site to your bookmarks in order to always have access to new and informative information.
However, before I continue, let me bring to your attention a couple of our other publications on the subject of religion and various cults. For example, who is the goddess Lada, find out more about the Slavic god Rod, about the Slavic gods briefly, the meaning of the Celtic gods, etc.
So let's continue the phoenix bird symbolizes?

Phoenix- This is one of the most famous mythological birds, which has the ability to cyclically burn itself, and then revive again.

Bird of myths and legends

As the Slavs call the Firebird in their languages:

• Russian: Firebird, (Zhar-ptitsa);
• Ukrainian: Firebird, (Zhar-ptica);
• Serbian: Firebird or Žar-ptica;
• Croatian: Žar ptica
• Bulgarian: Firebird, (Zhar-ptitsa); Macedonian: Firebird, (Žar-ptica);
• Polish: Żar-ptak;
• Czech: Pták Ohnivák;
• Slovak: Vták Ohnivák;
• Slovenian: Rajska / zlata-ptica.

Phoenix in oriental culture

The legend of immortality

Slavic tales and mythology

After reading this useful article, you learned about bird phoenix, its meaning, and now you can tell this myth to your friends and acquaintances.

Phoenix is ​​an amazing bird that exists in the myths of different peoples separated from each other by space and time: Egypt and China, Japan, Phenicia, Greece and Russia. Everywhere this bird is associated with the sun. Chinese feng shui master Lam Kam Chuen wrote: “This is a mythical bird that never dies. Phoenix flies far ahead and always inspects the entire landscape that opens in the distance. This represents our ability to see and collect visual information about the environment and the events unfolding within it. The great beauty of Phoenix creates powerful excitement and undying inspiration. "

Where did Phoenix appear

Ancient man always thought about death and what would happen after it. The Egyptians built monumental stone pyramids for the mummies that were to go into eternity. Therefore, it is quite natural that all along the whole of Upper and Lower Egypt there were legends about the Bennu bird (as the Egyptians called the phoenix), which, after dying, is reborn again. Phoenix is ​​a bird full of secrets.

In Egypt, Bennu was represented in the form of a great heron, which lived about five thousand years ago in the Persian Gulf region and was a rare guest of the Egyptians. On his head, they depicted two long feathers or a solar disk. The sacred bird of Heliopolis with beautiful red and gold plumage was represented as the soul of the sun god Ra. In addition, the cry of the Bennu bird marked the beginning of time. That is, Phoenix is ​​time and fire that cannot be contained.

Classic Arabic Phoenix

The most famous was the Arabic Phoenix, known to us from Greek sources. This one was about the size of an eagle. She had a brilliant scarlet and gold plumage and a melodic voice.

Sitting at the dawn of every morning at the well, she sang a song so charming that even the great Apollo stopped to listen.

Phoenix's life was very long. According to some sources, he lived for five hundred, according to others - a thousand, or even almost thirteen thousand years. When his life drew to a close, he built himself a nest from the branches of fragrant myrrh and fragrant sandalwood, set it on fire and burned. Three days later, this bird, raised from the ashes, was reborn young. According to other legends, she appeared directly from the flame.

The young phoenix embalmed the ashes of its predecessor into an egg and carried it to Heliopolis on the altar of the sun god.

Phoenix is ​​a victory over death and a cyclical rebirth.

Chinese Phoenix (Fenghuang)

The Phoenix is ​​a symbol of high virtue and grace, power and prosperity. It represents the union of yin and yang. It was believed that this gentle creature, descending so gently that it did not press anything, but ate only dewdrops.

Phoenix represented the power sent from heaven only to the empress.

If the Phoenix (image) was used to decorate a home, it symbolized that loyalty and honesty were in the people who lived there. Jewelry with the image of this bird showed that the owner was a person of high moral values, and therefore only a very important person could wear them.

It is believed that the Chinese Phoenix had a rooster's beak, a swallow's face, a snake's neck, a goose's chest, and a fish's tail. Its feathers were of five primary colors: black, white, red, green, and yellow, and were said to represent Confucian virtues: loyalty, honesty, decency, and justice.

The traditional legend of the Phoenix bird

Only one Phoenix could live in our world at a time. His true home was Paradise, a land of unimaginable beauty, lying beyond the distant horizon to the rising sun.

It's time to die. To do this, the fiery Phoenix bird had to fly into the mortal world, flying west through the jungles of Burma and the hot plains of India, to reach the fragrant aromatic groves of Arabia. Here she collected a bunch of aromatic herbs before heading to the coast of Phenicia in Syria. In the uppermost branches of the palm, Phoenix built a nest of herbs and awaited the arrival of a new dawn, which would herald his death.

When the sun soared over the horizon, Phoenix turned to face the east, opened the clock and sang such a mesmerizing song that even the sun god himself for a moment recovered in his chariot. After listening to the sweet sounds, he set the horses in motion, and a spark from their hooves descended into the Phoenix's nest and made it flare up. Thus, the thousand-year life of the Phoenix ended in fire. But in the ashes of the funeral pyre, a tiny worm stirred.

Three days later, the creature grew into a completely new bird, the Phoenix, which then spread its wings and flew east to the gates of Paradise with its retinue of birds. The Phoenix bird, rising from the ashes, represents the sun itself, which dies at the end of each day, but is reborn at the next dawn. Christianity took the legend of the bird, and the authors of the bestiaries equated it with Christ, who was executed but resurrected.

From the Egyptian Book of the Dead

What is the meaning of the Phoenix bird in mythology? Generation after generation Phoenix creates itself. It is never easy. He waited for long nights, lost in himself, gazing at the stars. The bird fights against the darkness, against its own ignorance, against the resistance to change, with its sentimental love for its own stupidity.

Perfection is a difficult task. Phoenix loses and finds its way again. One of the tasks performed gives rise to others. There is no end to the work to be done. This is a harsh eternity. There is no end to becoming. The fiery bird lives forever, striving for perfection. She praises the moment she dies in fire, when the veils of illusion burn with her. Phoenix sees how much we strive for the Truth. She is the fire that burns in people who know the truth.

Phoenix's role in various ancient judgments

According to Greek views, Phoenix is ​​a symbol of a renewed life.

The Romans believed that this bird shows that the Roman Empire is of divine origin and should exist forever.

For Christians, Phoenix means eternal life, symbolizing Christ.

The alchemists viewed the Phoenix as the completion of the Philosopher's Stone. But they never got to that.

"Like a Phoenix to rise from the ashes
Not many in this life are destined
Climb up, fall but don't crash
And get up again, and not go to the bottom.
Over the course of ups and downs
Resurrecting again from the dark void,
Having walked the path of their rebirths,
Do not lose spiritual purity ... "
("The Ashes of Revival", A. Dubasov)

What does the expression given in the poem mean " rise from the ashes"? How did it appear in our language, and when is it used in speech? What magic is hidden in it?

Today I invite you to visit the country of this amazing phraseological unit, where I will answer all these questions.

1. History of the origin of phraseological units

What is "phraseological unit"? In short, this is the wisdom of the people, contained in one phrase, this is a stable expression that has a figurative meaning and an interesting story.

Here is the phraseological unit “ »Very interesting and very ancient history... This stable phrase refers to mythological, since it is closely connected with the ideas of ancient people about the mythological bird Phoenix (full form: “ reborn / rise like a Phoenix from the ashes a").

Phoenix (the word comes from the Greek. Phoinix (phoinikos) - "purple, crimson") is a bird known in the mythologies of different cultures, which has the ability to burn itself and then revive. Outwardly, it looks like an eagle, but with bright red or golden-red plumage. Lives for 500 years (according to other sources - 1000, 1461 or even 12994 years), then, foreseeing his own death, sacrifices himself by self-immolation in his own nest. Remaining dead for a while, he then rises from his own ashes. Therefore, the Phoenix is ​​a symbol of eternal rebirth, renewal and immortality.

The first written mention of the Phoenix myth is found in Herodotus (5th century BC). Then Tacitus (1st century AD) mentions the Phoenix in his records, talking about how the inhabitants of ancient Egypt watched the arrival of an outlandish bird. In addition, Phoenix is ​​mentioned by other ancient authors, such as Lactantius (the poem "The Bird Phoenix", (III-IV centuries AD) and Claudian (the poem "Phoenix"), and later by Ovid ("Metamorphoses"), Dante ("Hell", XXIV), Shakespeare ("Henry VIII"), Pelisser ("The Phoenix and Its Natural History") and Milton ("Samson the Wrestler").
“... With that Arabian bird,
That there is one in the whole universe
Only from myself will be born,
She dies once in a century
In the flames of self-immolation
And it rises, young and strong,
After resurrection ... "
(Milton, "Samson the Wrestler")

Phoenix is ​​also mentioned in ancient Russian books:

“There is a bird in Great India, called Phoenix. There is that one-nest bird: it cannot have any of its friends or children, but it itself only dwells in its nest ... Whenever you grow old, fly to a height and carry the heavenly fire and light its nest, and then it itself will burn out. But the packs in the ashes of their nest are again being glorified. " ("Matitsa golden", XV century)

In Russia, under the influence of the myths about the Phoenix, their own wonderful tales about the shining firebird were formed. The very term “ Firebird"Quite accurately conveys the meaning of the Greek word" phoenix "(crimson). Likewise, in Finiste, the clear falcon, it is easy to recognize the distorted name of Phoenix.

The fiery bird is also mentioned in early Christianity, where it became a symbol of victory over death, the triumph of eternal life, resurrection from the dead. And also a symbol of Jesus Christ.

In the change of day and night. For example, in Ancient Egypt, Phoenix was directly associated with the cult of the sun god Ra, personifying the daily "dying" and "rebirth" of the sun and day.

2. The meaning of phraseological units

First, consider the lexical meanings of individual words in this expression:

Reborn:
1. To recover, to resume after destruction, a period of decline, to return to the previous state, to appear, to arise again.
2. Feel a surge of strength, cheerfulness, become cheerful, vital.

Rise:
1. Rise, stand up, rise (for some purpose).
2. Take up arms, rise up against someone.
3. Rebel against someone, raise an uprising.
4. To act contrary to someone or something, to oppose, disagreeing with something.

Ash:
- a light volatile crumbly charred mass that remains after something burned out, burned (Ushakov's dictionary), ash, all burnt and burnt into dust (Dahl's dictionary).

But individual words, falling into phraseological units, lose their semantic independence. Phraseologisms are distinguished from free phrases by "the generalization of the meaning of the entire turnover as a whole, which most often does not coincide with the lexical meaning of the individual components that make it up."

Therefore, the meaning of the expression “ reborn / rise from the ashes"Is somewhat different from the meaning of the words that make it up, and sounds like this -" die, but miraculously (like a phoenix) come to life».

Gradually the words " phoenix"And the expression" reborn / rise from the ashes»Began to be applied to everything that temporarily decays, dies off, and then, as it were, is reborn, rebuilt, restored, for example:

To people who have endured misfortune, tragedy, who have lost faith in the best, love, but who managed to pull themselves together, who started life anew:
As a phoenix is ​​reborn from the ashes
Embraced by the flame of a yearning soul
So is the love that has faded
Suddenly whispers to the heart again: "Breathe"
(author unknown)

To human communities and peoples:
“They have smashed us more than once, they drowned us in blood, interfered with the mud. But from nowhere, finding strength, truth and the will to win, we were reborn from the ashes ... "

To cities and countries rebuilt after destruction:
From the ashes of Russia, as the Phoenix will be reborn,
The white-winged Firebird will flap its wings,
Will take off and fly again into Dawn
Russia will give Love to the World again!
(S. Talsay)

To the spheres human activity: "The mortgage is ready to be reborn from the ashes"

Even to disease: "Diphtheria - a phoenix reborn from the ashes"

Alas, not only good things in our life tend to be reborn from the ashes, but bad things too ...

3. Phraseologism as a phrase

Phraseologism " reborn / rise from the ashes»Is a full-fledged verb combination, as it consists of two full-valued words (verb + noun, where the verb revive / revolt is the main word, and the noun from the ashes is dependent), connected by the preposition from and located among themselves in the magic of submission. The semantic relationship between the main and the dependent word is objective.

The main word " revive / revolt"Manages dependent" from the ash", Requiring it with you in a certain case form (in this case, in Gender. P.), That is, when the main word in a phrase changes, the dependent always remains unchanged:
- you are reborn (2nd person, singular, present) from the ashes (Rod.p.)
- revived (singular, f.r., last time) from the ashes (Rod.p.)
- we will be reborn (1 person, plural, bud.time) from the ashes (Rod.p.)

The spell by which the word " revive / revolt"Tied the word" from the ash» - Of what?(Gender p.) In this case, the magic that connects two words is called control magic. The magic of control is also indicated by the preposition from... The presence of a preposition is always a sign that we are facing control, not adjoining.

4. The use of phraseological units in speech

Phraseologisms in our everyday speech are heard quite often. Sometimes we do not even notice that we are pronouncing them - they are so familiar and convenient for us. You can say a whole tirade, something like “despite the syndrome burnout, the teacher found the strength to ... ". And you can say a short one - “reborn from the ashes” - and at once a lot becomes clear.

The use of the phraseological unit “reborn from the ashes” (like any other phraseological unit) is characteristic of the colloquial style and some bookish styles of speech. For example, for journalistic. This phraseological unit can be found quite often on the pages of newspapers and magazines, in speeches on television and radio:
- “Will Perm basketball be reborn like Phoenix from the ashes?"(Arguments and Facts, 10/29/2010)
- « Kodak wants to be reborn from the ashes: the famous company can be helped by the reorganization procedure, as well as a billion-dollar loan "(News of the TV company NTV from 19.01.2012)
- “Apparently, a radical reform of the security forces will be announced this week. It will directly affect the St. Petersburg security officers. What has been said for a long time will come true: a semblance of the Soviet KGB is being created in the country. Iron Felix can be reborn from the ashes "(Izvestia, dated 21.07.2004)

In fiction, this phraseological unit is found even more often than in journalism. And this is understandable: in works of art, he becomes exactly the paint that gives imagery and beauty to the narration or description.
- “His great soul did not lament, however, under the burden of the sadness that weighed upon her, his nature, like a phoenix, was always reborn from its own ashes and showed energy as the obstacles and obstacles intensified”.(D.V. Grigorovich "Country Roads")
- « The Cherdyntsevs remained in Moscow. Together with other Muscovites, they experienced an unforgettable day of the November festive parade, when, as if reviving from the ashes, powerful military equipment - tanks, armored vehicles, heavy and light artillery - moved along Red Square, past the Mausoleum "(Yu. Nagibin "Pavlik").

But especially this phraseological unit, as a colorful, telling image, is loved by poets:
- It's time to be reborn from the ashes,
Like a phoenix bird, it's time
But to return to the old years
I will never be able to ...(G. Bogatyreva)

- May the world be born again
Reborn from the ashes,
But I will say three words -
"I live and enjoy" ..... (V. Weidengamer)

- Vesuvius has ceased, Hekla has died,
The reservoir was cleaned again.
We are reborn from the ashes.
And we rise from the ashes.(S. Medvedev)

But in an official business speech, as in scientific works and speeches, where there is strict consistency, generalized abstract nature of information and lack of emotionality, our phraseological unit is unlikely to be found, well, perhaps in popular science works, where the use of some means of linguistic expressiveness is allowed.

The huge expressive possibilities of the Russian language are also created by phraseological synonyms and antonyms. One and the same thought can be expressed using different phraseological units.

Synonymous with phraseological unit " reborn / rise from the ashes"Can be considered a phraseological unit" rise from the dust", One of the values ​​of which is" to rise, to be reborn from the state of decline, oblivion»

As for the antonyms, they will be such phraseological units as “ go / crumble / scatter ashes" and " turn / turn to dust", The meaning of which is" to cease to be, to exist; be destroyed "

Phraseologism differs from a free combination of words not only by the constancy of the composition and a single meaning, but also by the fact that it is one member of the sentence. Phraseologism "to be reborn / rise from the ashes" in sentences acts as a predicate. As an example, I will take a few sentences that were given in my speech:

We were smashed more than once, they drowned us in blood, interfered with the mud. But from nowhere, finding strength, truth and the will to win, we ( what they were doing?) reborn from the ashes …»

Kodak ( what is he doing?) wants to be reborn from the ashes: the famous company can be helped by the reorganization procedure, as well as a billion-dollar loan.

His great soul did not lament, however, under the burden of the sadness that weighed upon her, his nature ( what did you do?), like a phoenix, revived always from their own ash and showed energy as the obstacles and obstacles intensified "

Generally expressions " like a phoenix", "like a phoenix"act in sentences absolutely independently and have a meaning -" something or someone with a rare gift / ability for self-healing / revival. "Combining the same with the main part of phraseological unit ( reborn / rise from the ashes), they:

Create a brighter, more expressive image for perception,
- are in subjection to her magic,
- play a syntactic role different from it, namely, they are a circumstance of the course of action.

Let's take an example: From the ashes of Russia, how the Phoenix will be reborn ...

Russia (what will it do?) Will be reborn from the ashes (predicate)
Reborn from the ashes (how? How?) Like Phoenix (circumstance)

On this, our short journey across the country of the phraseologism "to be reborn / rise from the ashes" has come to an end. I want to end my speech with the words:

Each phraseological unit is like a gem that shines as long as people remember it.

Nicoya, 4th year student of Argemona School, Pilvilinne House

There are many legends about this fantastic bird, in which the image of one of the most beautiful creatures on earth appears before us. The phoenix bird is a symbol of death and immortality, combustion and constant rebirth. It was compared to the sun setting in the evening and reappearing in the morning, with the eternal life of the soul leaving the body after death. So the phoenix has become entrenched in the minds of people as the embodiment of the dream of endless existence.

The idea of ​​a divine bird resembling a heron originated in Ancient Egypt, whose inhabitants, thinking about immortality, created magnificent temples, pyramids and imperishable mummies. According to the myth, the phoenix (benu) bird appeared on the stone-obelisk Ben-Ben that arose out of the water chaos, which marked the beginning of the creation of the world: the epithet “benu” in this case meant the phrase “the one that emerged from itself”. Not created by anyone, the bird that originally existed flew over the waters of the ocean until it made a nest for itself on the stone-hill Ben-Ben ...

Not only the ancient Egyptians thought this way: other backgammon also have stories that a bird took part in the creation of the world. Of course, people hardly knew exactly who created the world, but the appearance of a dazzling bird amazed the imagination, shining in the reflection of the sun's rays on the frescoes of Heliopolis. As Herodotus wrote, “the phoenix is ​​a sacred bird, in Egypt it rarely appears, once every 500 years, as the townspeople said. According to them, she arrives when her father (that is, herself) dies. If the images correctly show its size, size and appearance, its plumage is partly golden, partly red, and its appearance and dimensions resemble an eagle. "

Here we are talking about the miracle of rebirth that took place in the Egyptian Heliopolis, the temple of the sun god. Unlike all other birds, the phoenix was born without mating. When the bird felt that its time had come, it, fluttering its wings, flew in from the east, made a nest of fragrant dry herbs on the altar of the sun god and lay down in it. From the hot rays of the luminary, reflecting from its sparkling wings, the nest caught fire, and the phoenix burned to ashes. A few days later, a completely new bird appeared in this place and began a new life, which, in fact, is eternal.

The Metamorphoses of Ovid, who created the Roman version of the myth based on the legend of the bird of the Sun, had a huge impact on the spread of the legends about the phoenix. This image is best illustrated by the title of the book: "metamorphosis" in Greek means "reincarnation." Ovid's story is distinguished not only by its clarity, but also by a consistent presentation of events: we are talking about the burial of a deceased phoenix and the revival of a bird from its own seed.

In the ancient world, the phoenix was a symbol of immortality and eternity. In the same sense, the Byzantine emperors depicted him on their medals. On the prints of later European rulers, the immortal bird flaunted for centuries, however, a symbol of perfection and purity was added to it. In 1665, the medal with the image of a phoenix was ordered to be knocked out by the Swedish queen Christina. Above the image was the word "makelos" in Greek letters, that is, "infallible."

As for the appearance of the phoenix bird, all descriptions agree on one thing: it is an amazingly beautiful creature. Something like a bird of paradise, only much more. Her head and neck shine with gold, her chest is covered with down of a fiery blue, and her body is covered with feathers that shimmer in red, green and yellow, on the long tail the colors change from pink to purple. The unanimity in the description of the phoenix deserves attention also because there was no person who would see the bird with his own eyes. Someone once imagined what a wondrous creature could be, and this imaginative description began to pass from one book to another, like a bird fluttering from branch to branch.

The Greek and Latin writers estimate the duration of individual periods of the life of the "eternal bird", as already mentioned, at 500-540 years. Egyptian sources are more accurate: the phoenix flies to the temple of the sun god to burn itself to the ground every 652 years. Its appearance is noted during the reign of Pharaoh Sesostris in 2555 BC. e., then in 1904 BC. NS. etc. From these notes, modern science has suggested that the 652-year period, or the so-called Phoenix period, coincides with the period of the passage of Mercury through the Sun. That is, the phoenix is ​​nothing more than an astronomical symbol, a hieroglyph, meaning the passage of Mercury.

The Roman historian Tacitus (I-II century), argued that the phoenix, before death, secretes into the nest a certain fertile substance, from which a young bird is born: “This creature is dedicated to the Sun and differs from other birds in its head and brightness of plumage, everyone agrees on this, who described his appearance. They say differently about his age. Most define it at five hundred years, but there are those who claim that this phoenix has been living for one thousand four hundred and sixty-one years, since earlier the phoenixes flew to the city called Heliopolis, the first time under the reign of Sesosis, the second time - Amasis and in the last - Ptolemy. "

A contemporary of Tacitus, Saint Clement of Rome, for the first time connects the image of the phoenix with Christian teaching: repeating the story of Ovid about the five hundred-year-old phoenix that lives in Arabia, Clement ends his story with the words that “The Creator who created the phoenix thus demonstrated that he gives immortality to the one who devotes a life of faithful service to Him. " This thought of Clement was taken up by later Christian authors - Tertullian, Lactantius, Rufinus, St. Gregory of Tours and others.

In Christian teaching, the phoenix becomes a symbol not only of the immortality of the spirit, divine love and blessing, but also of God the Son, who was resurrected on the third day after the crucifixion. Phoenix images adorn cathedrals in Tours, Magdeburg, Basel, and many other European cities. Most impressive is the 12th-century wall mosaic in St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome: it depicts a phoenix with blue-white plumage, gold-red wings, and its head surrounded by white and gold halos.

The eminent theosophist Helena Blavatsky also left her commentary in The Secret Doctrine: “The death and resurrection of the phoenix signify the successive destruction and restoration of the world, which ... were accomplished by means of a fiery flood. As a “fiery bird,” he signifies the divinity of kingship, nobility and oneness, and meekness. In all traditions, the phoenix acts as a solar symbol. "

The common tradition was picked up in ancient China as well. In Chinese mythology, the phoenix (fenghuang) is a miracle bird that, in contrast to the Chinese dragon, embodies the feminine principle (yin). Its appearance to people is a great sign, which can testify to the power of the emperor or portend a significant event.

In the Shouwen dictionary of fenghuang, compiled during the Han dynasty, it is said that this bird has a rooster's beak, a swallow's goiter, a snake's neck, patterns on its body, like a dragon's, a fish's tail, a turtle's back, it looks like a swan in front, and a unicorn in the back. Its height reaches 3 m. According to Chinese beliefs, fenghuang was seen before the death of the Yellow Emperor. She was last seen at the grave of the founder of the Ming Dynasty in 1368.

The phoenix king-bird and the Chinese “Catalog of the Seas and Mountains” narrate: “Five hundred to the east of the Heavenly Tiger Mountain is the Cinnabar Cave Mountain, at its top there is a lot of gold and jade. There is a bird there, five-color, with streaks. Phoenix is ​​called. The pattern on her head resembles the hieroglyph "de", which means "virtue", and on the wings - the hieroglyph "i" ("justice"), on the back - the hieroglyph "li" ("good manners"), on the chest - "ren" ("Perfection"), on the belly - "blue" ("honesty"). She eats and drinks like a normal bird. She sings herself and dances herself. "

The appearance of fenghuang was considered a sign of the coming of peace in the Celestial Empire. As a bird that accompanies peace and prosperity, this mystical creature is mentioned in many Chinese legends. Fusi (in ancient Chinese mythology - the ancestor) on the occasion of the arrival of fenghuang created special music. It was believed that she knew the seasons of the year, so the Shaohao ruler named the official in charge of the calendar, Fennyao-shi ("the genus of the feng bird").

In the Middle Ages, the image of the fenghuang bird was often used in Taoism: it was reported about saints flying in the sky, it was told about the appearance of a feng bird in a dream, after which they gave birth to outstanding sons. For the medieval Chinese, the phoenix bird represented marital fidelity and a prosperous life. Therefore, she was often depicted on wedding dresses, was a symbol of the bride and the empress. Coming from the ancient sage Confucius, the proverb “all phoenixes do not appear” means that all happiness does not come and does not come.

The image of a magical creature is very popular in Chinese art. Approximately from the Shang-Yin era, bronze vessels with reliefs depicting fenghuang as a bird with a lush tail, huge eyes and a crest on its head, in the form of a trident on a long leg, have come down to us.

In China, as in other countries of the world, this bird was considered immortal. According to Chinese belief, when a mythical creature anticipates its demise, it retires to desert places and sings songs there all day. His singing is very beautiful and melodious, it fascinates everyone, even animals. After the magical singing, the phoenix kindles a fire and throws himself into it to disappear into the flames without a trace. But no later than three days later, the phoenix is ​​reborn from the ashes, overflowing new life and shining with beauty.

The Jews, who call the miracle bird milcham, said that only she refused to eat the forbidden fruit, and for this God granted her immortality. And in the teachings of the Stoics it is said that the world is born and dies in fire, and this process is cyclical; thus, the phoenix can be interpreted as an image of the universe. This creature is also an attribute of the allegorical image of hope.

At the end of the 17th century, the German scientist F. Wolf collected together all the information about the heavenly bird that was available at that time. The author published the result of the search in a work with the intricate title "Amazing Wildlife Garden, or On the Unreasonableness of Animals": "The phoenix bird is considered the most amazing of all the birds of the air. Some write that she lives in Arabia, others talk about other places. This bird does not reproduce, like other birds, but is reborn after death from its own ashes. She lives 160 years, and some scientists argue that it is longer. They also say about her that she is the only one in the whole earth, therefore they see her very rarely. Hence the saying: "More rare than a phoenix bird." The size of a phoenix from an eagle, the neck is shiny, golden, in the tail there are pink feathers, the face is round, on the head is a tuft. "

An earlier description of the phoenix was made in the 6th century BC in the apocrypha "The Revelation of Baruch". To the question of the biblical prophet "What kind of bird is this?" the angel replied: "This is the keeper of the world ... If she did not cover the fiery pupil of the sun, then neither the human race, nor all creatures on earth would be alive from the heat of the sun." Thus, the phoenix saves people from the incinerating gaze of the luminary.

There is a description of a wonderful bird in the very first medieval "zoological" book "Physiologist" in Russia: "The head is adorned with a crown, and on the legs are boots, like those of a tsar. The phoenix dwells about Sunny city... It has been lying for 500 years on Lebanese cedars without food. It feeds on the Holy Spirit. The bell rings at the appointed hour, and the phoenix in the church on the altar turns to ash. And in the morning they find a phoenix in the same place in the form of a chick, and a day later - an adult bird ... "The winged creature is also mentioned in the collection of spiritual poems under the well-known title" The Pigeon Book ". It says: “The phoenix bird is the mother of all birds. Her feathers are stronger than steel and damask, they cut bones and stones with them, and when guests come from across the sea, they buy feathers and cover velvets and satins with them ”.

Over the centuries, the number of references to the phoenix in sources has increased exponentially. If for all the time before the birth of Christ only 9 indications of the phoenix are known, then in the 1st century alone we find already 21 references by 10 authors. In early Christian times, there are already more than 100 of them, and in literary sources related to the Middle Ages, it is generally incalculable.

In art and literature, the phoenix symbolizes the rebirth - of a person or a design - or creative activity after some kind of destruction, in particular from fire. In addition, his images are widely used in heraldry. The phoenix adorns the shield of Jeanne d'Arc, the seal of the Scottish Queen Mary Stuart, the medallion of the English Queen Elizabeth I. Lady Jane Seymour's brooch depicts a phoenix engulfed in flames. A similar bird with spread wings is also depicted in the painting of the same name by Rembrandt. commissioned by the artist by the Amsterdam community, whose symbol was also the phoenix.

There are countless references to the bird of paradise in fiction. The oldest literary sources are the 9th century English Poem of the Phoenix, in which the bird personifies the afterlife. The 12th century "Teaching about the Phoenix" contains a description of Saint Peter's visit to heaven, who witnesses the rebirth of the phoenix from the ashes on the third day after death. In Wolfram von Eschenbach's "Perzifal" (12th century), an immortal phoenix guards the sacred Grail Stone.

Phoenix also appears in Dante's Divine Comedy:

This is what the great sages know,

That Phoenix is ​​dying to rise like a new one,

When it comes to five hundred years.

Not herbs - his food, not fruit juice,

But incense tears and amom,

Backgammon and myrrh are mortal covers.

And Petrarch in sonnets compares his immortal love for Beatrice with a phoenix. Despite the fact that, according to ancient sources, only one phoenix lives on earth, the heroes of François Rabelais' novel "Gargantua and Pantagruel" meet 14 phoenixes simultaneously on one tree during their travels.

Phoenix is ​​one of Shakespeare's favorite images. The mythological bird is the hero of his play "The Phoenix and the Turtle Dove", where he is a symbol of immortality and truth, and she is a symbol of love and beauty. Both are burnt in the fire because of "marital chastity." As a symbol of rebirth and uniqueness, the phoenix is ​​mentioned in the plays The Tempest, As You Like It, All's Well That Ends Well, etc. In Milton's Paradise Lost, the Archangel Raphael descends to earth to Adam in the form of a phoenix. Keats writes: "The wings of the phoenix went to me ... so that I could fly away to my dreams."

The phoenix was and remains the most popular mythological bird in the world. He is truly immortal, has lived since the time of Herodotus and Hesiod in our history, myths, folklore, literature and art. A city in the United States is named after him, and in the southern hemisphere at night you can see a small constellation named after the legendary bird that rises from the ashes and is reborn to new life.

Pernatiev Yuri Sergeevich. Brownies, mermaids and other mysterious creatures