Phoenicians Legends
THE PHOENIX BIRD
The Phoenix is a mythical bird thought to be the servant of the sun god. It lives in the East Mediterranean, close to a cool well. Each morning at dawn, it would bathe in the water and sing such a beautiful song that the sun god stopped his chariot to listen. Only one Phoenix exists at any one time. When the Phoenix feels its death approaching every 500 years, it would build a nest and set it on fire, and was consumed by flames. After it was burned, a new Phoenix sprang forth from the pyre. The new Phoenix then embalmed the ashes of its predecessor in an egg of myrrh and flew with it to the City of the Sun.
The Abduction of Europa
Europa, the Phoenician Princess that overwhelmed Zeus with Love
Zeus, the King of the gods, according to Greek mythology, saw Europa, the beautiful daughter of the Phoenician king of Tyre ‘Agenor’, as she was gathering flowers by the Mediterranean Sea and fell in love with her.
Overwhelmed by love for Europa, Zeus transformed himself into a magnificent white bull and appeared on the sea shore. The great bull was so gentle that Europa spread flowers about his neck and dared to climb upon his back. Then the bull rushed over the sea abducting Europa and took her to the Mediterranean island of Crete. There, Zeus changed back into his human form. Europa became the first queen of Crete and had three sons with Zeus: King Minos of Crete, King Rhadamanthus of the Cyclades Islands, and Prince Sarpedon of Lycia. She later married the King of Crete, who adopted her sons, and she was worshiped under the name of Hellotis in Crete. The Hellotia festival was held in her honor. After his death Zeus reproduced the shape of the white bull that was used to seduce Europa, in the stars. Today, we can recognize its shape in the constellation Taurus.
The legend of the Phoenix has been around for centuries: The Phoenix is a supernatural creature, living for 500 years. Once its life span is over, the Phoenix builds its own funeral pyre, and throws itself into the flames. As it dies, it is reborn anew, and rises from the ashes to live another 500 years. Alternatively, it lays an egg in the burning coals of the fire which hatches into a new Phoenix, and the life cycle is repeated.
The Phoenix was the symbol of the great civilization of Phoenician people who lived in the East Mediterranean around 4000 BC and spread throughout the Mediterranean area, which was then known as the Phoenician Sea.
November 21, 2006
