XXXIV. How a Soul Continuing a Long Time Here

Hieroglyphics of Horapollo, tr. Alexander Turner Cory, [1840], at sacred-texts.com

p. 54

XXXIV. HOW A SOUL CONTINUING A LONG TIME HERE.

 ¹

When they would denote a soul continuing a long time here, ² or an inundation, they depict the PHŒNIX the bird: ³ and they denote the soul by it, because this is the longest lived of all creatures in the world; and an inundation, because the Phœnix is a symbol of the sun, than which nothing is greater in the universe. For the sun passes over all and

p. 55

scrutinises all, hence he is called . . . . . Polys ¹ (much).

Footnotes

54:1

The Phœnix.

54:2 Qy. 'When they would denote the soul, or an expiring cycle of time, or an inundation?' Of the two first the Phœnix was certainly a symbol, and possibly of the last, on account of its periodical return.

54:3 The Phœnix the Bird, to distinguish it from the Phœnix the Palm branch.—See Ch. 7.

55:1 Phanes? Apollo.