Lactantius

“ Such she always shows herself [54] in the sight of men. Egypt comes hither to such a wondrous [55] sight, and the exulting crowd salutes the rare bird. Immediately they carve her image on the consecrated marble, and mark both the occurrence and the day with a new title. Birds of every kind assemble together; none is mindful of prey, none of fear. ”

“ She shows and presents herself an object of admiration to the beholder; such great beauty is there, such great honour abounds. In the first place, her colour is like the brilliancy [41] of that which the seeds of the pomegranate when ripe take under the smooth rind; [42] such colour as is contained in the leaves which the poppy produces in the fields, when Flora spreads her garments beneath the blushing sky. ”

“ Then she chooses a lofty palm, with top reaching to the heavens, which has the pleasing [22] name of phœnix from the bird, and where [23] no hurtful living creature can break through, or slimy serpent, or any bird of prey. Then Æolas shuts in the winds in hanging caverns, lest they should injure the bright [24] air with their blasts, or lest a cloud collected by the south wind through the empty sky should remove the rays of the sun, and be a hindrance [25] to the bird. Afterwards she builds for herself either a nest or a tomb, for she perishes that she may live; yet she produces herself. ”

“ An irradiated crown is fitted [48] to the whole of her head, resembling on high the glory of the head of Phœbus. [49] Scales cover her thighs spangled with yellow metal, but a rosy [50] colour paints her claws with honour. Her form is seen to blend the figure of the peacock with that of the painted bird of Phasis. [51] The winged creature which is produced in the lands of the Arabians, whether it be beast or bird, can scarcely equal her magnitude. [52] She is not, however, slow, as birds which through the greatness of their body have sluggish motions, and a very heavy [53] weight. ”

“ There may be a reference to the early dawn. ↑ Obsit. ↑ Some ancient writers place these fabulous people in India, others beyond Arabia. ↑ Aristas. The word is sometimes applied, as here, to spikenard. ↑ Et sociat myrrhæ pascua grata nimis ”