A sexual tour of Egyptian and classical mythology, in which the sphinx is a symbol of Wilde's homosexuality. The sphinx's erotic exploits are described with alternating exuberance and shame which give a unique glimpse into Wilde's inner conflicts. He worked on the poem for 11 years and published it in 1894, one year before his trial, in a gesture of defiant Gay pride. The poem is a masterpiece of decadence: like Wagner's operas, it is of overpowering richness and beauty, and occasionally hilariously kitsch.