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Origins
The Phoenix is a creature with origins in Greek and Roman mythology, legend and folklore. It has since gained connections to Medieval European mythology, legend and folklore. And within the course of these various accounts, the Phoenix is one of the most well-known and best-recognized symbols for immortality and nature's cycle of long life, death and rebirth.
Likewise, it is attributed a divine connection with the sun, since it possesses a great longevity, only to die and return (just as the sun rises, sets and rises again). Many accounts even acquaint it with qualities fitting the various sun deities of ancient mythology, legend and folklore (including the Greek Helios and the Egyptian Ra).
Appearance
Different descriptions are given, for the specific breed to which the Phoenix might be most closely related. In some accounts, the creature is said to resemble a rooster or a peacock. Though, most accounts describe the Phoenix as a creature resembling an eagle.
Likewise, some claim that the creature is the size of whatever creature it resembles (be it a rooster, peacock, eagle or other), while others state that it is larger than an eagle, and even a few going so far as to say that it is larger than an ostrich.