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Persia from the Earliest Period to the Arab

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HISTORY OF PERSIA. 83<br />

Belshazzar, and <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> memorable night during which<br />

<strong>the</strong> army of " Darius <strong>the</strong> Median "<br />

silently entered<br />

Babylon through <strong>the</strong> unguarded river-gates. Of himself,<br />

he<br />

"<br />

simply adds, This Daniel prospered in <strong>the</strong><br />

reign of Darius, and in <strong>the</strong> reign of Cyrus <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>Persia</strong>n 1 ;" in o<strong>the</strong>r words, he survived <strong>the</strong> whole<br />

seventy years of <strong>the</strong> captivity, while we know far<strong>the</strong>r<br />

also <strong>from</strong> himself, that " in <strong>the</strong> third year of <strong>the</strong> reign<br />

of King Belshazzar " he was at Shushan (Susa), doing<br />

" <strong>the</strong> king's business 2 ." In bringing <strong>to</strong> a close this<br />

short notice of Daniel, I think it may be useful <strong>to</strong><br />

give a list of his visions, dreams, and prophecies, with<br />

<strong>the</strong> interpretation of <strong>the</strong>m usually accepted ; this list,<br />

with no<br />

however, is intended <strong>to</strong> be perfectly general,<br />

reference <strong>to</strong> any of <strong>the</strong> special <strong>the</strong>ories of prophecy,<br />

upheld or rejected by such writers as Maitland, Faber,<br />

or Elliot.<br />

Thus :<br />

603 : The<br />

i. In <strong>the</strong> second year of Nebuchadnezzar 3 , B.C.<br />

explanation of <strong>the</strong> royal dream of <strong>the</strong><br />

image representing <strong>the</strong> Four Great Monarchies.<br />

a. The golden head <strong>the</strong> Assyrio-Babylonian<br />

empire.<br />

b. The silver breast and arms <strong>the</strong> Medo-<br />

<strong>Persia</strong>n empire.<br />

1 Dan. vi. 28.<br />

2 The visit <strong>to</strong> Susa is dated by Daniel "in <strong>the</strong> third year of<br />

Belshazzar," that is, at <strong>the</strong> end of <strong>the</strong> third unfinished year, a<br />

mode of reference not uncommon. The so-called <strong>to</strong>mb of Daniel,<br />

of which Mr. Loftus has given a drawing, below <strong>the</strong> ruins of<br />

<strong>the</strong> ancient city (though itself a mediaeval structure), attests <strong>the</strong><br />

tradition of <strong>the</strong> burial of <strong>the</strong> prophet in that neighbourhood,<br />

and is still <strong>the</strong> yearly resort of hundreds of Jewish pilgrims.<br />

3 Dan. xi. 32.

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