In the Greek epic Iliad, Phoenix is one of Achilles' men who goes with Odysseus and Ajax the great to urge him to re-enter battle, giving the most passionate speech of the three. There is no doubt that this was a later addition to the epic, since Achilles continually talks to his guests using a special dual verb form, not plural.

A different Phoenix in Greek mythology was a son of Agenor and either brother or father to Cadmus. See Agenor and Phoenix.