The Phoenix and the Mirror

by Avram Davidson · 1969

In a world where the ancient Roman poet Virgil is revered as Vergil Magus, a benevolent sorcerer protecting Naples, a dark enchantment binds him to the exiled Queen Cornelia. To break her spell, Vergil must craft the legendary Virgin Speculum—a bronze mirror that reveals the deepest desire of its first viewer. His quest thrusts him into a labyrinth of alchemy, political intrigue, and mythic peril, confronting manticores, mandrakes, a madwoman, a gargoyle, a Cyclops, Sea Huns, eunuch priests, sacred hermaphrodites, and the two‑thousand priestesses of Aphrodite. Yet the most formidable challenge is the enigmatic Phoenix itself, a being whose very nature may decide Vergil’s fate. Davidson weaves a richly imagined, fantastical adventure that blends classical legend with high magic, inviting readers to follow a poet‑wizard on a daring journey to forge a mirror that could change reality.