As to the phoenix and the unicorn, aren't they older than Christianity?
I believe so, yes. I seem to recall reading that the Phoenix originated in either the Orient or Central America--or maybe they both had their own versions of the myths; I was reading about a whole bunch of mythological creatures, and it's all a bit muddled now. But yes, it was adopted by Christians later on, as was the Unicorn. Still, I can't escape the symbolism of drinking the blood of the latter as a means to everlasting life...
I think the fact that the PS was, in fact, destroyed in the end with Flamel's blessing pretty much redeems him of any shadiness, at least in my eyes. (Assuming, of course, that DD didn't omit the part where he and Flamel battled to the death for control of the Stone!) And I prefer to imagine that, if he did protest the destruction of the stone, it would have been less out of greed for immortality (I think after six hundred years he must have been getting rather tired,) than of not wanting his greatest work to pass away.
Hm. I wonder if anyone's ever written a Flamel fanfic? [Ponders]
no subject
I believe so, yes. I seem to recall reading that the Phoenix originated in either the Orient or Central America--or maybe they both had their own versions of the myths; I was reading about a whole bunch of mythological creatures, and it's all a bit muddled now. But yes, it was adopted by Christians later on, as was the Unicorn. Still, I can't escape the symbolism of drinking the blood of the latter as a means to everlasting life...
I think the fact that the PS was, in fact, destroyed in the end with Flamel's blessing pretty much redeems him of any shadiness, at least in my eyes. (Assuming, of course, that DD didn't omit the part where he and Flamel battled to the death for control of the Stone!) And I prefer to imagine that, if he did protest the destruction of the stone, it would have been less out of greed for immortality (I think after six hundred years he must have been getting rather tired,) than of not wanting his greatest work to pass away.
Hm. I wonder if anyone's ever written a Flamel fanfic? [Ponders]