(phoenix reborn in flame, from Bayley's Lost Language of Symbolism, 1913)

We do not usually associate the phoenix with demons. The phoenix is a mythical bird renowned in ancient times for being immortal. It was said to resemble an eagle with red and gold feathers and a star on its forehead. Each time it grew old and feeble, it was able to renew its own youth, in much the same way the serpent was fabled to renew its youth by shedding it skin.

There are several versions of how the phoenix was able to bring about its own rebirth. The tale told by the Roman poet Ovid states that after living for 500 years the bird built a nest of rare spices in the top of a palm tree, or a holm-oak. It then lay down amid the spices and expired. From its corpse arose a baby phoenix, which would live another five centuries before it had to renew itself. The young bird was then supposed to have carried the nest and the corpse of the old bird to Heliopolis in Egypt, where it laid the two at the doors to the temple of the Sun god, Helios. The corpse, wrapped in spices, was then cremated on the altar of Helios.

A variation on this story states that the old phoenix beats its wings upon the altar of Helios and causes its body to burst into flame and fall to ashes. From the ashes arises a younger version of itself. Another variation says that when the old bird dies in its nest, a small white worm emerges from its decaying corpse, and grows into a new phoenix.

Because of this ability to renew itself, the phoenix became a symbol for the great work of alchemy, which is in a lower sense the transformation of base metals into gold, and in a higher sense the transformation of mortal man into immortal superman.

Its inclusion in the catalog of demons shows very clearly that during the Middle Ages superstitious Christians regarded any fabulous or strange creature in classical myth as hellish and unholy. The beautifully spiritual aspect of the phoenix legend was almost completely disregarded, although there is an echo of it in The Goetia in the "sweet notes" of the demon Phoenix, and in his hope of a return to heaven.

The Goetia numbers the Phoenix 37th of the 72 evil spirits imprisoned in the brass vessel by the seal ring of King Solomon:

"He is a great Marquis, and appeareth like the Bird Phoenix, having the Voice of a Child. He singeth many sweet notes before the Exorcist, which he must not regard, but by-and-by he must bid him put on Human Shape. Then he will speak marvellously of all wonderful Sciences if required. He is a Poet, good and excellent. And he will be willing to perform thy requests. He hath hopes also to return to the Seventh Throne after 1,200 years more, as he said unto Solomon. He governeth 20 Legions of Spirits."