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physical resurrection of the dead ; and the peacock came 

 to be used in the same sense, as representing, if not 

 virtually merged with, the phenix. The image in men's 

 minds at that time appears to have been that of an eagle, 

 a bird closely identified with the sun, clothed in the 

 plumage of the peacock, another sun-bird (as representa- 

 tive of the gorgeous clouds at sunset) ; and the very name 

 confirms these solar associations, for our "phenix" is the 

 Greek word phoinix, crimson red. How large a place the 

 peacock in this aspect fills in the art and mythology of 

 China and Japan appears in Chapter VII. 



Hulme informs us that Philippe de Thaum writes in 

 his Bestiary of the mystic bird: "Know this is its lot; it 

 comes to death of its own will, and from death it comes 

 to life: hear what it signifies. Phoenix signifies Jesus, 

 Son of Mary, that he had power to die of his own will, 

 and from death come to life. Phoenix signifies that to 

 save his people he chose to suffer upon the cross." "God 

 knew men's unbelief," St. Cyril laments, "and therefore 

 provided this bird as evidence of the Resurrection." St. 

 Ambrose also declares that "the bird of Arabia teaches 

 us, by its example, to believe in the Resurrection." Pas- 

 sages of like tenor might be quoted from Tertullian and 

 other expositors of the early Christian church, all show- 

 ing the most unsuspicious faith in the real existence of 

 such a bird. 



The symbolic connection of this fabulous creature with 

 the idea of immortality may have been an inheritance 

 from Jewish traditions. According to the Talmud Eve, 

 after eating the terrible fruit in the Garden of Eden, 

 tried to force it, and its consequences, on all the animals, 

 but the bird "chol" (the phenix) would not eat, but flew 

 away from temptation, and thus preserved its original 



