Nabuchodonosor dreameth, and forgeteth his dreame, 4. which the magicians not able to tel, 12. are adiudged to dye. 14. But Daniel (praying with his three felowes) by reuelation, 24. telleth, 36. and interpreteth the dreame. 46. the king adoreth him confessing his God to be the onlie true God, and aduanceth him & his felowes.
1In the second year of the reign of Nabuchodonosor, Nabuchodonosor had a dream, and his spirit was terrified, and his dream went out of his mind.L'anno secondo del suo regno, Nabuchodonosor ebbe un sogno, e ne fu atterrito il suo spirito, e fuggigli dalla memoria il suo sogno.IN the second yeare of the kingdom of Nabuchodonosor, Nabuchodonosor saw a dreame, and his spirit was terrified, and his dreame was fled from him.In anno secundo regni Nabuchodonosor, vidit Nabuchodonosor somnium, et conterritus est spiritus ejus, et somnium ejus fugit ab eo. 2Then the king commanded to call together the diviners and the wise men, and the magicians, and the Chaldeans: to declare to the king his dreams: so they came and stood before the king.E il re ordinò, che si convocassero gl'indovini, e i maghi, e i malefici, e i Caldei, affinchè sponessero al re i suoi sogni; i quali vennero, e si presentaron dinanzi al re.But the king commanded, that the south sayers should be called together, and the magicians, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldees: to declare vnto the king his dreames: who when they were come, stood before the king.Præcepit autem rex ut convocarentur arioli, et magi, et malefici, et Chaldæi, ut indicarent regi somnia sua. Qui cum venissent, steterunt coram rege. 3And the king said to them: I saw a dream: and being troubled in mind I know not what I saw.E il re disse loro: Ho veduto un sogno, e per la confusione della mente non so quel, ch'io abbia veduto.And the king sayd to them: I saw a dreame: & being confounded in minde I know not what I saw.Et dixit ad eos rex: Vidi somnium, et mente confusus ignoro quid viderim. 4And the Chaldeans answered the king in Syriac: O king, live for ever: tell to thy servants thy dream, and we will declare the interpretation thereof.E i Caldei risposero al re in Siriaco: Sempiterna sia la tua vita, o re: racconta il sogno a' tuoi servi, e noi te ne daremo la spiegazione.And the Chaldees answered the king in Syriach, King for euer liue: tel the dreame to thy seruants, and we wil declare the interpretation therof.Responderuntque Chaldæi regi syriace: Rex, in sempiternum vive ! dic somnium servis tuis, et interpretationem ejus indicabimus. 5And the king, answering, said to the Chaldeans: The thing is gone out of my mind: unless you tell me the dream, and the meaning thereof, you shall be put to death, and your houses shall be confiscated.E il re rispose, e disse a' Caldei: La cosa mi è sfuggita: e se voi non mi esporrete il sogno, e la sua interpretazione, voi perirete, e le vostre case saran confiscate.And the king answering sayd to the Chaldees. The word is departed from me: vnles you tel me the dreame, and the coniecture therof, you shal perish, and your houses shal be confiscate.Et respondens rex ait Chaldæis: Sermo recessit a me: nisi indicaveritis mihi somnium, et conjecturam ejus, peribitis vos, et domus vestræ publicabuntur.
6but if you tell the dream, and the meaning of it, you shall receive of me rewards, and gifts, and great honour: therefore, tell me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.Se poi mi ridirete il sogno, e il suo significato, avrete da me premi, e doni, e onori grandi: narratemi adunque il sogno, e la sua spiegazione.But if you tel the dreame, & the coniecture therof, you shal receiue of me rewards, & gifts, and much honour: the dreame therfore, and the interpretation therof tel you me.Si autem somnium, et conjecturam ejus narraveritis, præmia, et dona, et honorem multum accipietis a me. Somnium igitur, et interpretationem ejus indicate mihi. 7They answered again and said: Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will declare the interpretation of it.Risposer quegli un'altra volta: Dica il re a' suoi servi il sogno, e gliene diremo l'interpretazione.They answered the second time, & sayd: Let the king tel his seruants the dreame, & we wil declare the interpretation therof.Responderunt secundo, atque dixerunt: Rex somnium dicat servis suis, et interpretationem illius indicabimus. 8The king answered and said: I know for certain, that you seek to gain time, since you know that the thing is gone from me.Rispose il re, e disse: Io ben m'avveggo, che voi volete guadagnar tempo, mentre sapete, che la cosa m'è fuggita di mente.The king answered, & sayd: Surely I know that you redeme time, knowing that the word is departed from me.Respondit rex, et ait: Certe novi quod tempus redimitis, scientes quod recesserit a me sermo. 9If, therefore, you tell me not the dream, there is one sentence concerning you, that you have also framed a lying interpretation, and full of deceit, to speak before me till the time pass away. Tell me, therefore, the dream, that I may know that you also give a true interpretation thereof.Se voi adunque non mi direte quel, ch'io ho sognato, io non penserò altro di voi, se non che inventerete ancora una fallace interpretazione, e piena di inganno, e me la spaccerete, fino a tanto che il tempo passi. Ditemi adunque il mio sogno, affinchè, io conosca, che voi lo interpretate secondo la verità.If therfore you shew me not the dreame, there is one sentence of you, that you haue also framed a guilful interpretation, and ful of deceite, to speake vnto me til the time passe away. Tel me therfore the dreame, that I may know that you speake a true interpretation also therof.Si ergo somnium non indicaveritis mihi, una est de vobis sententia, quod interpretationem quoque fallacem, et deceptione plenam composueritis, ut loquamini mihi donec tempus pertranseat. Somnium itaque dicite mihi, ut sciam quod interpretationem quoque ejus veram loquamini.
10Then the Chaldeans answered before the king, and said: There is no man upon earth, that can accomplish thy word, O king; neither doth any king, though great and mighty, ask such a thing of any diviner, or wise man, or Chaldean.Risposer adunque i Caldei al re, e dissero: Non è uomo sopra la terra, che possa eseguire, o re, il tuo comando; e nissun re grande, e possente domanderebbe cosa sì fatta da alcun indovino, mago, o Caldeo;The Chaldees therfore answering before the king, sayd: There is no man vpon the earth, that can accomplish thy word, ô king, yea neither anie king great and mighty, demandeth such a word of anie southsayer, & magician, and Chaldee.Respondentes ergo Chaldæi coram rege, dixerunt: Non est homo super terram, qui sermonem tuum, rex, possit implere: sed neque regum quisquam magnus et potens verbum hujuscemodi sciscitatur ab omni ariolo, et mago, et Chaldæo. 11For the thing that thou askest, O king, is difficult: nor can any one be found that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose conversation is not with men.Imperocché grave cosa è quella, che tu richiedi, o re: né alcuno si troverà, che ne possa dar lume al re, eccetto i dei, i quali non han commercio cogli uomini.For the word that thou askest, ô king, is weightie: neither shal there be found any, that can shew it in sight of the king, except the goddes, whose conuersation is not with men.Sermo enim, quem tu quæris, rex, gravis est: nec reperietur quisquam qui indicet illum in conspectu regis, exceptis diis, quorum non est cum hominibus conversatio. 12Upon hearing this, the king in fury, and in great wrath, commanded that all the wise men of Babylon should be put to death.Udito ciò il re, pien di furore, e d'ira grande, ordinò, che perissero tutti i sapienti di Babilonia.Which thing being heard, the king in furie, and in great wrath commanded that al the wisemen of Babylon should perish.Quo audito, rex, in furore et in ira magna, præcepit ut perirent omnes sapientes Babylonis. 13And the decree being gone forth, the wise men were slain: and Daniel and his companions were sought for, to be put to death.E promulgata questa sentenza, si uccidevano i sapienti: e si andava in cerca di Daniele, e de' compagni per farli morire.And the sentence being gone forth, wisemen were slaine: & Daniel and his felowes were sougth for, to perish.Et egressa sententia, sapientes interficiebantur: quærebanturque Daniel et socii ejus, ut perirent. 14Then Daniel inquired concerning the law and the sentence, of Arioch, the general of the king’s army, who was gone forth to kill the wise men of Babylon.Allora Daniele domandò ad Arioch capitano delle milizie del re, il quale era stato mandato ad uccidere sapienti di Babilonia, qual fosse questa legge, e questa sentenza.Then Daniel inquired concerning the law, and the sentence, of Arioch the prince of the kings warfar, who was gone forth to kil the wisemen of Babylon.Tunc Daniel requisivit de lege atque sententia ab Arioch principe militiæ regis, qui egressus fuerat ad interficiendos sapientes Babylonis.
15And he asked him that had received the orders of the king, why so cruel a sentence was gone forth from the face of the king. And when Arioch had told the matter to Daniel,E a lui, che tal commissione avea ricevuto dal re, domandò per qual motivo pronunziata avesse il re si crudele sentenza; ed avendo Arioch raccontato il fatto a Daniele,And he asked him, that had receiued the powre of the king, for what cause so cruel a sentence was gone forth from the face of the king. When Arioch therfore had shewed the matter to Daniel,Et interrogavit eum, qui a rege potestatem acceperat, quam ob causam tam crudelis sententia a facie regis esset egressa. Cum ergo rem indicasset Arioch Danieli, 16Daniel went in, and desired of the king, that he would give him time to resolve the question, and declare it to the king.Daniele andò a trovar il re, e lo pregò, che gli desse tempo per dare lo scioglimento.Daniel going in desired the king, that he would geue him a time to tel the solution to the king.Daniel ingressus rogavit regem ut tempus daret sibi ad solutionem indicandam regi. 17And he went into his house, and told the matter to Ananias, and Misael, and Azarias, his companions:E andossene a casa sua, e raccontò la cosa a' suoi compagni, Anania, Misael, ed Azaria;And he went into his house, and he told the matter vnto Ananias, & Misael, & Azarias his felowes:Et ingressus est domum suam, Ananiæque et Misaëli et Azariæ, sociis suis, indicavit negotium, 18To the end that they should ask mercy at the face of the God of heaven, concerning this secret, and that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.Affinchè chiedesser misericordia dal Dio del cielo sopra d'un tale arcano, onde non perissero Daniele, e i suoi compagni cogli altri sapienti di Babilonia.that they should aske mercie at the face of the God of heauen vpon this sacrament, & Daniel and his felowes might not perish, with the rest of the wisemen of Babylon.ut quærerent misericordiam a facie Dei cæli super sacramento isto, et non perirent Daniel et socii ejus cum ceteris sapientibus Babylonis. 19Then was the mystery revealed to Daniel by a vision in the night: and Daniel blessed the God of heaven,Allora fu rivelato la notte a Daniele l'arcano in una visione: e Daniele benedisse il Dio del cielo,Then was the mysterie reueled to Daniel by a vision in the night: and Daniel blessed the God of heauen,Tunc Danieli mysterium per visionem nocte revelatum est: et benedixit Daniel Deum cæli, 20And speaking, he said: Blessed be the name of the Lord from eternity and for evermore: for wisdom and fortitude are his.E parlò, e disse: Sia benedetto dall'eternità, e fino a tutta l'eternità il nome del Signore, perchè di lui è la sapienza, e la fortezza.and speaking sayd: The name of our Lord be blessed from euerlasting & for euer more: because wisedom and strength are his.et locutus ait: Sit nomen Domini benedictum a sæculo et usque in sæculum: quia sapientia et fortitudo ejus sunt.
21And he changeth times and ages: taketh away kingdoms, and establisheth them: giveth wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that have understanding:Ed ei muta i tempi, e le etadi, trasporta, e fonda i reami, dà la sapienza a sapienti, e la scienza a que', che hanno intelligenza.And he changeth times, and ages: transporteth kingdoms & establisheth them: geueth wisedom to the wise, and knowlege to them that vnderstand discipline:Et ipse mutat tempora, et ætates: transfert regna, atque constituit: dat sapientiam sapientibus, et scientiam intelligentibus disciplinam. 22He revealeth deep and hidden things, and knoweth what is in darkness: and light is with him.Ei rivela le cose astruse, ed ascose, e conosce quel, che sta nelle tenebre: e la luce è con esso.he reueleth profound, & hidden thinges, and knoweth the thinges that are done in darkenes: and light is with him.Ipse revelat profunda et abscondita, et novit in tenebris constituta: et lux cum eo est. 23To thee, O God of our fathers, I give thanks, and I praise thee: because thou hast given me wisdom and strength: and now thou hast shewn me what we desired of thee, for thou hast made known to us the king’s discourse.A te, Dio de' padri nostri, io rendo grazie, e a te io do laude; perocché sapienza, e fortezza hai data a me, ed or hai dato a conoscere a me quel, che cercavamo da te, ed hai svelato a noi quello, che il re domanda.To thee ô God of our fathers I confesse, and I prayse thee: because thou hast geuen me wisedom, & strength: and now thou hast shewed me the thinges that we desired of thee, because the kings word thou hast opened to vs.Tibi, Deus patrum nostrorum, confiteor, teque laudo, quia sapientiam et fortitudinem dedisti mihi, et nunc ostendisti mihi quæ rogavimus te, quia sermonem regis aperuisti nobis. 24After this Daniel went in to Arioch, to whom the king had given orders to destroy the wise men of Babylon, and he spoke thus to him: Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will tell the solution to the king.Andò poscia Daniele da Arioch, cui il re avea dato l'ordine di sterminare i sapienti di Babilonia, e gli parlò in tal guisa: Non isterminare i sapienti di Babilonia: introducimi al cospetto del re, e io esporrò a lui lo scioglimento.After these thinges Daniel being entered in to Arioch, whom the king had appoynted to destroy the wisemen of Babylon, spake thus vnto him: Destroy not the wisemen of Babylon: bring me in before the presence of the king, & I wil tel the solution to the king.Post hæc Daniel ingressus ad Arioch, quem constituerat rex ut perderet sapientes Babylonis, sic ei locutus est: Sapientes Babylonis ne perdas: introduc me in conspectu regis, et solutionem regi narrabo.
25Then Arioch in haste brought in Daniel to the king, and said to him: I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Juda, that will resolve the question to the king.Allora Arioch frettolosamente condusse Daniele al re, e gli disse: Ho trovato trai figliuoli di Giuda esuli, chi darà al re lo scioglimento.Then Arioch in hast brought in Daniel to the king, and said to him: I haue found a man of the children of the transmigration of Iuda, that can tel the solution to the king.Tunc Arioch festinus introduxit Danielem ad regem, et dixit ei: Inveni hominem de filiis transmigrationis Juda, qui solutionem regi annuntiet. 26The king answered, and said to Daniel, whose name was Baltassar: Thinkest thou indeed that thou canst tell me the dream that I saw, and the interpretation thereof?Rispose il re, e disse a Daniele, cui si dava il nome di Balthasar: Ti pensi tu veramente di poter dire a me il sogno, che io vidi, e quello, ch'ei voglia dire?The king answered, and said to Daniel, whose name was Baltassar: Thinkest thou in very dede thou canst tel me the dreame, that I saw, and the interpretation therof?Respondit rex, et dixit Danieli, cujus nomen erat Baltassar: Putasne vere potes mihi indicare somnium, quod vidi, et interpretationem ejus ? 27And Daniel made answer before the king, and said: The secret that the king desireth to know, none of the wise men, or the philosophers, or the diviners, or the soothsayers, can declare to the king.E Daniele rispose al re, e disse: L'arcano, di cui il re va in cerca, noi possono svelare al re i sapienti, i maghi, gl'indovini, e gli aruspici;And Daniel answering before the king, sayd: The mysterie, that the king demandeth, the wisemen, the Magicians, and the southsayers, and the inchanters can not declare vnto the king.Et respondens Daniel coram rege, ait: Mysterium, quod rex interrogat, sapientes, magi, arioli, et aruspices nequeunt indicare regi: 28But there is a God in heaven that revealeth mysteries, who hath shewn to thee, O king Nabuchodonosor, what is to come to pass in the latter times. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these:Ma è in cielo un Dio, che svela i misteri, e questi ha annunziato a te, o re Nabuchodonosor, le cose, che avveranno negli ultimi tempi. Il tuo sogno, e le visioni, che avesti in capo nel letto, son tali:But there is a God in heauen that reueleth mysteries, who hath shewed vnto thee, king Nabuchodonosor, what thinges are to come in the later times. Thy dreame, and the visions of thy head in thy bed, are these.sed est Deus in cælo revelans mysteria, qui indicavit tibi, rex Nabuchodonosor, quæ ventura sunt in novissimis temporibus. Somnium tuum, et visiones capitis tui in cubili tuo hujuscemodi sunt.
29Thou, O king, didst begin to think in thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth mysteries shewed thee what shall come to pass.Tu, o re, cominciasti nel tuo letto a pensare quel, che dovesse essere pell'avvenire: e colui, che svela i misteri, ti fe' vedere quel, che è per avvenire.Thou ô king beganst to thinke in thy bed, what should be hereafter: and he that reueleth mysteries, shewed thee what thinges are to come.Tu, rex, cogitare cœpisti in strato tuo, quid esset futurum post hæc: et qui revelat mysteria, ostendit tibi quæ ventura sunt. 30To me also this secret is revealed, not by any wisdom that I have more than all men alive: but that the interpretation might be made manifest to the king, and thou mightest know the thoughts of thy mind.Ed a me pure è stato svelato questo arcano non per una sapienza, che è in me più, che in qualunque altro uomo vivente, ma affinchè avesse il re una evidente interpretazione, e affinchè tu riconoscessi i pensieri della tua mente.To me also not in the wisedom, that is in me more then in al men aliue, is this sacrament reueled: but that the interpretation might be made manifest to the king, and thou mightest know the cogitations of thy minde.Mihi quoque non in sapientia, quæ est in me plus quam in cunctis viventibus, sacramentum hoc revelatum est: sed ut interpretatio regi manifesta fieret, et cogitationes mentis tuæ scires. 31Thou, O king, sawest, and behold there was as it were a great statue: this statue, which was great and high, tall of stature, stood before thee, and the look thereof was terrible.Tu, o re, avesti una visione: tu vedevi come una grande statua: questa statua grande, e di statura sublime stava dirimpetto a te: e terribil era il suo sguardo:Thou ô king didst see, and behold as it were one great statua: that statua, great and high of stature stood ouer against thee, and the sight therof was terrible.Tu, rex, videbas, et ecce quasi statua una grandis: statua illa magna, et statura sublimis stabat contra te, et intuitus ejus erat terribilis. 32The head of this statue was of fine gold, but the breast and the arms of silver, and the belly and the thighs of brass.Il capo di questa statua era di finissimo oro: il petto poi, e le braccia d'argento; ma il ventre, e le cosce di bronzo,The head of this statua was of the best gold, but the breast and the armes of siluer, moreouer the bellie, and the thighes of brasse:Hujus statuæ caput ex auro optimo erat, pectus autem et brachia de argento, porro venter et femora ex ære,
33And the legs of iron, the feet part of iron and part of clay.E le gambe di ferro; de' piedi una data parte era di ferro, un'altra parte di creta.and the legges of yron, of the feete a certaine part was of yron, and a certaine of earth.tibiæ autem ferreæ: pedum quædam pars erat ferrea, quædam autem fictilis. 34Thus thou sawest, till a stone was cut out of a mountain without hands: and it struck the statue upon the feet thereof that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.Questo vedevi tu, quando non per mano d'alcuno si stacco una pietra al monte, e percosse la statua ne' piedi, che avea di ferro, e di terra cotta, e li ruppe.Thou sawest so, til a stone was cut out of a mountaine without handes: and it stroke the statua on the yron, & earthen feete therof, & brake them in peeces.Videbas ita, donec abscissus est lapis de monte sine manibus: et percussit statuam in pedibus ejus ferreis et fictilibus, et comminuit eos. 35Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of a summer’s threshing floor, and they were carried away by the wind: and there was no place found for them: but the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.Allora si spezzarono egualmente il ferro, la creta, il bronzo, l'argento, e l'oro, e si ridussero come i briccioli della paglia all'estate sull'aia, i quali il vento disperge: così non rimase nulla di essi; ma la pietra, che avea dato il colpo alla statua, diventò un monte grande, e riempiè tutta quanta la terra.Then were the yron, the clay, the brasse, the siluer, and gold broken together, and brought as it were into the dust of a summers floore, that are taken violently with the winde: and there was no place found for them: but the stone that stroke the statua, was made a great mountaine, and it filled al the earth.Tunc contrita sunt pariter ferrum, testa, æs, argentum, et aurum, et redacta quasi in favillam æstivæ areæ, quæ rapta sunt vento, nullusque locus inventus est eis: lapis autem, qui percusserat statuam, factus est mons magnus, et implevit universam terram. 36This is the dream: we will also tell the interpretation thereof before thee, O king.Tale è il sogno, e l'interpretazione di lui esporremo ancora dinanzi a te, o re.This is the dreame: the interpretation also therof we wil tel before thee, ô king.Hoc est somnium: interpretationem quoque ejus dicemus coram te, rex. 37Thou art a king of kings: and the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, and strength, and power, and glory:Tu se' il re de' regi, e il Dio del cielo ha dato a te regno, e fortezza, e impero, e gloria:Thou art the king of kings: and the God of heauen hath geuen thee kingdom, and strength, and empire, and glorie:Tu rex regum es: et Deus cæli regnum, et fortitudinem, et imperium, et gloriam dedit tibi:
38And all places wherein the children of men, and the beasts of the field do dwell: he hath also given the birds of the air into thy hand, and hath put all things under thy power: thou, therefore, art the head of gold.E al tuo potere ha soggettato i luoghi tutti, dove abitano i figliuoli degli uomini, e le bestie del campo, egli uccelli dell'aria ha dati in tuo potere, e sotto il tuo dominio ha poste tutte le cose: tu se' adunque il capo d'oro.and al thinges, wherin the children of men, and the beasts of the filde doe inhabite, the foules also of the heauen he hath geuen in thy hand, and vnder thy dominion he hath appoynted al thinges: thou therfore art the golden head.et omnia, in quibus habitant filii hominum, et bestiæ agri: volucres quoque cæli dedit in manu tua, et sub ditione tua universa constituit: tu es ergo caput aureum. 39And after thee shall rise up another kingdom, inferior to thee, of silver: and another third kingdom of brass, which shall rule over all the world.E un altro reame si alzerà dopo di te, da meno di te, che sarà d'argento, e un altro terzo reame di bronzo, che comanderà a tutta quanta la terra.And after thee shal ryse vp an other kingdom lesse then thou of siluer: and an other third kingdom of brasse, which shal rule ouer al the world.Et post te consurget regnum aliud minus te argenteum: et regnum tertium aliud æreum, quod imperabit universæ terræ. 40And the fourth kingdom shall be as iron. As iron breaketh into pieces, and subdueth all things, so shall that break, and destroy all these.E il quarto reame sarà come il ferro. Siccome il ferro spezza, e doma tutte le cose, così (questo reame) spezzerà, e stritolerà tutte queste cose.And the fourth kingdom shal be as it were yron. As yron breaketh into peeces, & tameth al thinges, so shal that breake, and destroy al these.Et regnum quartum erit velut ferrum: quomodo ferrum comminuit, et domat omnia, sic comminuet, et conteret omnia hæc. 41And whereas thou sawest the feet, and the toes, part of potter’s clay, and part of iron: the kingdom shall be divided, but yet it shall take its origin from the iron, according as thou sawest the iron mixed with the miry clay.Ma quanto a quello, che hai veduto, che una parte de' piedi, e delle dita era di creta, e una parte di ferro, il regno, che per altro avrà origine dal ferro, sarà diviso, conforme vedesti, mescolato il ferro colla creta:Moreouer because thou sawest part of the feete, and of the toes of the potters clay, and part of yron: the kindom shal be diuided, which notwithstanding shal rise of the ground of yron, according as thou sawest the yron mingled with the earth of clay.Porro quia vidisti pedum, et digitorum partem testæ figuli, et partem ferream, regnum divisum erit: quod tamen de plantario ferri orietur, secundum quod vidisti ferrum mistum testæ ex luto.
42And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay: the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.E (come) i diti de' pie di parte di ferro, e parte di creta: a' una parte il regno sarà saldo, e d'altra parte sarà fragile.And the toes in part of yron, and in part of earth: in part the kingdom shal be whole, and in part broken.Et digitos pedum ex parte ferreos, et ex parte fictiles: ex parte regnum erit solidum, et ex parte contritum. 43And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall be mingled indeed together with the seed of man, but they shall not stick fast one to another, as iron cannot be mixed with clay.E come hai veduto il ferro mescolato col fango della creta, si uniranno per via di parentele, ma non faran corpo tra loro, come il ferro non può far corpo colla creta.And that thou sawest the yron mingled with the earsh of clay, they shal be mingled in dede together with mans seede, but they shal not sticke fast one to an other, as yron can not be mingled with earth.Quod autem vidisti ferrum mistum testæ ex luto, commiscebuntur quidem humano semine, sed non adhærebunt sibi, sicut ferrum misceri non potest testæ. 44But in the days of those kingdoms, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, and his kingdom shall not be delivered up to another people: and it shall break in pieces, and shall consume all these kingdoms: and itself shall stand for ever.Ma nel tempo di que' reami farà sorgere il Dio del cielo un regno, che non sarà disciolto in eterno: e il regno di lui non passerà ad altra nazione; ma farà in pezzi, e consumerà tutti questi regni, ed esso sarà immobile in eterno,But in the dayes of those kingdoms the God of heauen wil rayse vp a kingdom, that shal not be dissipated for euer, and his kingdom shal not be deliuered to an other people: and it shal breake in peeces, and shal consume al these kingdoms: and itself shal stand for euer.In diebus autem regnorum illorum suscitabit Deus cæli regnum, quod in æternum non dissipabitur, et regnum ejus alteri populo non tradetur: comminuet autem, et consumet universa regna hæc, et ipsum stabit in æternum. 45According as thou sawest, that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and broke in pieces the clay and the iron, and the brass, and the silver, and the gold, the great God hath shewn the king what shall come to pass hereafter, and the dream is true, and the interpretation thereof is faithful.Conforme tu vedesti, che la pietra, la quale staccata dal monte senz'opera d'uomo, spezzò la creta, e il ferro, e il bronzo, e l'argento, e l'oro; il grande Iddio ha fatto conoscere al re le cose, che poscia avverranno; e il sogno è vero, e l'interpretazione di esso è fedele.According as thou sawest, that the stone was cut out of the mountaine without handes, and brake the earth in peeces, and the yron, and the brasse, and the siluer, and the gold, the great God hath shwed the king what thinges are to come hereafter. & the dreame is true, & the interpretation therof faithful.Secundum quod vidisti, quod de monte abscissus est lapis sine manibus, et comminuit testam, et ferrum, et æs, et argentum, et aurum, Deus magnus ostendit regi quæ ventura sunt postea: et verum est somnium, et fidelis interpretatio ejus.
46Then king Nabuchodonosor fell on his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer in sacrifice to him victims and incense.Allora Nabuchodonosor si prostrò boccone per terra, e adorò Daniele, e ordinò, che si offerisser a lui vittime, e incenso.Then king Nobuchodonosor fel on his face, & adored Daniel, & commanded to sacrifice to him hostes & incense.Tunc rex Nabuchodonosor cecidit in faciem suam, et Danielem adoravit, et hostias, et incensum præcepit ut sacrificarent ei. 47And the king spoke to Daniel, and said: Verily, your God is the God of gods, and Lord of kings, and a revealer of hidden things: seeing thou couldst discover this secret.E il re parlò a Daniele, e disse: Veramente il vostro Dio è il Dio degli dei, e il Signore dei re, ed è rivelator dei misterj, dappoiché tu hai potuto svelar quest'arcano.The king therfore speaking said to Daniel: In very dede your God is the God of goddes, and Lord of kinges, and he that reueleth mysteries: because thou couldst open this sacrament.Loquens ergo rex, ait Danieli: Vere Deus vester Deus deorum est, et Dominus regum, et revelans mysteria: quoniam tu potuisti aperire hoc sacramentum. 48Then the king advanced Daniel to a high station, and gave him many and great gifts: and he made him governor over all the provinces of Babylon: and chief of the magistrates over all the wise men of Babylon.Allora il re innalzò a sommi onori Daniele, e gli diede molti, e grandi donativi, e lo costituì principe di tutte le Provincie di Babilonia, e capo de' magistrati, e sopra tutti i sapienti di Babilonia.Then the king aduanced Daniel on high, & he gaue him manie gifts, and great: and he made him prince ouer al the prouinces of Babylon: and chiefe of the magistrates, ouer al the wisemen of Babylon.Tunc rex Danielem in sublime extulit, et munera multa et magna dedit ei: et constituit eum principem super omnes provincias Babylonis, et præfectum magistratuum super cunctos sapientes Babylonis. 49And Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, over the works of the province of Babylon: but Daniel himself was in the king’s palace.E Daniele impetrò dal re di deputare per gli affari della provincia di Babilonia, Sidrach, Misach, e Abdenago: Daniele poi stava alla porta del re.And Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed ouer the workes of the prouince of Babylon, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago: but Daniel himself was in the doores of the king.Daniel autem postulavit a rege, et constituit super opera provinciæ Babylonis Sidrach, Misach, et Abdenago: ipse autem Daniel erat in foribus regis.
2:1
Year of the World 3401, Year before Christ 603.
Challoner
Year, from the death of his father, Nabopolassar; for he had reigned before as partner with his father, in the empire. (Challoner)
Calmet
In that quality he conquered Syria, (in the year of the world 3397) took Daniel, etc. in the year 3399. He succeeded his father. (Usher) (Calmet)
Worthington
After he had enlarged his empire by the conquest of Egypt, etc. he had this dream. (A. R. 25.[in the 25th year of his reign?]) (Worthington)
Haydock
Mind. Septuagint, "his sleep departed from him." (Haydock)
Calmet
He was restless, recollecting enough to fill him with trouble. When the dream was repeated over, he knew that it was the same. (Calmet)
2:2
Challoner
The Chaldeans. That is, the astrologers, that pretended to divine by stars. (Challoner)
Diod. Sic. i
They dwelt on the banks of the Euphrates, and were highly esteemed. (Diod. Sic. i.)
Civ. Div. i
They were the most ancient philosophers. (Civ. Div. i.)
2:3
I know. Hebrew also, "to know or understand what," etc.
2:4
Syriac. It was originally the same as the Chaldean. Daniel understood this language, as well as Hebrew and writes in it what concerned the Chaldeans, to Daniel 8. This shews his accuracy, as he makes his speakers use their own tongue. Spinosa ignorantly asserts, that all the seven first chapters are in Chaldean and taken from the records of that nation by Judas Maccabeus. How then did Matthathias become acquainted with the contents?
2:5
Haydock
Put. Chaldean, "torn to pieces, and your house become infamous places;" (Calmet) Protestant, "a dunghill" (Haydock)
Calmet
Such cruel punishments were not uncommon. (1 Esdras 6:11.) (Calmet)
Brisson ii
Bessus was torn in pieces by the relations of Darius; (Diod. xvii.) and the Persians generally cut off some member of criminals. (Brisson ii.)
2:8
Haydock
Gain. Literally, "redeem" (Haydock)
Calmet
St. Paul uses a similar expression, exhorting us to save our souls even at the expense of our temporal interest. (Calmet)
Haydock
The diviners wished to give the king's fury time to abate, (Haydock) and to save their lives; (Calmet) or delay punishment, at least, as much as possible. (Haydock)
2:9
Worthington
Thereof. It is indeed more easy to discover what dream a person has had, than to explain it; since the devil might disclose the former, but he can only guess at what will happen, and herein his agents are often deceived. (See Genesis xl.) (Worthington)
Haydock
It is not even certain that the devil can know the dreams which we have not divulged, as it is the privilege of God to discern the secrets of the heart. (Haydock)
2:11
Stanley
Men. They acknowledged greater and less gods. (Stanley, p. 13. ch. I.)
St. Jerome
They pretend not to have any communication with the superior ones, (Calmet) and by their answer unguardedly bear testimony to the excellence of the God whom Daniel served. (St. Jerome)
2:13
Haydock
Slain. Literally, "were slaughtering;" interficiebantur. (Haydock)
Geier
Many think that some had already suffered. (Geier.; Menochius)
St. Jerome
They had been perhaps jealous of Daniel, and had not informed him of the matter. (St. Jerome)
2:14
2:15
Calmet
Cruel. Chaldean also, "precipitate." (Calmet)
2:16
Haydock
Declare the dream. (Haydock)
Calmet
The Chaldeans had promised only to explain it, and the king knew the superior merit of Daniel. (Chap. 1:19.) (Calmet)
2:18
Haydock
Secret. Literally, "sacrament." Greek, "mystery," which seems to be derived from (Calmet) mosthor, "a secret." (Haydock)
2:19
Villet
Night, while he was probably asleep, (Calmet) or praying with his companions. (Villet.)
2:20
His. He grants them to whom he pleases, and disposes of kingdoms (Calmet) without control. (ver. 21.)
2:27
Soothsayers. Chaldean Gazerin, (Haydock) who inspect entrails, (Ezechiel 21:21. St. Jerome) or tell fortunes by sticks. (Chap. 3:3.)
2:28
Calmet
Times. In the Old Testament, this commonly signifies when Christ shall appear; but in the New, it refers to the end of the world. (Calmet)
2:29
Worthington
Begin. By thus telling what thoughts the king had entertained before his dream, he would be heard with greater confidence. (Worthington)
2:31
Calmet
Terrible, or unusual. (Calmet)
Worthington
The statue denoted the four great empires of the Chaldeans, Persians, Greeks and Romans. The metals did not mean that the empire of gold was greater than the rest, as that signified by the iron was far more powerful; but only that the empire of the Chaldeans was then the greatest, and that the Persians would acquire still more power and be surpassed by the Greeks, as they were by the Romans, till the kingdom of Christ should be spread over all the earth. (Worthington)
2:37
Calmet
Of kings. This title was used by the Persians. Nabuchodonosor was at that time the most potent monarch on earth. He conquered many nations, and greatly embellished the city of Babylon, surrounding it with three walls in fifteen days, and building hanging gardens, which were the wonder of the world. See Eusebius, praep. 9:41. and 10:42. etc. (Calmet)
2:39
Challoner
Another kingdom; viz. that of the Medes and Persians. (Challoner)
Calmet
Inferior; later, of less duration and extent. (Calmet)
Challoner
Third, etc. That of Alexander the Great. (Challoner)
Calmet
World. Alexander received ambassadors at Babylon, from the most distant nations, testifying their submission. He conquered beyond the river Indus, etc. (Diod. A. 1. Olym. 14.[year 1 of the 14th Olympiad.?]) (Calmet)
2:40
Challoner
The fourth kingdom, etc. Some understand this of the successors of Alexander, the kings of Syria and Egypt: others, of the Roman empire and its civil wars. (Challoner)
Calmet
The former supposition seems best, though the latter is almost universally received, and will be explained hereafter. (Calmet)
Grotius
The Roman empire did not immediately rise out of Alexander's, and had no relation to the Jews, etc. (Grotius, L'Empereus.)
Calmet
But it surely swallowed up all that he had left to his generals, and proved the greatest scourge to the Jewish nation; which has been ever since scattered, while the kingdom of Christ gains ground, and will flourish till that of Rome shall be no more. Antichrist will then appear to cast a cloud over, but not destroy it for three years and a half. It is the opinion of many Fathers, etc. that the Roman empire will subsist till that event take place; (see 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 7.) and thus it may be said, that the fourth empire shall not be given to another people. For antichrist will not strive to exalt a particular nation, but to rule over all. Yet his dominion will be short, and will end in the general dissolution of nature; so that the Roman empire may be deemed to last for a long time, or even for ever. (ver. 44.) Those who adopt the former system, allow (Haydock) that the stone designates both the Roman empire and that of Christ; so that some parts of the prediction may refer to one and some to the other. The origin and progress of the Roman empire, might be a figure of the spiritual power of the Church. It is certain that the successors of Alexander owed their dominion to their valour, and established it by the slaughter of many great generals. The kings who followed Seleucus and Ptolemy were remarkable for a mixture of good and bad qualities. Their efforts to preserve their power by intermarriages, proved abortive. The prophet seems also to have had them in view, Daniel 7:7., and 8:22. (Calmet)
2:41
Menochius
Clay. The iron was in a rude state, mixed with earth. The Roman power was at last partly exercised by consuls and partly by emperors. (Menochius)
2:43
2:44
Challoner
Kingdom of Christ, in the Catholic Church, which cannot be destroyed. (Challoner)
Worthington
This alone cannot be destroyed. (Worthington)
Calmet
All other empires change. The Catholic Church has stood for seventeen centuries in the midst of persecutions, which gives us an assurance that she will continue for ever. (Calmet)
"Then," says Munster, "was the kingdom of Christ set up, not by arms,...but by the divine power." This interpretation arises from the improper version, without hands; whereas the sequel shews that the empire here spoken of, is attended with the like violence as the four others, which it destroys. The Roman empire was in no degree connected with others by marriage. In the following verse, Munster improperly turns to the second coming of our Saviour. Grotius here asserts that the stone alludes to the Roman armies, prefiguring the Son of man, whose gospel is indicated by the progress of the Roman empire, as both sprung from small beginnings. But who informed him that there were such figures in that empire as in the Old Testament? All empires begin in that manner, and types should have some greater resemblance with the reality. The Church meddles not with the temporal powers. It is therefore plain that the prophet speaks of empires which shall succeed each other. (Houbigant. perf. Prop. 340.)
Haydock
Kingdoms. That of Rome comprised all the former. The persecuting emperors are forced to yield, and the colossal power of infidelity and vice falls before the gospel. Christ's dominion is spiritual, exercised against wickedness; (Calmet) is heavenly and eternal. (Haydock)
Menochius
The blood of martyrs was more efficacious in the establishing of Christianity, than fire and sword had been in forming other empires. (Menochius)
2:45
Haydock
Hands. Protestant marg.: "mountain, which was not in hand." (Haydock)
St. Justin
Christ was born of a virgin; and his kingdom was not established by ambition, like others. Yet it presently became a mountain, and filled the earth. (St. Justin, dial.; St. Augustine, tr. 9. in Jo.)
Calmet
God himself sets up this kingdom. (Calmet)
2:46
Worthington
Daniel, taking him for a little god, under the great one, ver. 17. (Worthington)
Menochius
Victims. Chaldean mincha, (Haydock) of flour, etc. But the prophet had already declared his sentiments on this head, (ver. 28.) and abhorred such honours, like St. Paul, (Acts 14:10.; Calmet) though this is not here recorded. (Menochius)
2:47
Calmet
Of gods, above all those of the country for explaining hidden things: yet he did not acknowledge him to be the only true God. (Calmet)
Worthington
He afterwards erected an idol to represent his own greatness. (Worthington)
2:48
Provinces, or that of Babylonia, which was the first.
Wise men. This would not engage him in any idolatrous practices.
2:49
Xenophon
Works of agriculture, (Calmet) which the ancient kings of Persia encouraged with great attention, appointing officers to reward or punish according as their land was cultivated. (Xenophon, Cyr. 8. et oecon.)
Grotius
St. Jerome thinks they were appointed judges, (Calmet) or assistants of Daniel. (Grotius)
Palace. Literally, "gates," (Haydock) as receiver of the taxes, particularly at Susa. (Chap. 8:2.) (Marsham Egypt. saec. 18.)
2:1
The second year.... Viz., from the death of his father Nabopolassar; for he had reigned before as partner with his father in the empire.
2:2
The Chaldeeans.... That is, the astrologers, that pretended to divine by stars.
2:39
Another kingdom.... Viz., that of the Medes and Persians. Ibid. Third kingdom.... Viz., that of Alexander the Great.
2:40
2:44
A kingdom.... Viz., the kingdom of Christ in the Catholic Church which cannot be destroyed.
2:1
Nabuchodonosor had this dreame the second yeare after his great conquest of the Moabites, Ammonites, Syrians, & Aegyptians, making his kingdom a great Monarchie. so it vvas in the 25 yeare of his reigne: vvhen Daniel vvas about the age of 35. yeares.
2:2
prosessors of Astrologie.
2:9
It is in dede more easie to tel by the diuels helpe, what one hath dreamed; because dreames being past might either procede from the diuel, or by some external signes be knovvne vnto him: but to declare the signification which is to come, and vncertaine, i• aboue the diuels or mans povvre: who can only coniecture what is probable, & doe often erre therin. See the Annotations. Gen. 40.
2:29
By shevving the kings former cogitation before his dreame, he gaue great assurance of the true spirite of prophecie, that the king might securely beleue the interpretation of the dreame.
2:31
The foure kingdoms of the Chaldees Persians, Grecians, and Romanes signified by the foure partes of this statua, consisting of diuers metals or mater did succede in order of time:
2:32
not ech one meaner, or baser then the former, as gold is best & yron & earth the vvorst, for the last rather excelled the former; but vvhen this vision appeared the kingdom of the Chaldees vvas the greatest, and most excellent & that being destroyed the Medes & Persians became greater then it had bene: againe the Grecians vnder Alexander became farre greater then anie before, and finally the Romane greatest of al, til Christs kingdome, his Church vvas spred ouer the vvhole world.
2:44
The Church of Christ is the only kingdom that can not be destroyed.
2:46
He thought Daniel to be a litle god; subiect to the great God. v. 47.
2:47
Notwithstanding this confession, shortly after he erected an idol to represent his ovvne greatnes, and to be adored therin.
mysterie.
2:1
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. A Treatise on the Soul 47
… the actual grace of God, as being honest, holy, prophetic, inspired, instructive, inviting to virtue, the bountiful nature of which causes them to overflow even to the profane, since God, with grand impartiality, “sends His showers and sunshine on the just and on the unjust.” It was, indeed by an inspiration from God that Nebuchadnezzar dreamt his dreams;
2:3
sant'Ippolito † 235 d.C. On Daniel 3
… but it was a heavenly dream, fulfilled in its proper times, according to the counsel and foreknowledge of God. And for this reason it was kept secret from men who think of earthly things, that to those who seek after heavenly things heavenly mysteries might be revealed. And, indeed, there was a similar case in Egypt in the time of Pharaoh and Joseph.
2:4
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on Philippians 5
… What is flattery, and meanness, and adulation? Ziba flattered David out of season, and falsely slandered his master. ( 2 Sam. xvi. 1–3 .) Much more did Ahitophel flatter Absalom. ( 2 Sam. xvii. 1–4 .) But David was not so, but he was humble. For the deceitful are flatterers, as when they say, “O king, live for ever.” (
2:8
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On Modesty 14
… (lust) on which he would sit in judgment though absent, for fear the culprit should “gain the time;”
2:13
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on Second Corinthians 5
… See how many things the three children suffered, though they had done no harm. They lost country, liberty, were taken captive and made slaves; and when carried away into a foreign and barbarous land, were even on the point of being slain on account of the dream, without cause or object . (
2:15
san Giovanni Damasceno † 749 d.C. An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 3.14
… as when the divine apostle says, Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord; yet I give my judgment : sometimes it means counsel, as when the prophet David says, They have taken crafty counsel against Thy people : sometimes it means a decree, as when we read in Daniel, Concerning whom (or, what ) went this shameless decree forth
2:17
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 4
… See, for example, how even when they were in a furnace, they made their supplication for all the people. But we not even when at large bear our brethren in mind. And again, when they were inquiring about the dreams,
2:18
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on Second Corinthians 5
… ( Dan. ii. 13 .) What then? When they had entered in with Daniel, what prayed they? What said they? Dash down Nabuchodonosor, pull down his diadem, hurl him from the throne? Nothing of this sort; but they desired “mercies of God.” (
2:19
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. The Five Books Against Marcion 5.11
… God has become a common name (since in the world there are said and believed to be “gods many” ), yet “the blessed God,” (who is “the Father) of our Lord Jesus Christ,” will be understood to be no other God than the Creator, who both blessed all things (that He had made), as you find in Genesis, and is Himself “blessed by all things,” as Daniel tells us.
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Origene † 254 d.C. Origen Against Celsus 8.68
… and then there would no longer remain among men any of the glory of your religion or of the true wisdom.” If, then, “there shall be one lord, one king,” he must be, not the man “whom the son of crafty Saturn appointed,” but the man to whom He gave the power, who “removeth kings and setteth up kings,”
Eusebio di Cesarea † 339 d.C. The Church History of Eusebius 10.4.8
… ‘great is he who doeth great things and things past finding out, glorious and marvelous things which cannot be numbered’; great is he ‘who changeth times and seasons, who exalteth and debaseth kings’;
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san Giovanni Damasceno † 749 d.C. An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 1.14
… Moreover, there is the property of knowing all things with a simple knowledge and of seeing all things, simply with His divine, all-surveying, immaterial eye, both the things of the present, and the things of the past, and the things of the future, before they come into being
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 5
And Samuel again was not able to save Saul from the wrath from above, yet he oftentimes preserved the Israelites. And Jeremiah prevailed not for the Jews, but some one else he did haply cover from evil by his prophecy. And Daniel saved the barbarians from slaughter,
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san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 16.31
… for that he had the Holy Spirit was true, but he was not the master of the magicians , for he was no magician, but was wise through the Holy Ghost. And before this also, he interpreted to him the vision of the Image, which he who had seen it himself knew not; for he says, Tell me the vision, which I who saw it know not
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 9
… and that it was their part to join with the beholders in admiration, rather than to receive it from them. Do you see how clear of all ambition he is, and how he repels the honor paid to him? In the same manner also did the ancient fathers; for instance, Daniel said, “Not for any wisdom that is in me.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 30
… just as Peter also said, “Why gaze ye on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made him to walk” ( ch. iii. 12 )? so these also say the same. And Joseph also said of the dreams, “Is not their interpretation of God?” ( Gen. lx. 8 .) And Daniel in like manner, “And to me also, not through the wisdom that is in me was it revealed.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on Philippians 5
… but to be wholly destroyed (for their being destroyed was a clear proof that they had deceived before), this Daniel coming forward, and preparing to solve the king’s question, does not take the honor to himself, but first ascribes the whole to God, and says, “But as for me, O king, it is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have beyond all men.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on Philemon 2
… Because, say they, “Thou hast delivered us to a hateful and a wicked king.” Again, Daniel, being a second time cast into the pit, said, “For God hath remembered me.” Wherefore should He not remember thee, O Daniel, when thou didst glorify Him before the king, saying, “Not for any wisdom that I have”? (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 26
… For if he had appropriated to himself the honor belonging to God, He would not have suffered him to live, much less to be in honor. Secondly, because even with great openness he said, “And as to me, O King, this secret hath not been revealed to me through any wisdom that is in me.” (
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sant'Ippolito † 235 d.C. Treatise on Christ and Antichrist 19
… Then were the clay, the iron, the brass, the silver, (and) the gold broken, and became like the chaff from the summer threshing-floor; and the strength (fulness) of the wind carried them away, and there was no place found for them. And the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.”
sant'Ippolito † 235 d.C. A discourse by the most blessed Hippolytus, bishop and martyr, on the end of the world, and on Antichrist, and on the second coming of our lord Jesus Christ 12
… and it smote the image upon its feet, which were part of iron and part of clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the clay, and the iron, and the brass, and the silver, and the gold broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floor; and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.”
san Tascio Cecilio Cipriano † 258 d.C. Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 2.18
… And the iron, and the clay, and the brass, and the silver, and the gold, was made altogether; and they became small as chaff, or dust in the threshing-floor in summer; and the wind blew them away, so that nothing remained of them. And the stone which struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.”
Afraate † 346 d.C. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 5.11
11. For in the vision of Nebuchadnezzar, when he saw it, which Daniel made known and showed to Nebuchadnezzar, when he saw the image which stood over against him, the head of the image was of gold, and its breast and arms of silver, and its belly and thighs of brass, and its legs and feet of iron and potter’s clay .
Pseudo-Clement The Clementine Homilies 17.17
… Pharaoh, also an impious man, saw a dream in regard to the fulness and thinness of the ears of corn, to whom Joseph said, when he gave the interpretation, that the dream had come from God. Nebuchadnezzar, who worshipped images, and ordered those who worshipped God to be cast into fire, saw a dream
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sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 5.26
… and as he does himself say: “The feet were indeed the one part iron, the other part clay, until the stone was cut out without hands, and struck the image upon the iron and clay feet, and dashed them into pieces, even to the end.”
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sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 3.21.7
… Wherefore also Isaiah says: “Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I deposit in the foundations of Zion a stone, precious, elect, the chief, the corner-one, to be had in honour.” So, then, we understand that His advent in human nature was not by the will of a man, but by the will of God.
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. An Answer to the Jews 3
… and there shall come over it all nations; and many shall walk, and say, Come, ascend we unto the mount of the Lord, and unto the house of the God of Jacob ,” —not of Esau , the former son, but of Jacob , the second; that is, of our “people,” whose “mount” is Christ, “præcised without concisors’ hands, filling every land,” shown in the book of Daniel.
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. An Answer to the Jews 14
… when He shall be made no longer “a stone of offence nor a rock of scandal,” but “the highest corner-stone,” after reprobation (on earth) taken up (into heaven) and raised sublime for the purpose of consummation, and that “rock”—so we must admit—which is read of in Daniel as forecut from a mount, which shall crush and crumble the image of secular kingdoms.
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. The Five Books Against Marcion 3.7
… His majesty do His second advent, when He shall no longer remain “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence,” but after His rejection become “the chief corner-stone,” accepted and elevated to the top place of the temple, even His church, being that very stone in Daniel, cut out of the mountain, which was to smite and crush the image of the secular kingdom.
sant'Ippolito † 235 d.C. Treatise on Christ and Antichrist 26
… of things in heaven, because He was born, the Word of God, before all (ages); and of things on earth, because He became man in the midst of men, to re-create our Adam through Himself; and of things under the earth, because He was also reckoned among the dead, preaching the Gospel to the souls of the saints, (and) by death overcoming death.
Afraate † 346 d.C. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 1.6
… And he said again there:— Every one that believeth on it shall not fear . And whosoever falleth on that stone shall be broken, and every one on whom it shall fall, it will crush . For the people of the house of Israel fell upon Him, and He became their destruction for ever. And again it shall fall on the image and crush it .
Afraate † 346 d.C. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 1.8
8. And again Daniel also spoke concerning this stone which is Christ. For he said:— The stone was cut out from the mountain, not by hands, and it smote the image, and the whole earth was filled with it .
Afraate † 346 d.C. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 5.14
… This is the Kingdom of King Messiah, which is that which shall cause the fourth kingdom to pass away. And above he said:— Thou sawest a stone which was cut out, but not by hands; and it smote the image upon its feet of iron and potter’s clay and broke them to pieces .
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 61.4
… For your whole mind slumbers and you actually snore, so profound is the sleep—or rather the lethargy—in which you are plunged. In fact amongst the other blasphemies which with sacrilegious lips you have uttered you have dared to say that the mountain in Daniel
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Letters of St. Augustin 164
… a future event, that flood was a type both of baptism to believers and of destruction to unbelievers, as in that figure in which, not by a transaction but by words, two things are predicted concerning Christ, when He is represented in Scripture as a stone which was destined to be both to unbelievers a stone of stumbling, and to believers a foundation-stone.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 13.13
… but the true city is on a mountain, and the mountain is that which, as we read in the prophet Daniel, grew from a little stone till it filled the whole earth.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 4
… For He was as yet a small stone, already indeed cut out of the mountain without hands; as saith Daniel the prophet, that he saw a stone cut out of the mountain without hands. But what follows? “And that stone,” saith he “grew and became a great mountain and filled the whole face of the earth.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 9.15
15. Moreover, in the fifth age, in the fifth water-pot as it were, Daniel saw a stone that had been cut from a mountain without hands, and had broken all the kingdoms of the earth; and he saw the stone grow and become a great mountain, so as to fill the whole face of the earth.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 1.13
… For that ye may know that they are blind, they have stumbled at a Mountain. I say the same things often, that they may not slip out of your memory. The Stone which was “cut out of the Mountain without hands,” is it not Christ, who came of the kingdom of the Jews, without the work of man?
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 3.4
… But even this is called a cry by reason of the strength of its intention. “And He heard me out of His holy mountain.” We have the Lord Himself called a mountain by the Prophet, as it is written, “The stone that was cut out without hands grew to the size of a mountain.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 45.30
… “I cried,” says he, “unto the Lord with my voice: and He heard me out of His holy hill.” Out of what “hill”? Out of that of which it is said, “A city set upon a hill cannot be hid.” Of what “hill”? Out of that hill which Daniel saw “grow out of a small stone, and break all the kingdoms of the earth; and cover all the face of the earth.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 99.11
… This is the vision of Daniel which I am relating. This stone which was cut from the hill without hands increased, and “became,” he saith, “a great mountain, and filled the whole face of the earth.”
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Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On Repentance 4
… This will draw you forth when sunk in the waves of sins, and will bear you forward into the port of the divine clemency. Seize the opportunity of unexpected felicity: that you, who sometime were in God’s sight nothing but “a drop of a bucket,” and “dust of the threshing-floor,”
Afraate † 346 d.C. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 5.14
… Now he did not say that it smote upon the head of the image, nor on its breast and arms, nor yet on its belly and thighs, but on its feet; because that, of the whole image, that stone when it comes will find the feet alone. And in the next verse he said:— The iron and the brass and the silver and the gold were broken to pieces together .
san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 19.8
… Take heed therefore to thyself, and turn not again to what is behind , having put thine hand to the plough, and then turning back to the salt savour of this life’s doings; but escape to the mountain, to Jesus Christ, that stone hewn without hands
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist 2.38
… and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and even in the whole earth." Here you have the origin of the name "Catholic." But you are so bent upon running with your eyes shut against the mountain which grew out of a small stone, according to the prophecy of Daniel, and filled the whole earth,
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist 2.71
… open your eyes to see the mountain itself, and let Daniel show it to you, growing out of a small stone, and filling the whole earth.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 3.6
… The coming of this Christ was hoped for by the people of the Jews: and because He came in lowliness, He was not acknowledged; because the stone was small, they stumbled at it and were broken. But “the stone grew, and became a great mountain;”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 43.4
… He will send out His “Light,” and His “Truth;” for that they have already “brought us and led us to His holy hill, and into His Tabernacles.” We possess the “earnest;” we hope for the prize. “His holy Hill” is His holy Church. It is that mountain which, according to Daniel’s vision,
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 46.11
… They are to be wondered at, who even now so great a mountain will not acknowledge. The Jews at a small stone by not seeing stumbled; the heretics stumble at a mountain. For now that stone hath grown, now say we unto them, Lo, now is fulfilled the prophecy of Daniel, “The stone that was small became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 48.2
… But if that stone, when the Jews stumbled thereat, had remained there, thou hadst not had whither to ascend. But what was done? What saith the prophecy of Daniel? What but that the stone grew, and became a great mountain? How great? So that it filled the whole face of the earth.
papa san Gregorio I Magno † 604 d.C. Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 5.43
… And thanks be to that leaven which, in three measures of meal, has leavened in unity the mass of the whole human race ( Matth. xiii. 33 ); and to the little stone, which, cut out of the mountain without hands, has occupied the whole face of the earth (
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Afraate † 346 d.C. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 17.6
6. For by the mouth of His prophet God called the heathen King Nebuchadnezzar, King of Kings. For Jeremiah said:— Every people and kingdom that shall not put his neck into the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Kings, My servant, with famine and with sword and with pestilence will I visit that people .
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Afraate † 346 d.C. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 5.11
… And Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar:— Thou art the head of gold .
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Afraate † 346 d.C. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 5.12
… This signified concerning a kingdom which was inferior to it; namely, Darius the Mede. For (God) put the kingdom into the balance. For the kingdom of the house of Nimrod was weighed and was found wanting. And since it was wanting, Darius received it. Because of this he said that his kingdom was inferior.
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Afraate † 346 d.C. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 5.13
13. And the legs and feet of the image were of iron. This is the kingdom of the children of Shem, who are the children of Esau, which is strong as iron. And he said:— As iron breaks and subdueth everything, so also the fourth kingdom shall break and bruise everything .
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sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 5.26
… “And as thou sawest the feet and the toes, partly indeed of clay, and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided, and there shall be in it a root of iron, as thou sawest iron mixed with baked clay. And the toes were indeed the one part iron, but the other part clay.”
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sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 5.26
… others, again, shall be sluggish and useless, and shall not agree; as also Daniel says: “Some part of the kingdom shall be strong, and part shall be broken from it. As thou sawest the iron mixed with the baked clay, there shall be minglings among the human race, but no cohesion one with the other, just as iron cannot be welded on to pottery ware.”
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Afraate † 346 d.C. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 5.13
… And he explained with reference to the feet and toes, that part of them was of iron and part of them of potter’s clay. For he said:— Thus they shall be mingled with the seed of man, and they shall not cleave one to another, as iron cannot be mixed with clay .
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sant'Ignazio di Antiochia † 108 d.C. Epistle to the Magnesians: Shorter and Longer Versions 6
… He, being begotten by the Father before the beginning of time, was God the Word, the only-begotten Son, and remains the same for ever; for “of His kingdom there shall be no end,”
sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 5.26
… As thou sawest that the stone was cut without hands from the mountain, and brake in pieces the baked clay, the iron, the brass, the silver, and the gold, God has pointed out to the king what shall come to pass after these things; and the dream is true, and the interpretation trustworthy.”
Afraate † 346 d.C. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 5.14
14. And he showed that in the days of those kings, who shall arise in the kingdom, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall not be destroyed and shall not pass away for ever .
san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 12.18
… and that a stone cut out of a mountain without hands, that is, not set up by human contrivance, should overpower the whole world: and he speaks most clearly thus; And in the days of those kingdoms the God of heaven shall set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed, and His kingdom shall not be left to another people
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san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 15.28
28. The like doctrine thou has also in the interpretation of the Stone, which was cut out of a mountain without hands , which is Christ according to the flesh
san Gregorio di Nissa † 395 d.C. On the Baptism of Christ 1
… But Jacob alone rolls away the stone, and waters the flocks of his spouse . The thing is, I think, a dark saying, a shadow of what should come. For what is the stone that is laid but Christ Himself? for of Him Isaiah says, “And I will lay in the foundations of Sion a costly stone, precious, elect :” and Daniel likewise, “A stone was cut out without hands
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 22.19
… drawing no germ of life from without but fruitful in singleness like God Himself. The flower of the rod is Christ, who says of Himself: “I am the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys.” In another place He is foretold to be “a stone cut out of the mountain without hands,”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 53.8
… Daniel, the fourth and last of the four prophets, having knowledge of the times and being interested in the whole world, in clear language proclaims the stone cut out of the mountain without hands that overthrows all kingdoms.
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on Philippians 5
… ii. 30 .) And “the king worshiped him, and commanded that they should offer an oblation.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 26
… For some [of them] indeed were sitting as captives, but others did not even feel their captivity, as Daniel, as the three children (cf. Ps. cxxxvii. 1 ); who even while they were in captivity became in that very country more glorious even than the king who had carried them captive. And he who had taken them captive does obeisance to
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on First Corinthians 36
… whereas here there will be no such thing, but he will both wonder and worship, first making a confession by his deeds, and then by his words also. Thus also Nebuchadnezzar worshipped God, saying, “Of a truth, your God, He is the God that revealeth secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on Ephesians 8
… but the teaching is plainer in his case than any language whatever; for he straightway becomes a preacher, he needs not to be instructed like the jailor. He proclaims God, and makes confession of His power. “Of a truth your God is the God of Gods and the Lord of Kings, because He hath sent His Angel, and hath delivered you.” (
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On the Catechising of the Uninstructed 21
… That captivity, then, of the city of Jerusalem, and the people thus carried into Babylonia in bondage, were ordained so to proceed by the Lord, by the voice of Jeremiah, a prophet of that time. And there appeared kings
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sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 62.4
… Again we find citizens of Jerusalem to have ordered certain matters belonging to Babylon. For those three children, Nabuchodonosor, overcome by a miracle, made the ministers of his kingdom, and set them over his Satraps; and so there were ordering the matters of Babylon citizens of Jerusalem.
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Afraate † 346 d.C. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 21.18
… For Daniel’s sake the wrath of the King was appeased from the Chaldeans, so that they were not slain; and for Jesus’ sake the wrath of His Father was appeased from all nations, so that they were not slain and died not because of their sins. Daniel besought of the king, and he gave his brethren authority over the affairs of the province of Babylon ;
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1. Anno secundo. — Dices, cap. I, vers. 1, 4 et 5, dicitur quod anno tertio Joakim, qui fuit primus Nabuchodonosoris, Daniel fuerit puer, indeque tribus annis, scilicet usque ad 4 annum Nabuchodonosoris, fuerit eruditus in litteris Chaldæorum; quomodo ergo hic dicitur, quod Daniel anno 2 Nabuchodonosoris prophetarit, eique somnium explicarit? Respondeo hunc annum 2 Nabuchodonosoris non esse 2 regni ejus, sed monarchiæ, qui regni ejus fuit 37; transmigrationis vero Joachin fuit 29. Daniel autem fuit anno ætatis suæ 57. Nam Daniel anno 1 Nabuchodonosoris, quo ductus est in Babylonem, erat 20 annorum, uti dixi in Proœmio. Somnium ergo hoc regis, uti et illud cap. IV, interpretatus est Daniel anno ætatis suæ 57, qui fuit ante Christum annus 573. Nota: Hæc est chronologia gestorum Nabuchodonosoris: Nabuchodonosor anno primo regni sui venit Hierosolymam, indeque captum et vinctum Joakim, cum Daniele et aliis duxit Babylonem: sed mox Joakim promittentem tributum et subjectionem, in regnum remisit. Anno 8 regni, regem Joakim rebellantem cepit et occidit, eique substituit filium Joachin quem post tres menses amovit, timens ne Joachin patrem Joakim imitaretur, ejusque necem ulcisceretur, proque eo regem creavit Sedeciam. Anno 13 regni sui, Jerusalem evertit, templum succendit omnesque Judæos abduxit. Anno 23, vastavit Cœlesyriam, Ammonitas et Moabitas. Ita Josephus. Anno eodem, cœpit obsidere Tyrum, eamque obsedit per 13 annos, quibus exactis, eam expugnavit anno regni sui 35, uti ostendi Ezech. XXIX, 17. Anno eodem 35, expugnavit Ægyptum, et factus est monarcha. Anno regni 37, qui fuit secundus monarchiæ ejus, vidit somnium hujus capitis, et somnium arboris succisæ cap. IV, portendens suam e regno ejectionem, et transformationem in bestiam. Anno regni 38, regno ejectus est, et mutatus in bestiam, atque per septem annos ut bestia inter bestias vixit. Anno 45, sibi et regno est restitutus, ac paulo post mortuus. Quoad nomen, nota: Nomen prolixum et terrificum Nabuchodonosor, ut et pleraque alia Chaldæorum, compositum est ex tribus, scilicet Nabo, qui fuit Deus Chaldæorum, Chad et Netzar. Sic Nabopolassar componitur ex Nabo, Phul et Assar. Rursum, nunc vocatur Nabuchodonosor, nunc Nabuchodoretsar, nunc Nabuchodletsar: quia Chaldæi sæpe litteras quæ vocantur liquidæ, inter se commutant, ut pro Letsar, dicunt, Retsar et Netsar. Sic Nabonitum aliquando vocant Labonitum. Sic pro Belial Græci dicunt Beliar. Ita Scaliger, lib. De Emend. temp. VIDIT NABUCHODONOSOR SOMNIUM. — Somnium hoc fuisse divinum, et a Deo immissum ad res futuras regi repræsentandas, patuit tum ex instinctu divino, qui hoc suggerebat regi, eumque urgebat ad somnii hujus declarationem investigandam, tum ex assertione Danielis somnium hoc explicantis. Apte imperia mundi per somnium hic regi repræsentantur: quia quid sunt regna, omnesque res et spes mortalium, nisi somnia vigilantium? ait ex Platone Philo. Hinc et Theodoretus notat hanc statuam non in se, sed per imaginem (unde Septuaginta pro statua vertunt, imago) et phantasma regi esse ostensam, ut Deus doceret superbum regem, quanta sit humani supercilii vanitas, quamque variabiles sint res humanæ, et regnum regno succedat, cum Dei regnum sit constans et perenne. Imago, ait Theodoretus, figura rei est, non ipsa res: ostensæ ergo sunt Nabuchodonosori monarchiæ in somniis: quia nihil amplius sunt, quam phantasmata ludicra, nihil rei habentia, præter fictitiam pompam: unde et imago hæc speciem habet giganteam, et prorsus chimæricam. Quocirca Philo, lib. Quod Deus sit immutabilis, hominem vocat «somniorum ludum:» talia sunt et regna, imo magis. Nam, ut ait S. Basilius, «a veritate ad figuram magnus est delapsus: hic autem monarchiæ sub hac hominis imagine decidunt et delabuntur ab homine ejusque vanitate: vaniores ergo sunt quam ipse homo; sunt enim instar hominis non realis, sed phantastici, et in somnio repræsentati gigantis, ejusque ex variis rerum figuris quasi centonibus, conflati et consuti,» ut ait Tertullianus. Denique sicut metalla visa in hac statua hominis, in terræ visceribus a Deo vi solis efformantur: ita regna omnia terrena sunt, sed a Deo efformata, disposita et ordinata, ut ait Apostolus, Rom. XIII, 1. Deus ergo quasi auriga frenat et regit reges et regna. Mystice in hoc somnium regis scripsit pium et eruditum tractatum De eruditione interioris hominis, Richardus Victorinus.
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2. UT CONVOCARENTUR ARIOLI, ET MAGI, ET MALEFICI, ET CHALDÆI. — Arias Montanus et alii varie hæc distinguunt. Verum S. Hieronymus: «Arioli, inquit, dicuntur qui verbis rem peragunt,» aut ex characteribus (hoc enim innuit hebræum חרטמים chartummim, a radice חרת charat; unde græcum χαράττω et χαρακτήρ) divinant, et, ut Septuaginta vertunt, sunt ἐπαοιδοί, id est incantatores. «Magi sunt, qui philosophantur,» radix enim הגה haga, significat meditari et speculari. «Malefici sunt, qui sanguine utuntur et victimis, et sæpe contingunt corpora mortuorum.» Malefici ergo ex extis et cadaveribus futura divinant, et manes animasque mortuorum invocant. Rursum, malefici hebraice vocantur מכשפים mecassephim, i. e. præstigiatores qui incantationibus et præstigiis suis oculos hominum perstringunt, ut eis videantur rem unam in aliam mutare, quales fuerunt magi Pharaonis in Exodo. Ita R. Abraham, Maldonatus et alii. «Chaldæi erant astrologi et genethliaci, quos vulgus mathematicos vocat, qui ex inspectione siderum et diei natalis futura homini prædicebant.» Quæres: Cur cum his non fuit vocatus Daniel, cujus sapientia tum erat celeberrima? Respondeo: Quia Chaldæi sibi suisque sapientiam arrogabant, atque Danielis famæ invidebant, eique hanc gloriam somnium hoc regis interpretandi præripere volebant. Ita Pererius et Pintus. Adde, rex jam pene oblitus erat Danielis: fluxerant enim jam 34 anni a primo Danielis ad regem adventu. Aliter respondet Maldonatus, scilicet regem existimasse Danielem quidem esse sapientissimum in omni sapientia humana, non autem in divinatione, et arte ariolandi, vel somnia exponendi: sciebat enim Judæis per Mosen vetitos fuisse magos, ariolos et divinantes per somnia, Levit. XIX, 31, et Deuter. XVIII, 10 et 11. Nota hæc omnia facta esse consilio Dei, ut hac ratione rex agnosceret suorum sapientium et dæmonum vanitatem, atque Danielis et Dei veritatem. Hanc enim eum tandem agnovisse patet cap. III, 96 et 100. Ita S. Augustinus, tract. XI in Joannem, S. Hieronymus, Rupertus et alii. Syriace, — id est chaldaice, quæ ipsorum nativa lingua erat, quæque olim dicta est Syriaca, ad distinctionem linguæ Hebrææ. Erat tamen hæc lingua diversa a moderna Syriaca, et a Syriaca illa qua conscriptum exstat Novum Testamentum, diversa, inquam, non tam verbis et vocibus, quam dialecto, uti Græca Attica differt ab Æolica et Dorica. Sed cur ait Daniel eos syriace esse locutos? Respondeo: Ne quis miraretur si eorum verba recitaret syriace, uti ab eis prolata sunt, quod facit ab hoc versu et deinceps, usque ad initium cap. VIII; quare nulla est hic paraphrasis Chaldaica, uti est in aliis Prophetis, eo quod ipse textus hic sit Chaldaicus.
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4. REX, IN SEMPITERNUM VIVE. — Hinc videtur quod Chaldæi, id est gentiles, habuerint cognitionem immortalitatis animæ et vitæ æternæ. Gentilium hac de re testimonia fuse hic recenset Hector Pintus. 5. Sermo recessit a me. — «Sermo,» id est res quam somniavi, q. d. Scio me somniasse ex generali quadam somnii umbra et specie, quæ in me remansit, atque ex phantasiæ et mentis conturbatione; sed in particulari quid somniaverim oblitus sum, illudque a vobis mihi refricari et enarrari volo. Exstat pulchrum ænigma somnii, estque hoc: Sponte mea veniens varias ostendo figuras, Fingo metus varios, nullo discrimine veri. Sed me nemo videt, nisi qui sua lumina claudit. Nisi indicaveritis, etc., peribitis. — Chaldaice est הדמין תעבדון haddamin teabdun, in frusta fietis, in frusta concidemini. Minatur illis mortem nisi vere rem indicent, tanquam seductoribus: sic enim magos et divinos, tanquam fallax et perniciosum hominum genus, Moses, Constantinus, Theodosius et alii imperatores morte mulctaverunt. Nota: Hoc postulatum et decretum regis a parte rei erat injustum: nec enim est homo, licet solertissimus et sapientissimus, qui somnia secreta, præsertim jam præterita, multo minus qui eorum significationem revelare possit. Angelis tamen ea nota esse possunt: ipsi enim vident nostra phantasmata, utpote corporea. Ex parte tamen magorum et Chaldæorum non erat injustum: quia ipsi, utpote astrologi judiciarii et genethliaci, profitebantur se ex siderum inspectione, et ex magia nosse occulta, et futuros rerum eventus, etiam liberos. Non enim injustus est, qui a professore exigit idipsum quod profitetur. Ita Antonius Fernandius, visione XXI, cap. II. 8. Tempus redimitis, — hoc est, ut Scholiastes, prorogationem venamini.
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9. QUOD INTERPRETATIONEM QUOQUE FALLACEM, etc., COMPOSUERITIS, — q. d. Nisi ipsum somnium meum enarraveritis, dicam ego etiam vos somnii interpretationem (quam de more scio vos daturos, ut opinionem vestræ sapientiæ tueamini) comminisci et fingere, itaque vestris figmentis me fallere, donec tempus vel in somnio præfinitum, vel a vobis interpretatum (aut potius interpretandum: necdum enim somnium, utpote ignotum, interpretati erant; sed illud a rege sciscitantur, ut, cum audierint, interpretentur) pertranseat, idque eo consilio, ut, si videatis vestra commenta, quæ nunc mente fabricatis, ex eventu redargui, illa novo commento et fallaci interpretatione tueamini. Ita S. Hieronymus.
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13. SAPIENTES INTERFICIEBANTUR. — Hinc colligitur aliquos interfectos fuisse. Hanc regis sententiam, utpote generalem, præfecti etiam ad Danielem et socios, utpote eruditos et sapientes, extenderunt, eosque ad necem quæsierunt, esto forte rex de iis non cogitaret.
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18. UT QUÆRERENT MISERICORDIAM A FACIE DEI CŒLI SUPER SACRAMENTO ISTO. — Sacramentum vocat arcanum somnii regis: idem vers. seq. vocat mysterium: misericordiam vocat somnii patefactionem, tum quia eam sibi non ex meritis, sed ex Dei gratia dari petebant; tum quia ex hac Dei gratia et misericordia ipsorum vita pendebat, q. d. Orabant Deum ut sibi patefaceret mysterium somnii, itaque ipsorum vitæ misereretur, eamque a certo mortis periculo, imo decreto liberaret.
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19. TUNC DANIELI MYSTERIUM PER VISIONEM NOCTE REVELATUM EST. — An visio hæc Danieli vigilanti an dormienti a Deo sit objecta incertum est. Maldonatus putat Danielem somniasse, quod rex vidisset talem statuam qualem postea eum vidisse dicit, simulque quid singulæ ejus somnii partes significarent, quod nobis etiam somniantibus subinde accidit. Alii idem eum somniasse dicunt, sed postea in vigilia revelatum ei esse, hæc omnia esse vera et certa, non somnia. Verum non necesse est dicere aliam visionem, vel certificationem Danieli vigilanti oblatam esse, qua certior fieret hoc somnium sibi immissum esse a Deo, esseque idem cum somnio regis. Prophetæ enim sive in somnis, sive in vigilia acciperent oracula a Deo, hoc ipso simul a Deo reddebantur certi hæc esse oracula Dei, non visiones phantasticas, nec somnia. Significationem autem harum visionum, vel symbolorum, aliquando simul, aliquando postea, præsertim in vigilia accipiebant. Ita enim contigit Danieli, cap. VII, 16, et cap. VIII, 15, et cap. X, 11, et Zachariæ, cap. IV, 5, et cap. VI, 5. Quæres: Uter hic fuerit propheta, an rex somnium futurorum præsagum videns, an Daniel illud ex spiritu Dei refricans et explicans? Respondeo, Danielem fuisse proprie dictum prophetam, eumque perfectum, non regem, nisi inchoate et materialiter. Audi S. Augustinum, lib. XII De Genesi ad litteram, cap. IX: «Quibus, ait, signa per aliquas rerum corporalium similitudines demonstrabantur in spiritu, nisi accessisset mentis officium, ut etiam intelligerentur, nondum erant prophetæ; magisque propheta erat qui interpretabatur quod alius vidisset, quam ipse qui vidisset: itaque magis Joseph propheta, qui intellexit quid significarent septem spicæ et septem boves, Genes. XXXI, quam Pharao qui eas vidit in somnis. Illius enim spiritus informatus est ut videret, hujus mens illuminata est ut intelligeret. Ac per hoc in illo erat lingua, in isto prophetia: quia in illo rerum imaginatio, in isto imaginationum interpretatio. Minus ergo propheta, qui rerum quæ significantur sola ipsa signa in spiritu, per rerum corporalium imagines videt; et magis propheta, qui solo earum intellectu præditus est: sed et maxime propheta, qui utroque præcellit, ut et videat in spiritu corporalium rerum significativas similitudines, et eas vivacitate mentis intelligat, sicut Danielis excellentia tentata et probata, qui regi et somnium quod viderat dixit, et quod significaret aperuit: quippe et ipsæ imagines corporales in spiritu ejus expressæ sunt, et earum intellectus revelatus in mente.» Sie et S. Gregorius lib. XI Moral. XII, qui tamen in eo discrepare videtur a S. Augustino, quod in sola visione imaginum in mente, negat esse prophetiam, perfectam intellige; cum S. Augustinus eamdem vocet prophetiam, scilicet inchoatam, materialem et informem, quod non negat S. Gregorius: in re ergo consentit cum S. Augustino, licet in phrasi et modo loquendi dissentiat. Symbola ergo visa, sunt quasi materia prophetiæ; forma est eorumdem interpretatio, et per ea futurorum prænotio et prædictio: in hac enim prophetiæ ratio et natura consistit. 20. Quia sapientia (qua futura prævidet) et FORTITUDO (qua tam suaviter quam fortiter eadem disponit, regit et mutat ad libitum) EJUS (Dei) SUNT. — Unde explicans, subdit:
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21. ET IPSE MUTAT TEMPORA ET ÆTATES: TRANSFERT REGNA ATQUE CONSTITUIT, — q. d. Deus singulis monarchiis, regnis et regibus suum tempus, vicissitudinem, terminum et translationem constituit, ut v. g. Assyriorum monarchia tot annis staret, et deinde transferretur ad Babylonios: hæc staret in Nabuchodonosore et Baltasare; inde transferretur ad Medos et Persas: hæc ad Græcos: hæc ad Romanos: hæc ad Christum.
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22. IPSE REVELAT PROFUNDA, ET ABSCONDITA, ET NOVIT IN TENEBRIS CONSTITUTA. — Tria genera rerum, inquit Pererius, soli Deo per se cognoscibilia sunt: primo, «profunda,» id est supernaturalia, uti sunt mysteria Trinitatis, Incarnationis, Eucharistiæ. Secundo, «abscondita,» id est arcanæ cordium cogitationes et intentiones. Tertio, «in tenebris constituta,» id est futura contingentia: hæc enim præsentiam et lucem adhuc fugiunt. ET LUX CUM EO EST, — q. d. Deus est ipsa lux et sapientia increata et immensa, omnia cognoscens et illuminans, estque fons omnis lucis et cognitionis angelicæ et humanæ. Vide S. Dionysium, De Divin. Nom. cap. IV et VII.
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23. SAPIENTIAM ET FORTITUDINEM DEDISTI MIHI — «Dedisti,» non realiter, sed mentaliter, hoc est, dedisti ut cognoscerem, sive declarasti. Dare enim hic significat actum mentalem, juxta Can. XXIX, q. d. Revelasti mihi tuam sapientiam et fortitudinem, quam ostendis in dispositione et commutatione regnorum et imperiorum, uti dictum est vers. 20. Unde explicans subdit: «Et nunc ostendisti mihi quæ rogavimus te, quia sermonem regis aperuisti nobis.»
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29. COGITARE CŒPISTI, etc., QUID ESSET FUTURUM POST HÆC, — quem exitum regnum tuum, puta regnum Chaldæorum, esset habiturum, an quando, et in quos foret transferendum. Nota: Daniel hic revelat regi secretas cogitationes cordis ejus, item præterita ejus somnia, quæ ipse erat oblitus. Actus enim prophetiæ late sumptæ varii sunt, scilicet, primo, absentia, et quæ in locis remotis fiunt revelare; secundo, cordis arcana præsentia pandere; tertio, præterita arcana vel cogitationum vel somniorum enarrare; quarto, eadem, si divina et symbolica sint, explicare; quinto, futura prædicere; sexto, Dei consilia, decreta, minas et promissa patefacere; septimo, Angelorum cogitata, dicta et acta explicare. Hæc omnia hoc libro præstat Daniel. 30. Mihi quoque non in sapientia, — non per sapientiam, q. d. Hoc somnium tuum, o rex, per nullum habitum, vel actum scientiæ, aut sapientiæ naturalis, sed per solam Dei revelationem sciri et cognosci potest, et per eam solam ego id scio. Dicit hoc Daniel, tum ut Deo prophetiæ donum acceptum referat, tum ut regem ad unius Dei veri hæc revelantis cognitionem, fidem et cultum pelliciat. IN SAPIENTIA QUÆ EST IN ME PLUS QUAM IN CUNCTIS VIVENTIBUS — hoc ævo et sæculo. Non enim Daniel sapientior fuit Adamo in paradiso, aut Salomone: multo minus Christo, B. Virgine, Apostolis, etc. Porro dixit hoc de se Daniel, non ex spiritu vanitatis, nec ex se, sed motus et compulsus a Spiritu Sancto, cujus ipse fuit quasi os, æque ac calamus. Moraliter hic disce non esse præter vel contra humilitatem, agnoscere in se et confiteri dona Dei, sed potius esse actum humilitatis et gratitudinis. Humilitas enim est veritas: ergo vere agnoscit dona quæ habet, sed ita ut pariter agnoscat se ea non habere ex se, sed a Deo, cujus est omne datum optimum, et omnis sapientia: hæc enim descendit a Patre luminum. Quocirca ea agnoscens in se Sanctus, inde non superbit, sed potius fit humilior, magisque gratias agit Deo, ac magis se fundat in timore Dei. Nam, ut ait S. Gregorius hom. 9 in Evangel.: «Cum augentur dona, rationes etiam crescunt donorum. Tanto ergo esse humilior, atque ad serviendum Deo promptior quisque debet ex munere, quanto se obligatiorem esse conspicit in reddenda ratione.» Sic Paulus de se ait I Cor. XV, 10: «Gratia Dei sum id quod sum, et gratia ejus in me vacua non fuit, sed abundantius illis omnibus laboravi: non ego autem, sed gratia Dei mecum.» Et S. Joannes sibi dat hunc titulum: «Discipulus ille, quem diligebat Jesus.» Et: «Hic est discipulus ille, qui testimonium perhibet de his, et scripsit hæc: et scimus quia verum est testimonium ejus,» Joan. cap. ult. 24. Ecclesia enim probavit hoc ejus testimonium et Evangelium. Sic Moses de se ait: «Erat enim Moses vir mitissimus super omnes homines qui morabantur in terra,» Numer. XII, 3. Sic S. Franciscus agnoscebat in se miram Dei gratiam et sanctitatem; sed simul agnoscebat se ex se esse maximum mundi peccatorem. Quocirca hæc ejus erat crebra oratio: «Domine, quis tu? quis ego? tu abyssus essentiæ, sapientiæ, sanctitatis et bonorum omnium; ego abyssus nihili, ignorantiæ, concupiscentiæ, peccatorum, et malorum omnium.» Unde cum accepisset a Christo crucifixo sacra stigmata, velletque ea occultare, jussus fuit ea pandere. Nam ut ait Angelus Tobiæ cap. XII, 7: «Sacramentum regis abscondere bonum est: opera autem Dei revelare et confiteri honorificum est.» 31. Statura sublimis — Chaldæus: splendor ejus præstans; vel, ut Pagninus vertit, gloria ejus sublimis; Leo Hebræus, forma ejus eximia, scilicet propter radians aurum, argentum, æs et ferrum, ex quibus conflata erat statua. Habebat enim caput aureum, pectus argenteum, ventrem et femora ænea, pedes ferreos et fictiles. Unde Arabicus vertit: Caput ejus aurum; pectus ejus et brachia argentum; venter, femora et crura ejus ferrum; et pedum quoddam (quædam pars) ferrum, et quoddam testa figuli: et Syrus: Caput ejus auri boni: pectus ejus et brachia argenti: venter ejus et femora æris: tibiæ ejus ferri. «Auri,» id est ex auro, argento, etc. Significabat hæc statua vicissitudinem quatuor imperiorum maxime florentium (quæ vulgo monarchias vocamus, sicut regem Hispaniæ, et imperatorem Turcarum vocamus monarchas ob amplitudinem regnorum: esto toti orbi non dominentur), quorum unum alteri immediate successit, prius evertendo, scilicet Chaldæorum, Persarum, Græcorum et Romanorum. Præterit ergo hic alia regna humilia, angusta et obscura, sicut fuit regnum Sicyoniorum, Atheniensium, Lydorum, etc. Nota: Quatuor hæc regna comparantur uni statuæ, non quatuor: quia unum alteri successit, et ex eo quasi natum est, sicut in statua una pars alteri succedit, et inseritur. Rursum, quia respectu orbis terræ, et respectu temporis in quo fuerunt, unum quid fuerunt: quia unus est orbis, et unum continuum tempus, sed maxime respectu summi monarchæ, puta Dei, qui orbem regit; et Christi, in quem desierunt, unum quasi regnum fuerunt: unum, inquam, primo, continua successione; secundo, loco; tertio, fine et termino, uti jam explicui. Quæres: Cur hic aliorum regnorum æque potentium, imo potentiorum, ut Assyriorum, Medorum, Parthorum, Scytharum, Tartarorum, Chinensium, Turcarum, non meminit Daniel? Respondeo: Causa prima et præcipua est, quod Nabuchodonosor tantum cogitabat de suo regno, quidque post illud futurum esset, et an, sicut ipse successerat Assyriis, ita Medi, Persæ, Ægyptii, vel aliqui alii ipsi succederent, et imperium ad aliam gentem transferrent. Hoc enim eum cogitasse patet vers. 29. Huic autem ejus cogitationi per hoc somnium, perque hanc statuam respondit Deus, scilicet illi et Babyloniis successuros Persas, Persis Macedones, hisce Romanos, et hosce in Christum, qui est Rex regum, desituros. Itaque de hisce solis agit, reliqua vero regna, ut ad cogitationem Nabuchodonosoris, et ad rem propositam impertinentia, præterit et prætermittit. Porro Medi hic sub Persis intelliguntur: utrique enim everterunt imperium Babyloniorum. Rursum sub Babyloniis intelligi possunt Assyrii: Babyloniorum enim monarchia, pars et propago quædam fuit monarchiæ Assyriorum. Secunda causa est, quia volebat Deus regis animum ab omni cupiditate terrenorum regnorum abducere, et ad Christi regnum erigere: quod illa omnia caduca sint et mortalia; hoc sempiternum, ut docet vers. 44. Tertia, quia Daniel et Judæi hæc quatuor imperia fere tantum cognoverunt, eorumque potentiam et tyrannidem experti sunt, quando primo a Babyloniis, mox a Persis, deinde a Græcis, puta ab Antiochis, denique a Romanis afflicti, subacti et in captivitatem abducti fuerunt. Horum ergo tantum seriem pertexit hic Daniel, utpote quæ sola ad se, et ad historiam suæ gentis, puta Synagogæ Dei, pertinerent.
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33. PEDUM QUÆDAM PARS ERAT FERREA, QUÆDAM FICTILIS. — Tibiæ hujus statuæ totæ erant ex ferro, sed pedes partim ex ferro, partim ex testa. Non quasi unus statuæ pes esset ferreus, alter fictilis: aut una pedis pars esset mere ferrea, altera mere fictilis, sed quod pedes conflati essent ex ferro non puro, sed mixto cum terra, ut explicatur vers. 43; quale est rubrica, ex qua concatur ferrum. Idque probatur primo, quia diserte ait hic Daniel ferrum testæ in pedibus fuisse permixtum. Secundo, quia vers. 43 hæc permixtio ferri cum testa explicatur per commixtionem seminis variorum Romanorum. Tertio, quia si altera pars pedum tota fuisset ferrea, alia tota testea, non diversos imperii status, sed diversa imperia potius significaret: tam enim testa a ferro, quam ferrum ab ære, auro et argento distat. Ita Antonius Fernandius visione XXI, sect. VI, Maldonatus et alii. Favet et Syrus dum vertit, pedes ejus, ex eis ferri, et ex eis fictilis, id est partim ferrei, partim fictiles. 35. Redacta quasi in favillam æstivæ areæ. — Chaldæus: Fuerunt quasi palea æstivarum arearum quas ventus rapit, dum scilicet segetes in areis excussæ agitantur et ventilantur, q. d. Omnia hæc quæ tam splendida et solida videbantur, instar paleæ in auras evolarunt et evanuerunt. Talia sunt regna terræ: sic transit gloria mundi. 38. Tu es caput aureum. — Nota hic, primo, metonymiam qua rex ponitur pro regno: «tu,» id est tuum regnum, est caput aureum. Unde sequitur: «Consurget regnum aliud.» Ita Theodoretus. Secundo, regnum Chaldæorum metaphorice vocatur caput, tum quia primum fuit et antiquissimum, ut patet Genes. X, 11; tum quia in eo viguit sapientia, ut patet Isai. XLVII, 13. Quæres: Cur imperium Babyloniorum vocatur aureum? nam Persarum postea videtur fuisse æque opulentum, vel opulentius. Respondet Maldonatus per aurum, argentum, æs et ferrum significari quatuor horum regnorum non opes, potentiam aliasve qualitates, sed tantum seriem et ordinem temporis, q. d. Sicut inter metalla, sic primum dignitate est aurum, secundum argentum, tertium æs, quartum ferrum: ita inter hæc regna primum tempore erit Babyloniorum, secundum Persarum, tertium Græcorum, quartum Romanorum. Regnum ergo Persarum minus fuit Chaldaico, non magnitudine, non potentia, non divitiis, sed diuturnitate et antiquitate. Fuit enim primum, et ab ortu suo sub primo rege Nino, usque ad ejus interitum sub Baltasare, stetit annos 1500, cum Persarum imperium tantum steterit annos 230. Ita et Antonius Fernandius vis. XI, sect. IV; ubi pro eo quod Noster vertit: Consurget regnum aliud minus te, verti posse ait: Consurget regnum aliud post te, sive posterum: dici tamen minus allusione ad argentum, quod minoris est pretii quam aurum. Minus ergo, id est minus antiquum, et minus diuturnum, aurum enim argento est durabilius, et ipsa longinquitate temporis fit pretiosius, ait Plinius, lib. XXXIII, cap. III. Verum Chaldæum ארע ara non significat posterius, sed minus, humilius, inferius, ut vertunt Septuaginta, Noster, Vatablus et alii passim. Unde ab ara Chaldaice pavimentum vocatur ארעית arit, quia in domo est infimum et imum: et terra vocatur ארעא ara, quia in mundo est infima ejusque centrum. Quocirca hic sensus, si solus sit, primo, frigidus est et jejunus. Secundo, in eo non satis aptatur similitudo, nam aurum et argentum non tempore, sed pretio et dignitate sunt priora ære et ferro; imperia vero Chaldæorum et Persarum, auro et argento significata, non dignitate, sed tempore tantum in hoc sensu priora esse dicuntur imperio Græcorum et Romanorum. Tertio, non tantum temporis, sed et qualitatis ac præstantiæ ordinem hic spectari patet ex eo quod de quarto ferreo Romano ait Daniel vers. 40: «Quomodo ferrum comminuit et domat omnia, sic comminuet et conteret omnia hæc.» Secundo, Alcazar in Apocal. cap. IX, vers. 5, not. 3, pag. 529, docet sæculum monarchiæ Chaldæorum fuisse aureum, si cum sequentibus comparetur; Persarum argenteum; Græcorum æneum; Romanorum ferreum; quia sensim declinarunt, et in declive abierunt hæc imperia. Nam in prima Chaldæorum monarchia, effloruit sapientiæ pretium et æstimatio, uti liquet tum ex honore amplissimo, et præfectura imperii Danieli delata; tum ex sapientum Magorum frequentia; tum ex astrorum peritia et astrologia judiciaria, quæ ex ea ad alias gentes dimanavit: unde et astrologi dicti sunt Chaldæi. In secunda Persarum, viguerunt deliciæ et corporis blandimenta. In tertia Græcorum, excelluerunt opes atque divitiæ. In quarta Romanorum, dominata est ambitio, sive honoris, nominis et gloriæ cupido. Verum sapientiæ studium æque, imo magis floruit apud Græcos et Romanos, quam apud Chaldæos: vice versa opibus tam excelluerunt Romani et Persæ quam Græci: nec minor fuit ambitio apud Græcos Seleucidas, Alexandri posteros, quam apud Romanos. Tertio, idem Alcazar, tract. De Ponder. et mens., pag. 63, censet per hanc metallorum distinctionem Spiritum Sanctum significare, non discrimen in divitiis (hoc enim in hac visione minoris est momenti), sed in vi et robore; scilicet significari semper subsequentis monarchiæ violentiam futuram majorem: et quia res humanæ plerumque in pejus ruunt, primam monarchiam, si cum secunda comparetur, auream posse appellari, et blandiorem ac suaviorem visum iri; secundam autem respectu tertiæ argenteam; tertiam æream et magis humano generi adversam; quartam porro minus sibi cohærentem (sicut ferrum et lutum ægre miscentur), sed validiorem cæteris omnibus, et omnia regna violente admodum contrituram. Hæc sententia apposita videtur, expedita et plana; cui tamen quædam addenda sunt. Dico ergo Babyloniorum imperium vocari aureum, vel, ut ait Jeremias cap. LI, 7: «Calix aureus,» quia non tantum opulentum fuit et splendidum, sed et felicissimum, gloriosissimum, famosissimum et amplissimum. Sic enim explicat hic Daniel dicens: «Tu rex regum es: et Deus cœli regnum, et fortitudinem, et imperium, et gloriam dedit tibi, etc. Tu es ergo caput aureum.» Nam brevissimo tempore subjugatis Syris, Judæis, Ammonitis, Moabitis et Ægyptiis, qui tunc erant potentissimi, atque a tempore Josiæ cum Assyriis et Babyloniis de imperio et summa rerum decertarant, amplissimum evasit. Unde Jeremias omnes gentes, scilicet tunc cognitas et celebres, Nabuchodonosori fore subjectas et servituras prædicit cap. XXVII, 7, et Habacuc cap. I, 10: «Ipse, inquit, de regibus triumphabit, et tyranni ridiculi ejus erunt,» q. d. Erunt ei risui et contemptui. Et Daniel cap. IV, 19: «Tu rex, ait, magnificatus es, et magnitudo tua pervenit usque ad cœlos, et potestas tua ad terminos universæ terræ.» Quocirca Isaias cap. XLVII, 7, Babylonem vocat dominam regnorum, et cap. XIV, 19, gloriosam in regnis et inclytam, et a Jeremia cap. L, 21, eadem vocatur terra dominantium, et vers. 23, malleus universæ terræ, de quo plura cap. IV, 26. Quinimo, tota fere prophetia Jeremiæ et Ezechielis est de Nabuchodonosore, deque ejus in Judæos omnesque gentes dominatu, idque ex voluntate Dei. A Deo ergo ipse videtur quasi creatus monarcha. Nomen enim et famam, quam semel habuerunt, retinent semper, illamque ad posteros et ad futura sæcula transmittunt. Ita hoc sæculo sunt viri in mathesi, theologia, philosophia, aliisque artibus et scientiis præstantes, qui veteres superant, et tamen veterum nomen et famam, utpote ab illis jam tanto tempore præscriptam, non obtinent: usu enim et copia res omnis vilescit. Sic ergo Babylon, quia prima, aurei regni nomen obtinuit, posterisque quasi exemplar gloriæ mundanæ statuta est: unde et Roma vocatur Babylon, Apoc. XVIII, 2. Secundo, vocatur aurea, quia Babylonii auri erant studiosissimi, illudque a gentibus subactis exportabant et coacervabant, uti ex Judæa abstulerant omnia vasa aurea et argentea, etiam templi, eaque plurima et maximi pretii. Hucque respicit hic Daniel utpote Judæus, significans Salomonis thesauros, et Judæorum aurum et opes in Babylonem esse translatas. Tertio, quia Babyloniorum potentia et gloria, non tam armis, laboribus et fortitudine bellica, uti Persarum, Græcorum et Romanorum (qui cum gentibus fortioribus et in armis jam exercitatis dimicarunt), quam hostium in bellando inexperientia et ignavia, æque ac opibus et luxu crevit, fuitque hoc nomine orbi illustris, splendida et inclyta. Unde Jeremias, cap. LI, 7, de Babyloniis ait: «Calix aureus Babylon in manu Domini inebrians omnem terram: de vino ejus biberunt gentes, et ideo commotæ sunt.» Quo alludit S. Joannes, Apoc. XIV, 8: «Calix» enim «aureus» significat opes et luxum, ac consequenter idololatriam, quam Babylonii aliis gentibus triumphantes invexerunt. Quocirca hoc regnum et sæculum vocatur aureum: quia sub eo gentes vivebant quiete et feliciter in magna pace opibus et rerum omnium abundantia: hæc enim pacem consequi solet. Unde regnum hoc cap. IV, 17, ipsi regi a Deo repræsentatum fuit per «arborem sublimem atque robustam, cujus altitudo pertingit ad cœlum, et aspectus illius in omnem terram: et rami ejus pulcherrimi, et fructus ejus nimius, et esca omnium in ea, subter eam habitantes bestiæ agri et in ramis ejus commorantes aves cœli.» Vere Ovidius, XIV Metamorph.: Invia virtuti nulla est via. Dices: Tempore Babyloniorum etiam dives fuit et inclytum regnum Medorum sub Cyaxare, quem Herodotus Assyriis et toti Asiæ dominatum esse asserit. Respondet Pererius regnum Medorum hoc tempore angustum et afflictum fuisse: nam Cyaxares cœpit regnare anno 14 Nabuchodonosoris, et regnavit 40 annis; jam primis 28 ejus annis, Scythæ invaserunt et obtinuerunt Asiam, scilicet usque ad finem pene vitæ et regni Nabuchodonosoris: ipse enim 44 annis regnavit. Cyaxares ergo tantum ultimis 12 regni sui annis, quibus superstes fuit Nabuchodonosori, dolo interfectis fere omnibus Scythis, imperium proferre et illustrare cœpit, ut ait Herodotus. Ex hac Danielis visione, gentiles fabulam acceperunt de primo sæculo aureo, secundo argenteo, tertio æneo, quarto ferreo, quam ita Ovidius, lib. I Metamorph. graphice depingit: Aurea prima sata est ætas, quæ vindice nullo Sponte sua, sine lege fidem rectamque colebat. Non galeæ, non ensis erat; sine militis usu Mollia secura peragebant otia gentes. Ver erat æternum. ... Mox etiam fruges tellus inarata ferebat. Flumina jam lactis, jam flumina nectaris ibant, Flavaque de viridi stillabant ilice mella. Pergit deinde ab aurea ad argenteam: Postquam Saturno tenebrosa in tartara misso, Sub Jove mundus erat, subiitque argentea proles Auro deterior, fulvo pretiosior ære; Tum primum siccis aer fervoribus ustus: Tum primum subiere domos, domus antra fuerunt: Semina tum primum longis cerealia sulcis Obruta sunt, pressique jugo gemuere juvenci. Mox transit ad æream et ferream: Tertia post illam successit ahenea proles, Sævior ingeniis, et ad horrida promptior arma, Non scelerata tamen; de duro est ultima ferro. Protinus irrupit venæ pejoris in ævum Omne nefas: fugere pudor, verumque fidesque. In quorum subiere locum fraudesque dolique, Insidiæque et vis, et amor sceleratus habendi. Effodiuntur opes, irritamenta malorum. Jamque nocens ferrum, ferroque nocentius aurum Prodierat, prodit bellum, quod pugnat utroque. Vivitur ex rapto, non hospes ab hospite tutus. Non socer a genero, fratrum quoque gratia rara est. Ultima cœlestum terras Astræa reliquit. VOLUCRES QUOQUE CŒLI DEDIT IN MANU TUA. — Est auxesis, exaggerat enim regis sui potentiam: nam qui terræ dominatur, suo modo etiam bestiis et avibus dominatur: quia eas venari et capere potest. 39. Regnum aliud minus te. — Chaldaice ארע מנך ara minnach, id est inferius et humilius te, quod scilicet, te regnante, jam est inferius, sed paulo post crescet in Cyro, fietque superius tuumque imperium in Baltasare evertet. Hoc est regnum Persarum et Medorum, quod ideo, vers. 32, designatur per duo brachia: quia duo quondam regna fuerunt, quæ postea copulata sunt in unum, cujus rex fuit Cyrus, qui matre Meda, et patre Persa natus est; atque, ut Theodoretus ait, per dexteram paternum genus, per sinistram maternum significatur. Rursum, quia brachiis, id est fortitudine et labore multo, Cyrus tota vita sua regnum hoc sibi suisque Persis peperit. Quæres: Cur vers. 32 regnum hoc comparatur argento? Respondeo: Quia argento abundavit, fuitque opulentissimum. Unde præter thesauros obvios et apertos, Deus promittit Cyro thesauros absconditos, Isai. XLV, 3. Hæ opes patent. Nam primo, Plinius, lib. XXXIII, cap. III, ait Cyrum ex debellata Asia extulisse «quingenta milia talentorum argenti,» id est trecentos milliones. Secundo, eædem patent ex sumptuosissimo convivio Assueri, mariti Esther, Esther cap. I. Tertio, ex innumerabili exercitu Xerxis, quo terram et maria stravit: erant enim in eo plusquam duo milliones hominum. Quarto, quia rex Persarum in suo conclavi ad caput semper habebat triginta milliones auri, quod cervical regis dicebatur; et ad pedes octodecim milliones argenti: testis est Athenæus sub initium lib. XII. Quinto, quia gaza Persica qua potitus est Alexander, fuit 180 millium talentorum, teste Strabone, id est centum et octo millionum. Fuit tamen hoc Persarum imperium felicitate et gloria inferius Chaldæorum imperio, sicut argentum inferius est et cedit auro. Hoc est enim quod diserte ait Daniel, vers. 39: «Post te consurget regnum aliud minus te.» Nabuchodonosor ergo regno et gloria superavit Cyrum et posteros. Nam ut alia taceam, Cyrus illius conditor infelicissime cæsus est a Tomyri regina Scytharum. Xerxes, in Græcia a paucis cæsus et fugatus, infamem cladem accepit, ita ut solus in scapha fugere debuerit. Darius Codomannus, miserrime ab Alexandro sæpius fusus, tandem regno et vita spoliatus est. ET REGNUM TERTIUM ALIUD ÆREUM, QUOD IMPERABIT UNIVERSÆ TERRÆ. — Hoc est regnum Alexandri et Græcorum: Alexander enim pene universæ terræ nostrati dominatus est, ita ut sub eo ipsa se curvans siluerit, quasi tacite agnoscens eum dominum. Dico nostrati: non enim Alexander adiit et devicit Chinenses, Peruanos, Mexicanos, etc. Ita S. Hieronymus et passim alii. Perperam ergo Osorius, et ex eo Prosper, lib. De Prædict. et promiss., part. II, cap. XXXIII, per ventrem et femora ærea acceperunt Carthaginense imperium. Quæres primo: Cur vocatur æreum? Respondet S. Hieronymus, quia æs non tantum forte est et durum sed et vocalissimum et sonantissimum. Talis fuit Alexandri et Græcorum fama et gloria, non tantum ob potentiam et bella fortiter gesta, sed etiam ob sapientiam et eloquentiam, quæ apud Græcos floruit. Æs ergo, primo, significat æneas tubas, galeas, loricas et arma Alexandri, puta clangorem tubarum, et armorum æneorum strepitum et fragorem, inter quæ assidue ipse versabatur, iisque quasi musica suavissima delectabatur: fuit enim ipse pugnacissimus, non nisi arma et Martem spirans. Nam veteres armis æreis pro ferreis utebantur: æris enim usus est antiquior quam ferri. Unde Hesiodus: Ære laborabant nondum noscentia ferrum Sæcula. Sic et Homerus Achillis et Græcorum tela et arma docet fuisse ærea: quæ Combe puella in Eubæa primum invenit, indeque cognominata est Chalcis: χαλκός enim græce significat æs. Ita ex Eustathio et aliis docet Cælius Rhodiginus, lib. X Antiq. L, ubi et addit Comben fuisse Æsopi filiam. Hinc et Gabriel archangelus, Daniel. X, 6, brachia, femora et tibias habuit instar æris candentis: quia hac specie repræsentabat Machabæorum fortitudinem et armorum splendorem. Sic et Deus, in curru cherubico pugnaturus contra Judæos, induit corpus ex electro, id est aurichalco, quod est æs optimum et fulgidissimum, uti dixi Ezech. I, 27. Secundo, æs resonans significat facundiam et eloquentiam Græcorum. Tertio, æs sonorum significat famam et gloriam gestorum Alexandri, quæ subito toto orbe insonuit, adeoque omnes percellit, ut certatim cuncti ei se subderent, aut cum eo fœdus inirent. Fuit ergo ipse æs sonans, et cymbalum toto orbe tinniens; unde et Lysippus eum ex ære sculpsit, uti mox dicam. De fama Curtius: «Tantus, ait, nominis ejus (Alexandri) terror universum orbem invaserat, ut cunctæ gentes velut jam destinato sibi regi adularentur.» Hinc et lib. I Machab. I, 3, dicitur, in conspectu ejus siluisse universam terram, ac si audisset fragorem ruentis mundi. Quocirca vere dixit de eo Tertullianus, lib. De Pallio, «sola ipsum fama sua fuisse minorem.» De sapientia et eloquentia solæ Athenæ, quæ ab omnibus epithetum doctæ sortitæ sunt, locupletes sunt testes. Cicero, Orat. pro Flacco: «Adsunt, ait, Athenienses, unde humanitas, doctrina, religio, fruges, jura, leges ortæ, atque in omnes terras distributæ putantur.» Plato in Protagora Athenas «sapientiæ prytanæum» appellat. Mirum vero est quod scribit Tertullianus, lib. De Anima, cap. XX: «Thebis, ait, hebetes et brutos nasci relatum est; Athenis sapiendi dicendique acutissimos, ubi penes Colytum pueri mense citius eloquuntur præcoce lingua. Siquidem et Plato in Timæo Minervam affirmat, cum urbem illam moliretur, nihil aliud quam regionis naturam prospexisse, talia ingenia pollicitam.» Hodiernus Platonis interpres sic vertit: «Dea vobis habitationem designavit delecto loco in quo geniti estis, temporum anni temperiem in eo conspicata quod sapientissimos viros producturus esset.» Æris vero hujus tinnitum, id est Alexandri famam et gloriam, sigillatim audi. Duodecim fere in Alexandro eluxerunt dotes eximiæ et elogia rara, quæ ejus nomen apud omnes gentes celebrarunt. Collegi ea ex Plutarcho in ejus Vita, Q. Curtio, lib. X, et Justino. Primum, fuerunt magnitudinis ejus præsagia et portenta: nam primo, Olympiadi matri ejus ante noctem qua eum concepit, visus est Jove tonante venter suus de cœlo tangi, atque ex ictu largum succendi ignem, qui mox erumpens in flammas passim dispersas dissipabatur. Secundo, Philippus pater vidit in somnis uxorem obsignatam sigillo, habente effigiem leonis, quo Aristander portendi dixit, eam concepisse infantem animosum, et leoninum. Tertio, visus est draco ad dormientis Olympiadis corpus exporrectus. Quarto, natus est Alexander eo die quo Dianæ Ephesiæ templum conflagravit: unde magi exclamaverunt ingentem pestem et perniciem eo die editam ad Asiæ incendium. Hegesias vero Magnesius edixit: «Merito arsisse templum Dianæ, dum ipsa in Alexandri enixu obstetricando fuit districta.» Quinto, Philippus pater eodem die tres faustissimos nuntios accepit, primum fusos a Parmenione Illyrios; alterum, Olympiis se equi pernicitate vicisse; tertium, natum Alexandrum. Unde vates affirmarunt infantem, in cujus nativitate tergemina concurrerat victoria, fore invictum. Hæc omnia Plutarchus. Sexto, addit Justinus, lib. XII: «Ea die, ait, qua natus est, duæ aquilæ tota die præpetes supra culmen domus patris ejus sederunt, omen duplicis imperii: Europæ Asiæque præferentes.» Septimo, cum contra Darium pergeret, aquila supra caput ejus volare visa, cursumque dirigere in hostes, aiunt Plutarchus et Curtius. Octavo, dum Tyrum obsideret, Tyriis in somnis visus est Apollo dicere se ad Alexandrum transire: neque enim sibi cordi esse quæ in urbe agerentur. Nono, ibidem visus est Alexandro Satyrus alludens, quem cum corripere vellet, ille se subduxit, sed tandem post longas cursitationes venit in ejus manus. Unde vates, dissecto nomine Sa tyrus, responderunt: Tua Tyrus erit, nam σα græce significat tua. SECUNDUM, fuit ejus complexio fervida, et indoles ignea. Ex hoc igneo corporis temperamento non tantum illi animus similis, sed et odoris fragrantia, quam ex ore, cute, totoque corpore afflabat. Hac enim de causa in locis calidis thura, odores et aromata generantur, quod æstus solis ibi ea percoquat, ut ignescant, et igneos halitus exspirent. Hinc etiam corpus ejus septimo die a morte, nulla tabe, nullo livore corruptum, sed integrum et vivido vultu repertum est, teste Curtio. TERTIUM, fuit in Alexandro mira celeritas: cœpit enim ipse anno ætatis vigesimo, et omnia subegit anno ætatis trigesimo tertio, quo mortuus est. Hinc Apelles Alexandrum pingebat quasi fulmen, celerrime omnia pervadens et afflans. QUARTUM, fuit in eo constans felicitas. Vix enim habuit quadraginta millia militum, nec nisi septuaginta talenta in eorum stipendium, et commeatum ad triginta dies; et tamen nullam gentem, hostem aut urbem adiit quam non expugnarit, ipsumque tandem Darium, qui habebat decies centena millia militum, prostravit. Unde tantam fiduciam suis militibus fecit, ut, illo præsente, nullius hostis arma nec inermes timuerint, ait Justinus. Curtius vero, lib. X, sic de eo scribit: «Fatendum est tamen, cum plurimum virtuti debuerit, plus debuisse fortunæ, quam solus omnium mortalium in potestate habuit. Quoties illum a morte revocavit? quoties temere in pericula vectum perpetua felicitate protexit? vitæ quoque finem eumdem illi, quem gloriæ statuit. Exspectavere eum fata, dum Oriente perdomito, aditoque Oceano quidquid mortalitas capiebat, impleret.» Ipse Alexander, a vate Apollinis Delphici quærens oraculum, ab eo audivit: «Invictus es, fili.» QUINTUM, fuit in eo amplitudo imperii. Subegit enim totam Asiam, Ægyptum, Syriam, Indiam, et bonam Europæ partem. Hinc Lysippus statuarius, ut amplitudinem imperii Alexandri significaret, finxit ex ære Alexandrum supina facie cœlum suspicientem, subjectis hisce versibus: Æreus in cœlum suspectans fare quid aiat: Jupiter, asserui terram mihi, tu assere cœlum. Quocirca Alexander, accepto imperio, regem terrarum ac mundi appellari se jussit, ait Justinus, lib. XII. Esto revera multas gentes nec adierit, nec subjugaverit; quinimo audiens Democritum de infinitate mundorum disserentem, ingemuit quod ne unum quidem totum sibi subjugasset. SEXTUM, fuit in eo incredibilis mentis vigor, ingenii solertia, animi fortitudo ad quævis ardua, atque periculorum et mortis contemptus. «Superabat fortunam audacia, et vires virtute, nihilque censebat audentibus inexpugnabile, vel munitum esse animosis,» ait Plutarchus. «Periculosissima quæque aggrediebatur, et ubi confertissimos hostes acerrime pugnare conspexisset, eo se semper ingerebat, periculaque sua esse, non militum volebat,» inquit Justinus. In Mallis Indorum bellicosissimis primus scalis in murum evasit, ubi, librato corpore, in medios hostes saltu se immisit. Cujus vibrantibus armis jubar aliquod aut spectrum se videre putantes barbari fugerunt. At ubi eum solum cum duobus armigeris conspexere, in eum irruere, eumque convulnerarunt: ipse ad murum incumbens, et in gyrum pugnans omnium impetum sustinuit, barbarumque gladium sibi intentantem confodit, donec Macedones succurrerent. Septimum, fuit ejus temperantia. Missis ei optimis ferculis et cocis, respondit: «Nihil sibi his opus esse, meliores sibi cocos donatos a pædagogo Leonida, scilicet ad prandium iter antelucanum, ad cœnam angustum prandium. Idem ille, inquit, stragulorum meorum repositorium solitus erat adire, vestiariumque inspiciens, numquid mihi ad mollitiem mater, vel ad luxum addidisset, ea tollebat.» Notent hoc pædagogi principum. Quocirca otii inimicus, si non bellaret, venabatur: qua in re leonem grandem confecit; quod videns quidam exclamavit: «Macte, Alexander, ista cum leone de regno est pugna.» Videns ipse Darii jam victi ampullas, alabastros, lectos, mensas, domusque odorum et unguentorum, oculos ad suos intendens: «Hoc nimirum ait, erat regnare?» OCTAVUM, fuit ejus continentia. «Temperare sibi, ait Plutarchus, magis regium ducebat quam hostes vincere: speciosissimas Darii filias et conjugem nec attigit, nec mulierem ante nuptias cognovit, excepta Barsene.» De aliis feminis pulchris joco dicebat: «Quam magni oculorum dolores sunt Persides!» Ad æmulationem vero formæ illarum, ostentans se victorem concupiscentiæ, sicut inanimatas signorum imagines transmittebat eas. Audiens quasdam a suis vitiatas, scripsit Parmenioni, ut eos tanquam belluas natas ad corruptelam hominum puniret et interficeret: «Ego enim, ait, non solum non vidi Darii uxorem, aut videre cogitavi; sed nec verba facientes de ejus decore sustinui audire.» Dicebat: «Cognosco me mortalem esse ex somno et concubitu; quod ab eadem imbecillitate naturæ incessat lassitudo et voluptas;» quodque concubitus videatur esse parva epilepsia, ut aiebat Democritus. Sane hoc in Alexandro præ aliis fuit admirandum. Nonum, fuit magnanimitas: fuit enim ipse «supra humanam potentiam magnitudine animi præditus,» inquit Justinus. Puer, tentatus a ministris, quia pernix erat pedibus, an Olympiis certare curriculo vellet? «Sane, ait, si habiturus sim adversarios reges.» Dolebat de Philippi patris victoriis, quasi ipse illarum laudem sibi præriperet. Bucephalum equum ferum et indomitum, qui sessorem non admittebat, insidens perdomuit; tum ei pater: «Quære, ait, fili, par tibi regnum: siquidem non capit te Macedonia.» Gloriam regno et vitæ anteferebat. In summa siti oblatam sibi in galea aquam respuit: «Nam ego ait, si solus bibero, hi (milites monstrans) elanguescent.» Dario pacem petenti rescripsit: «Concedo ea lege, si secundus mihi, non par haberi velis. Proinde aut deditionem hac die, aut in crastinum aciem para:» Gaudebat se cum omnibus Darii copiis confligere, veritus longam belli moram, si is exercitum divisisset. Decimum, fuit justitia, æquitas et liberalitas in suos. Inter judicia dum diceret accusator, manum admovebat alteri auri, dicens, «eam integram reo servari.» Moriens rogatus quem regni faceret hæredem, respondit: «Dignissimum. Tanta magni illius animi fuit æquitas, ut, cum Herculem filium, cum Aridæum fratrem, cum Roxanem uxorem prægnantem relinqueret, oblitus necessitudinum, dignissimum nuncuparet hæredem: prorsus quasi nefas esset, viro forti alium quam virum fortem succedere, aut tanti regni opes aliis quam probatis relinqui,» ait Justinus. Iturus ad bellum suis prædia distribuit. Cui Perdiccas: «Tibi, ait, rex, quid reliquum fecisti?» Respondit ille: «Spes meas.» Tum Perdiccas: «Nos quoque qui tua auspicia sequimur, harum erimus consortes.» Uxor Darii capta cum Hephæstionem putans Alexandrum, quasi regem salutasset, et, cognito errore, erubesceret, Alexander eam animans: «Non errasti, ait, nam et hic Alexander est.» Æs alienum militum creditoribus de suo dissolvit; erat id decem millia talenta demptis 103. Parentum demortuorum stipendia filiis attribuit. Undecimum, fuit in eo insignis in victos clementia, et in omnes, etiam hostes, fides. Mazæus Darii præfectus olim, et pro eo pugnans contra Alexandrum, victo Dario, ampliori ab eo præfectura auctus: «Rex, ait, olim unus erat, Darius, nunc tu multos fecisti Alexandros.» Porum Indiæ regem victum et captum rogavit Alexander, «qua ratione tractari vellet? Regaliter,» ait Porus. Adjiciente Alexandro, nihilne aliud vellet: Omnia, inquit, verbum regaliter complectitur. Igitur regnum ei sub satrapiæ nomine restituit, et novam insuper ei regionem adjecit. Taxiles pariter in India rex timens bellum ab Alexandro, cum hæc ad eum diceret: «Quid bellis inter nos opus est? si ego opibus abundantior sum, impertiar tibi libens: sin inferior, non recuso accipere abs te grato animo beneficium.» Delectatus hac oratione, eumque complexus Alexander: «An tu, ait, pugnam hac comitate evades? Nequaquam; quippe contendam tecum, et depugnabo beneficiis, ne me superes beneficentia.» Quare muneribus acceptis, datisque pluribus, denique mille talenta argenti ei elargitus est. Porro Darii matrem, uxorem, filias adeo benigne et magnifice habuit, ut Darius moriens ei gratias egerit, sibique de tali successore gratulatus sit. Unam ejus filiam ipse uxorem duxit, alteram Hephæstioni, intimo suo nuptui dedit. Quocirca, Alexandro mortuo, omnes ejus mortem, æque ac parentis deplorarunt, ipsaque Darii mater inedia se interemit, de quo plura cap. VIII, 8. Duodecimum, fuit ejus eruditio, et in litteratos amor ac favor. Præter alios Aristotelem quinquennio habuit magistrum, ad quem postea scribens: «Ego, ait, optimarum rerum scientia mallem me, quam potentia præcellere.» Aristotelem coluit non secus quam parentem, «quod hujus beneficio viveret, illius honeste viveret.» Xenocrati misit quinquaginta talenta. Iliadem Homeri semper cum pugione repositam habebat sub pulvino; adeoque inter gazam Darii inveniens scrinium pretiosissimum, illam in eo reposuit. Diogenem veneratus est, de eoque dixit: «Ego nisi Alexander essem, Diogenes esse vellem.» Insuper coluit Anaxarchum, Dandanum, Calanum philosophos. Ex quibus Calanus hoc imperii sui speculum ei ob oculos posuit. Conjecit in medium corium siccum et retorridum, cujus oram calcavit. Id uno loco pressum, cæteris extulit se. Idem, circulans undique, et pedibus premens in qualibet parte, evenire ostendit, donec medium pedibus occupavit: tunc enim omnes partes quieverunt. Eo symbolo significavit, media regni maxime premenda, neque procul ab iis vagandum esse Alexandro. Illustris vero fuit ejus dissertatio cum Gymnosophistis decem, quos quasi hostes bello ceperat. Proposuit hisce quæstiones obscuras, necem denuntians ei qui male respondisset: unum natu maximum dedit judicem. Primum interrogavit, «vivosne plures esse an mortuos? Vivos, ait, neque enim jam esse eos qui mortui sunt;» secundum interrogavit: «Terra an pelagus grandiores gigneret belluas? Terra, ait, quippe cujus portio est pelagus;» tertium: «Quod animal callidissimum esset? Quod hactenus, ait, homo non cognovit;» quartum: «Cur Sabam ad rebellionem contra me concitasti? Ut honeste, ait, viveret, aut male periret;» quintum: «An diem, an noctem putaret fuisse priorem? Diem, ait, uno die.» Rege mirante, adjecit implicatarum quæstionum necesse esse ut implicatæ essent responsiones. Sextum: «Qua ratione quis maxime se charum efficiat? Si potentissimus, ait, ille, nec formidabilis sit;» septimum: «Quomodo ex mortali quis evadat Deus? Si quid fecerit, ait, quod denegatum sit homini;» octavum: «An vita, an mors esset valentior? Vita, ait, quæ tam multa tolerat mala;» nonum: «Quousque hominem vivere deceat? Quousque, ait, censeat satius esse vivere quam mori.» Ita tandem versus ad judicem, qui decimus erat, pronuntiare eum jussit sententiam. Qui cum alium alio segnius dixisset respondisse: Ergo tu, inquit, primus moriere qui ita decernis. Minime vero rex, ait ille, nisi tu mentiaris, qui primum dixisti te interfecturum illum, qui pessime respondisset. Hos ergo muneribus honoratos dimisit. Ita Plutarchus. His adde externa, nam primo, fuit in eo ingens nominis terror, indeque ingens omnium erga eum reverentia, admiratio et subjectio, quæ omnes gentes, etiam remotissimas, compulit, ut ad eum legatos mitterent pacis causa. Secundo, barbarorum mores correxit, eosque humanos et civiles effecit. Tertio, Alexandriam, atque alias civitates, usque ad septuaginta condidit. Quarto, formavit et post se reliquit duces præstantissimos, quasi alumnos suos, scilicet Seleucum, Antigonum, Ptolemæum, Aridæum, Cassandrum, etc., atque gestorum suorum scriptores habuit plurimos gravissimos et disertissimos. Fuit ergo Alexander quasi miraculum et portentum naturæ, videturque Deus in eo ostendere voluisse quousque se porrigere possit natura: hæc enim in Alexandro quasi exseruit extremum potentiæ suæ. Quod si hæc natura pari gratia fuisset decorata, et ab ea directa, quid non fecisset? Verum non hos elegit Dominus, sed infirma mundi, ignobilia, et ea quæ non sunt, ut fortia et gloriosa confundat, ut non glorietur in conspectu ejus omnis caro. Nunc ergo sæpe virtus divinæ gratiæ in infirmitate naturæ nostræ perficitur. Altius enim per Christum elevavit nos Deus, voluitque nos uti et niti viribus gratiæ magis quam naturæ, ut ductum Spiritus sequamur, non sensus, non animi, non instinctus naturalis. Quocirca videmus in christianismo informas et teneras virgines ac pueros per gratiam Christi fuisse fortiores Alexandro, ac superasse non tantum reges et tyrannos, sed et equuleos, gladios, ignes, leones, et quidquid in mundo erat vel specie amabile, vel acerbitate terribile. Rursum voluit Deus Alexandrum fidelibus statuere in speculum, et cotem virtutis. Si enim Alexander solis naturæ viribus tanta præstitit, quanta nos viribus gratiæ, naturam longe superantis, instructos facere oportet? Si gloriæ vanæ et caducæ cupido Alexandrum ad tam heroica facinora impulit, quam ardua nos capessere et designare decet, quibus cœlestis et immortalis regni bravium, atque æternum gloriæ pondus jugiter ob oculos proponitur? fuit hoc Alexandri axioma, teste Curtio, lib. VII et VIII: «Nihil tam alte natura constituit, quo virtus non possit eniti.» Quocirca in Sogdiana regione rupem inaccessam, et a triginta armatorum millibus insessam obsidens, irrisus ab Arimaze rupis præfecto, rogatusque: «An Alexander volare possit? Faciam, ait, proxima nocte ut credas Macedones volare:» Itaque trecentos juvenes fortissimos ingentibus promissis excitatos, per prærupta saxa et invia a tergo in rupis verticem clam conscendere fecit; itaque rupem occupavit, et Arimazem cruci affixit. Quid jam arduum, quid difficile, quid impossibile censeat generosus Christi miles, cui hoc axioma a Christo proponitur: «Nihil tam alte natura constituit, quo gratia Christi non possit eniti? Confidite, nolite timere: ecce ego vobiscum sum,» etc.; cum Alexandrum christianum, Paulum inquam, intuetur et audit: «Omnia possum in eo qui me confortat;» et: «Quis nos separabit a charitate Christi? Certus sum quia neque mors, neque vita, neque Angeli, neque principatus, nec creatura alia,» etc. Quæres secundo: Cur regnum hoc vers. 33, comparatur ventri et femoribus? Respondeo primo: Quia, sicut venter subjacet pectori et brachiis, sic regnum Alexandri proxime successit regno Persarum. Secundo, sicut venter omnem cibum ad se trahit, sed eum statim per membra dispergit et dispertit: ita Alexander plurima regna subegit, sed statim moriens eadem suis ducibus divisit. Tertio, notatur in ventre insignis Alexandri intemperantia et ebrietas, de qua Curtius, lib. V, quæ ei mortis fuit causa. Cum enim Alexander Proteæ, bibacissimo Macedoni, poculum ingens (duos capiebat congios) propinans exhausisset, Proteas illud accepit, ac vicissim idem Alexandro propinavit, qui rursus illud ebibit, sed perferre non potuit: nam mox poculo e manibus lapso in pulvinar reclinatus, ac morbo correptus succubuit, decubuit, interiit, sui homicida. Testis est Athenæus, lib. X, XI. Quarto, in femoribus significatur luxuria non tam Alexandri, quam successorum ejus Ptolemæorum in regno Ægypti, qui solemne habebant sorores suas ducere in uxores. Alexander enim luxuriosus adeo non fuit, quia ebriosus: ebriosi enim sicut vino sopiunt sensus, ita et sopiunt hebetantque orexin ad venerem: rursum, semen prolificum vino diluunt et dissipant.
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40. ET REGNUM QUARTUM ERIT VELUT FERRUM. — Quarta hæc est regnum, ait S. Hieronymus et alii passim, Romanorum, armis et fortitudine inclytum, quod vers. 33 assimilatur tibiis: quia ultimum fuit et firmissimum, idque duabus: quia imperium hoc apud plures fuit, scilicet primo, apud duos Consules; secundo, apud Duumviros; tertio, apud duos imperatores, unum in Oriente, alterum in Occidente; unum Constantinopoli, alterum Romæ, vel in Germania agentem. Hinc ejus insigne est aquila biceps, sive duorum capitum: inde in castris vexillifer dictus est aquilifer, et vulgo voce contracta alfiero. Recte Poeta: Tu regere imperio populos, Romane, memento. Hæ tibi erunt artes, pacisque imponere morem, Parcere subjectis, et debellare superbos. Porro in ferro notatur tum bellica vis, tum duritia Romanorum in continuis laboribus, vel agrorum, vel armorum, quibus sibi invictum robur corporis et animi parabant. Audi quæ de priscorum Latinorum exercitiis canit Virgilius, lib. IX Æneid.: Durum a stirpe genus: natos ad flumina primum Deferimus, sævoque gelu duramus et undis, puta gelidis undis. Venatu invigilant pueri, sylvasque fatigant: Flectere ludus equos, et spicula tendere cornu. At patiens operum, parvoque assueta juventus, Aut rastris terram domat, aut quatit oppida bello. Omne ævum ferro teritur, versaque juvencum Terga fatigamus hasta: nec tarda senectus Debilitat vires animi, mutatque vigorem: Canitiem galea premimus, semperque recentes Convectare juvat prædas, et vivere capto. Scipio Africanus, ut habetur Epitome LVII: «Duo millia scortorum a castris rejecit: omnia deliciarum instrumenta recidit: militem omni die in opere habuit: triginta dierum frumentum, ac septenos vallos ferre coegit.» Spartianus de Pescennio scribit, eum jussisse ut in expeditione nemo vinum biberet, sed aceto omnes essent contenti. Idem pistores sequi castra vetuit, buccellato jubens omnes vivere. Quisque ergo miles et arma, et cibum saltem dimidiati mensis portabat. Insuper Romani milites erant fabri tignarii, navicularii, etc.; neque minus apte gladios et hastas, quam secures, dolabras falcesque tractabant. Testes hujus rei sunt milites Cæsariani, qui, ut ipse ait Cæsar, materiam cædebant, unde pontes, naves, machinasque urbibus oppugnandis ædificarent. Frumentum ipsi ex agris metebant, et in castra deportabant. Lecti erant e stramine, unde segestria appellata vult Varro lib. IV. Ludos gladiatorios instituebant, ut, cum in arena pugnas et ferrum et vulnera tractassent, imo excepissent, in acie dimicantes, hostes non timerent, neque vulnera et sanguinem perhorrescerent, inquit Capitolinus in Vita Maximi. Plura vide apud Lipsium, De Militia Rom., et nostrum Valtrinum De Re militari Rom. lib. I, cap. III et IV. COMMINUET ET CONTERET OMNIA HÆC, — per exercitus, quos ad continendos in obedientia populos in singulis provinciis alebant. Unde Tertullianus, lib. I Contra Judæos, cap. VII: «Quid de Romanis, ait, dicam, qui de legionum suarum præsidiis imperium muniunt?» Itaque sparsas per gentes alebant continuo triginta duas legiones, ex quibus octo erant in Germania, aliæ in Hispania, Asia, Africa, etc., uti docent Cardinalis Baronius et alii. Hæ enim gentes apud quas residebant, aliasque vicinas pessumdabant et comminuebant. Has autem legiones alebant tributis, quæ provinciis indicebant; et ad ea colligenda, atque provincias in officio continendas, mittebant in eas Prætores et Proconsules. Unde et Cicero Quinto fratri in præfectura Asiana duo commendat, scilicet publicanorum curam ad exigenda tributa, et militum præsidia ad continendos provinciales. Hisce duobus Romani omnia regna contriverunt, sibique subjecerunt, ut magnifice sed vere dixerit Martialis: Terrarum dea gentiumque Roma, Cui par est nihil, et nihil secundum. Et Livius, lib. I: «Nulla, ait, unquam respublica nec major, nec sanctior, nec bonis exemplis ditior fuit.» Et Claudianus: Qua nihil in terris complectitur altius æther, Cujus nec spatium visus, nec corda decorem, Nec laudem vox ulla capit; quæ luce metalli Æmula vicinis fastigia conserit astris: Armorum legumque parens, quæ fundit in omnes Imperium. Hinc illa vulgata: «Romanos rerum dominos; Romam mundi caput, mundi miraculum, mundi compendium, arcem nationum ac regum, lumen gentium.» Denique Propertius: Omnia Romanæ cedant miracula terræ, Natura hic posuit, quidquid ubique fuit. Et Plutarchus: «Romanum imperium, ait, velut anchoram fuisse fluctuanti mundo.»
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41. REGNUM DIVISUM ERIT. — Rabbini putant hic significari quintum imperium, nimirum Turcarum. Sed errant: Daniel enim tantum quatuor hic consignat, et de quarto ait, quod in eo ferrum permiscebitur testæ. Rursum cum de eodem ait: «Regnum divisum erit,» plane significat idem regnum fore, sed in se divisum. Tertio, cum de eodem ait vers. 42: «Ex parte regnum erit solidum, et ex parte contritum,» clare indicat se non aliud novum imperium, sed ejusdem imperii varios status significare. Facessant ergo Judæi qui divisum Romanum imperium interpretantur in Romanos et Turcas: nec enim Turcæ sunt pars, sed hostes jurati imperii Romani. Dico ergo imperium Romanum prædici hic fore «divisum,» id est differens viribus, item dissidens et discors, ut cum plebs in senatum, Sylla in Marium, Cæsar in Pompeium, Augustus in Antonium, et alii deinceps in alios insurrexerunt: multi etiam imperium invaserunt. Unde digiti pedum significant inæqualitatem principum, cum plures sunt, dum alii majores, id est potentiores, opprimunt minores: hi deinde potentioribus invident. Potissimum vero divisum fuit hoc regnum, ideoque enervatum, cum variæ gentes ab ejus obedientia se subduxerunt, sibique proprios reges crearunt, uti fecerunt Hispani, Poloni, Angli, Franci, etc. Porro hæc regna fuerunt et sunt inæqualia, alia majora, alia minora, sicuti digiti pedum inæquales sunt, alii majores, alii minores. Rursum ex duabus tibiis oriuntur decem digiti pedum, et in eis tota statua desinit: quia Romanum imperium in fine mundi dividetur in decem reges, quorum nullus erit rex Romanorum, sicut nullus digitus est tibia. Digitorum enim extremitas finem continet imperii deficientis et quasi exspirantis. Hinc initio hoc regnum fuit ferreum et validum, deinde fictile et «contritum,» id est facile contritu, scilicet cum Romani bellis civilibus se attriverunt; et cum Gothi, Alani, Wandali illud impetierunt ita valide, ut sæpius Romani ab eis pacem flagitare, imo opem contra alios imperii hostes poscere coacti fuerint. Ita S. Hieronymus. Vide Paulum Orosium, lib. VII Histor. cap. XXII. Atque in fine mundi a decem regibus plane evertetur. Nota: Hæc divisio orta est «ex plantario» ferri: Vatablus vertit, ex firmitate, id est ex planta pedis statuæ, quæ ferrea erat. Secundo et melius vertas, ex plantario, id est ex radice, pedis ferrei, ita Græca: φύλα enim significat radicem: et Chaldaice נצבת nitsebet, plantationem significat. Unde Biblia Complutensia hic legunt, de plantatione ferri. Melius Romana, de plantario ferri: sic enim plantaria, teste Servio, vocantur ipsæ plantæ, quæ e semine ortæ, cum radicibus et terra propria transferuntur de uno loco in alium, q. d. Ex fortitudine et divitiis, quæ erant quasi ferrum, id est robur Romanorum, tanquam e radice pullulabit eorum ambitio, indeque discordia, dum nec Cæsar Pompeium superiorem, nec Pompeius Cæsarem parem patitur, et ut Alexander legatis Darii pacem et regni divisionem offerentibus, respondit: Sicut mundus non fert duos soles, sic nec duos monarchas; aut Cæsar, aut nihil. Sic ergo Romæ, ex aristocratia nata est tyrannis. Hoc est quod canit Petronius Arbiter in Satyr.: Orbem jam totum victor Romanus habebat, Qua mare, qua terræ, qua sidus currit utrumque. Mox imperii vires lacerasse discordiam docet: Namque omnis regia cœli In partes diducta ruit. Infremuere tubæ, ac scisso Discordia crine Extulit ad superos Stygium caput, jubens factionibus discindi Romam. Ac concludit: Factum est in terris, quidquid Discordia jussit. Quocirca Junoni, quæ regnorum præses habebatur, malum punicum dedicaverunt veteres, quod in ejus manu Mycenis spectabatur, cum altera sceptrum gestaret. Sicut enim in malogranato, sub uno exterius cortice multa interius grana uniuntur: sic plurimos cives unitas politiæ continet, quos intus diversitas familiarum distinguit. Malogranatum ergo est symbolum unionis et concordiæ, quæ reipublicæ est basis et fulcrum, imo anima et vita. Hinc et pontifex Mosaicus in tunica ima gestabat tintinnabula mixta malogranatis, quæ unitatem Ecclesiæ significabant, teste Eucherio et S. Gregorio, in Cant. IV, quod scilicet multæ gentes conspirarent in eumdem sonum, hoc est, in eamdem fidei professionem, Deique laudem quasi tintinnabula; et in eamdem animorum unionem ac charitatem, quam notat malogranatum in mira illa, et, ut S. Hieronymus ait, in Aggæi II, quasi geometrica compositione granorum in diversis mansiunculis uno cortice comprehensorum. Ita Prado in Ezech. XIX, 10.
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43. COMMISCEBUNTUR QUIDEM HUMANO SEMINE. — Notat Daniel democratiam, vel aristocratiam Romanorum, q. d. Romani ad sedandas discordias jungent potentium connubia, facientque eos affines et cognatos; sed hæc conjunctio et affinitas instabilis erit et infirma, uti est mixtio ferri cum testa; nam «summa potestas impatiens consortis erit.» Hujus rei veritas patuit in connubio Pompeii cum Julia Cæsaris filia, et Marci Antonii cum Octavia sorore Octavii Augusti, atque aliis. Nam hæc connubia ambitiosos fœderare non potuerunt, quin in cædes et bella erumperent. Sic et hodie videmus regum connubia late regnandi aviditatem, indeque orta litigia et bella non tollere: major enim et potentior est vis ambitionis quam cognationis. Aliqui sic explicant, q. d. Imperium Romanum multas gentes, alias fortiores, alias imbecilliores continebit (semina enim pro gentium et hominum varietate posuit); sed non cohærebunt sibi, nec sociabuntur, sicut nec testæ ferrum permisceri potest, ideoque totum tandem imperium dissolvetur. Verum hæc divisio provinciarum fuit etiam tunc, cum maxime floreret imperium Romanum: nec hæc fuit causa ruentis imperii, quod in eo ferrum testæ, id est fortiores gentes infirmioribus sociarentur. Prior ergo expositio verior est. Hæc ergo est statua una, sed quadrifida, ob quatuor regna: unde Zachar. cap. VI, 4, eadem quadrigis disparibus comparat. Vide hic rursus regnorum et regum vanitatem et inconstantiam: statua hæc bases, id est pedes habet testaceos: quid testa, quid luto vilius, mollius, fragilius? Primum Babylonis imperium cœpit a Nabuchodonosore, finitum est in Baltasare, eversum a Cyro; stetit annos tantum 70. Secunda Persarum monarchia cœpit a Cyro; desiit in Dario, eversa est ab Alexandro; stetit annos ducentos. Tertia Græcorum cœpit ab Alexandro, inde mox divisa fuit in regna Ægypti, Syriæ et Macedoniæ: stetit in Ægypto usque ad Augustum Cæsarem, qui Cleopatram cum Antonio ad spontaneam mortem adegit, regnumque Ægypti evertit; stetit, inquam, annos 288. Quarta Romanorum, quæ cœpit a Julio Cæsare et Augusto, adhuc durat; sed quam divisa et debilitata! Imperium tamen Romanorum et Romani senatus fuit longe antiquius, illudque labascere cœpit sub Cæsare et Augusto ob discordias et bella intestina. Unde horum discordiæ et connubia recte comparantur hic pedibus statuæ mixtis ex ferro et testa. Pedes enim sunt extrema statuæ, in quibus ipsa finitur et desinit: ita hoc imperium interire et desinere cœpit sub Augusto, ac per Christum tunc nascentem eversum, uti subdit Daniel. Moraliter, speculum hoc intuemini, o filii Adæ! ac discite, quia «omnis potentatus vita brevis.» Ubi nunc est Nabuchodonosor ille inclytus? ubi Cyrus? ubi Darius? ubi Pompeius? ubi Augustus? vixit, valedixit, valete et plaudite. Ubi Cæsar? ubi Antiochus? ubi Alexander? Unus Pellæo juveni non sufficit orbis, Sarcophago contentus erit: mors sola fatetur Quantula sint hominum corpuscula. Alexandrum heri totus orbis capere non potuit, hodie urna sex pedum capitur: heri Alexander orbi, jam lumbrici dominantur, imo depascuntur Alexandrum. An non «in imagine (instar umbræ et umbratilis imaginis) pertransit homo, et frustra conturbatur? Et nunc, reges, intelligite: erudimini qui judicatis terram: servite Domino in timore, et exsultate ei cum tremore.» Alexander transiit, mortuus est, et comestus a vermibus; et vos transibitis, moriemini, et a vermibus comedemini. Alexander in inferno sepultus est: cavete ne et vos ibidem sepeliamini. Ubi jam Babylon? ubi Ninive? ubi Hierosolyma? ubi Roma orbis domina, arx totius mundi, domus fortitudinis, imperii majestas, terror universi, triumphorum gloria? an non testacea fuit, fragilis, caduca? Vere noster Lipsius, lib. III De Magnitud. Romana, cap. II: «O spes et res humanæ! quid estis? quæ itis? huc flectite. En potens et superba illa Roma, quæ urbs æterna audiebat, quæ victura cum sæculis, quæ deorum opus et cura, tota periit, condita in ruinis suis jacet, et laboramus eruere et astruere magnitudini ejus fidem.» Certe vanitas vanitatum, et omnia vanitas. Quid est vita nostra? quid regnum? quid gloria? vapor est, somnium est, folium est. Homerus, lib. VI Iliad., homines comparat cum arborum foliis, quæ modo virescunt, modo arescunt; nunc pulchritudine decorantur, nunc a vento rapiuntur. Euripides hujus sæculi felicitatem asseruit tantum durare per unum diem; Demetrius vero Phalereus per unum duntaxat temporis punctum. Quid ergo est rex? quid monarcha? homo est. Homo quid est? est umbræ somnium, inquit Pindarus. Quid est homo? «est animal quo nullum est debilius et inconstantius,» inquit Menander: nullum enim animal est quod crebrius ac velocius modo surgat, modo cadat, quam homo. Quid est homo? «Est fortunæ lusus, inconstantiæ imago, temporis spolium, corruptionis exemplum.» Quid est homo? «Est universa vanitas,» ait Psaltes Psalm. XXXVIII, 6; «Deum ergo time, et mandata ejus observa: hoc est enim omnis homo.» Cœlum cogita, æterna cogita.
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44. IN DIEBUS AUTEM REGNORUM ILLORUM, — cum scilicet quatuor regna jam dicta suum tempus, sua spatia regnandi habuerint, eaque evoluta fuerint usque ad ultimum, hoc est, Romanis jam regnantibus. SUSCITABIT DEUS CŒLI REGNUM, QUOD IN ÆTERNUM NON DISSIPABITUR. — Quintum hoc regnum est Christi, quod alia omnia regna evertit, non quoad temporale regimen, sed quoad idololatriam, aliaque vitia, omniaque sibi et suæ fidei ac obedientiæ subjecit. Unde hoc regnum non temporale est, sed spirituale et æternum, quod inchoatur hic per fidem et gratiam, atque in cœlo consummabitur per gloriam. Licet enim Christus, qua homo, ob gratiam et dignitatem unionis hypostaticæ cum Verbo, esset etiam temporalis rex orbis, imo rex regum et monarcha mundi; tamen ipse hoc regno et hac potestate regali uti noluit, sed tantum regno et potestate sua spirituali. Unde hoc spirituale ejus regnum tantum inculcat Daniel, aliique Prophetæ. Quocirca ait Daniel hic: « In diebus regnorum illorum, » q. d. Stante adhuc regno temporali Romanorum, orietur regnum spirituale Christi. Tertio, spirituale fore regnum Messiæ, non terrenum et corporale, docet diserte Daniel cap. IX, ubi definiens tempus Messiæ, nimirum eum venturum post 70 hebdomades annorum, id est post 490 annos, ait de eo: « Septuaginta hebdomades abbreviatæ sunt super populum tuum, et super urbem sanctam tuam (non ut reducatur regnum Salomonicum et Judaicum, sed) ut consummetur prævaricatio, et finem accipiat peccatum, et deleatur iniquitas, et adducatur justitia sempiterna, et impleatur visio, et prophetia, et ungatur Sanctus sanctorum. » Vides, o Judæe! regnum Christi non fore in exercitibus, pompis et triumphis, sed in abolitione prævaricationis et peccati, ut pro eo inducantur sanctitas et justitia, eaque in christianis toto orbe regnet. Insuper, Daniel et Prophetæ aiunt Christi regnum fore æternum: ergo intelligunt cœleste; nullum enim regnum in terris potest esse æternum. Hoc est quod Christus Pilato roganti an rex esset, respondit: « Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo. » Licet ergo pontifices jam habeant dominium temporale, id tamen non habent qua vicarii Christi, sed quasi accessorium ex donatione Constantini, Caroli Magni, Machtildis et aliorum piorum principum. Quarto, quia Daniel et prophetæ docent Messiam in hac vita adeo non fore potentem et splendidum, ut plane significent eum fore pauperem, abjectum, passurum, moriturum et crucifigendum, ut sua cruce et morte satisfaciat Deo pro peccatis nostris, eaque in suo corpore luat et expiet. Audi Danielem, cap. IX, 26: « Et post hebdomades sexaginta duas occidetur Christus; et non erit ejus populus, qui eum negaturus est, » ut Judæi eum negarunt coram Pilato, dicentes: « Non habemus regem nisi Cæsarem. » Audi Isaiam, cap. LIII, 2: « Et ascendet sicut virgultum coram eo, et sicut radix de terra sitienti; non est species ei, neque decor, etc., vidimus eum despectum et novissimum virorum, virum dolorum, et scientem infirmitatem. » Et vers. 7: « Oblatus est, quia ipse voluit, et non aperuit os suum. » Et vers. 5: « Ipse autem vulneratus est propter iniquitates nostras, attritus est propter scelera nostra: disciplina pacis nostræ super eum, et livore ejus sanati sumus. » Similia habet David Psal. XXI: « Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos, et dinumeraverunt omnia ossa mea, » etc. Et Jeremias cap. XI, 19: « Et ego quasi agnus mansuetus, qui portatur ad victimam, et non cognovi, quia cogitaverunt super me consilia, dicentes: Mittamus lignum in panem ejus, et eradamus eum de terra viventium. » Quinto, quia regnum Christi non fore in carne, sed in spiritu rebusque spiritualibus docent omnes prophetæ. Isaias, cap. XI, 2: « Requiescet super eum Spiritus Domini, spiritus sapientiæ et intellectus, spiritus consilii et fortitudinis, spiritus scientiæ et pietatis, et replebit eum spiritus timoris Domini. Judicabit in justitia pauperes. » Et cap. XLII, 1: « Dedi spiritum meum super eum, judicium gentibus proferet. Calamum quassatum non conteret, et linum fumigans non exstinguet. » Et vers. 6: « Dedi te in fœdus populi, in lucem Gentium, ut aperires oculos cæcorum, » etc. Et cap. XLIX, 6: « Ecce dedi te in lucem Gentium, ut sis salus mea usque ad extremum terræ. » Et cap. LXI, 1: « Spiritus Domini super me, eo quod unxerit Dominus me, ad annuntiandum mansuetis misit me, ut mederer contritis corde, etc., ut prædicarem annum placabilem Domino, et diem ultionis Deo nostro, et ponerem lugentibus Sion, et darem eis coronam pro cinere, oleum gaudii pro luctu, pallium laudis pro spiritu mœroris, et vocabuntur in ea fortes justitiæ. » Talia passim habet Isaias. Et Jeremias cap. XXXI, 33: « Hoc erit pactum quod feriam cum domo Israel, etc. Dabo legem meam in visceribus eorum, et in corde eorum scribam eam, et ero eis in Deum, et ipsi erunt mihi in populum. Et non docebit ultra vir proximum suum, dicens: Cognosce Dominum. Omnes enim cognoscent me; quia propitiabor iniquitatibus eorum, et peccati eorum non memorabor amplius. » Et cap. XXXIII, 13: « In diebus illis germinare faciam David germen justitiæ (Christum), et faciet judicium et justitiam in terra: et hoc est nomen quod vocabunt eum, Dominus justus noster. » Et Zacharias cap. IX, 9: « Ecce rex tuus veniet tibi justus et salvator; ipse pauper, et ascendens super asinum, et super pullum filium asinæ, » etc. Quod ergo subinde prophetæ dicunt, Christi regnum fore potens, et abundans auro, argento, vino, oleo, etc., id mystice accipiendum est. Gratias enim, et dona spiritualia Christi vocant metaphorice aurum, argentum, vinum et oleum; quia Judæi carnales hæc tantum bona norant et adamabant; nec spiritualia, nisi per corporalia mystice repræsentata, capiebant. Denique ita docent S. Augustinus, tract. CXV in Joan., Tertullianus, Cyprianus et alii in libris quos contra Judæos scripserunt, S. Bernardus, serm. 3 super Missus, et alii passim, ac interpretes orthodoxi omnes. Porro hæc eversio gentilismi, et hoc regnum spirituale Christi cœpit mox a Christo per S. Petrum, Paulum, et alios Apostolos; unde et tunc Claudius imperator multa sacrificia, multaque deorum festa abrogavit, hoc titulo, quod magni sumptus, multique dies cum damno publico in iis insumerentur: sed altiore Dei consilio dirigebatur ad abolendam sensim idololatriam, et ad viam Christo, Christique regno sternendam. Testis est Dio, lib. VI, et ex eo Baronius, tom. I Annal. Paulatim deinde crevit hoc regnum Christi, adeo ut sub Constantino totum imperium pervaserit, ipsumque imperium Romanum eousque gentilissimum, cum suis imperatoribus factum sit christianum, Perperam ergo hoc loco abutuntur rabbini, ut probent Messiam necdum venisse. Objiciunt enim: Hic lapis dicitur contrivisse aurum, argentum, æs et ferrum statuæ, id est imperia Chaldæorum, Persarum, Græcorum et Romanorum; atqui imperium Romanorum videmus necdum esse contritum, sed adhuc stare; ergo lapis hic, id est Messias, qui illud conteret, necdum venit. Respondet primo Theodoretus hic, et Tertullianus lib. extremo Contra Judæos, Christum non nunc, sed in fine mundi, puta in die judicii, destructurum omnia regna mundi, nimirum plane et perfecte. Verum amplius aliquid vult Daniel, scilicet id eum facturum in primo suo adventu, mox a sui ortu. Respondeo ergo Messiam contrivisse hæc omnia imperia, non quoad temporale et terrenum dominium, quod parvi est momenti; sed quoad mysticum et spirituale, quo per gentilismum et idololatriam dominabantur tam mentibus, quam corporibus hominum, eosque dæmoni, inferno et pœnis æternis mancipabant; quæ tyrannis erat acerbissima, sub qua duram servitutem serviebant omnes gentes, gementes sub ejus jugo. Hanc tyrannidem evertit Christus, hominesque hoc crudo servitutis jugo liberavit, dum eos suæ fidei subjiciens, in Dei gratiam, libertatem, et salutem æternam asseruit. Regnum ergo Christi non est caducum et terrenum, sed stabile et cœleste; regnum enim Christi est Ecclesia. Id ita esse patet, primo, quia lapis hic quem vidit Daniel, cum esset parvulus, non poterat tantam statuæ molem ex ære, ferro, auro et argento compactam prosternere physice et corporaliter: ergo mystice et spiritualiter, ac symbolice (est enim hæc visio tota symbolica) id accipiendum est, nimirum ut significet, quod Christus humilis et pauper sua humilitate, mundique contemptu dejecturus esset in mentibus fidelium per totum orbem, omnem ambitionem, pompam et fastum humanæ gloriæ et concupiscentiæ, quam ingens hæc statua, ostentatione, mole et pretio metallorum repræsentabat. Secundo, quia imperium Romanorum stabit ad finem mundi, scilicet usque ad Antichristum, qui illud destruet, ac mox ipse destruetur a Christo judice, qui evertens omnia regna terrena, inducet regnum beatum et gloriosum in cœlis, uti docet Daniel, cap. VII, 13. Ergo frustra Judæi exspectant Messiam, qui Romanorum imperium destruat, ac pro eo regnum hic terrenum et longævum instar Salomonis inducat: stabit enim, ut ait Daniel, Romanorum regnum usque ad finem mundi. Ergo Messias suum regnum triumphans et gloriosum non habebit in hoc mundo, sed in cœlo. Nam, ut ait S. Gregorius, epist. 60: « Constantinus piissimus imperator rempublicam a perversis idolorum cultibus revocans, omnipotenti Domino Jesu Christo se subdidit, et cum subjectis populis tota ad Deum mente convertit. » Quocirca imperatores a Pontifice confirmantur, consecrantur et coronantur. Et S. Hieronymus ad Lætam: « Deposuit, inquit, pharetras Armenius, Hunni discunt psalterium, Scythiæ frigora fervent calore fidei. Getarum rutilus et flavus exercitus Ecclesiarum circumfert tentoria, » etc. Christus ergo nascens verius fuit Augustus, quam ipse Augustus Cæsar: auxit enim suos augusta gratia, salute, omnique bono. Ita Venerabilis Beda in illud Lucæ cap. I: « Exiit edictum a Cæsare Augusto, » ubi docet Augustum, quasi egentem et angustum, ab hominibus exegisse censum et tributum; Christum vero quasi divitem et augustum illud ei dedisse, eumque ac multo magis fideles suos ditasse. Quocirca Christo nato Augustus noluit amplius vocari imperii dominus, imo, ut multi tradunt, Christum sibi in visione ostensum in Capitolio adoravit: inde enim locus dictus videtur Ara cœli, qui etiamnum hoc nomine a multis colitur et visitur, insigni templo, quod Religiosi S. Francisci obtinent, illustris. Ita ex Suida, Cedreno et Nicephoro Baronius in Prolegom. Annal.
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Hoc Christi regnum comparatur lapidi duro, quia Christus est petra supra quam fundata est Ecclesia, quæ est regnum ejus æternum; et quia Christus instar Davidis percussit Goliath, id est dæmonem, lapide, id est humilitate et duritie passionis et crucis suæ. Nota: Lapis hic « abscissus est de monte, » id est de dæmone, aiebat Vigilantius, cui humana natura per peccata et vitia adhæserat; sed hanc ejus blasphemiam refutat S. Hieronymus, epist. 75. « De monte » ergo, id est de populo et Ecclesia Judaica, quæ inter gentes quasi mons eminebat, ait S. Augustinus, tract. IX in Joann. Vel potius « de monte, » id est de B. Virgine, quæ quasi mons habuit omnium virtutum et gratiarum sublimitatem. Ita idem Augustinus in concione ad catechum., et S. Hieronymus, Theodoretus, Lyranus et alii. Nota secundo: Lapis hic « abscissus est sine manibus; » tum quia Christus, qua Deus, a Patre genitus est sine manibus creationis, ait S. Ambrosius, serm. 70. Tum potius, quia Christus, qua homo, a Spiritu Sancto formatus est in utero B. Virginis sine opera virili. Unde S. Hieronymus, epist. ad Eustochium de custodia virginit. cap. XXII, notat hic, uti et Cant. VI, manus sumi pro opere nuptiali. Sic et Irenæus, lib. III, cap. XXVIII, Justinus, Dialogo contra Tryphon., Epiphanius, serm. De Laudibus virginis, S. Augustinus, tract. IX in Joannem, Theodoretus, Rupertus et passim alii hic. Porro Theodoretus solerter notat ortum supra naturam solere lapidis excisionem nominari: petra enim ex se naturaliter aliquid producere aut generare nequit. Hinc Isaia LI, 1, dicitur: « Attendite ad petram unde excisi estis, et ad cavernam laci de qua præcisi estis, » quod explicat, dum subdit: « Attendite ad Abraham patrem vestrum, et ad Saram quæ peperit vos. » Isaac enim et Hebræi ex sterili Sara prognati sunt supra naturam, perinde ac si de petra præcisi essent. Ita S. Hieronymus ibidem. Itaque in conceptu et nativitate lapis Christus sponte sua, nullisque intervenientibus manibus in mundum descendit, eodem modo in uterum Virginis illapsus, et ex eodem elapsus, ait Proclus Cyzicenus, homil. De Christi nativit. Simile dat ex Dioscoride, lib. V, cap. CXIV, et S. Epiphanio, lib. De 12 gemmis, Nicolaus Causinus, Parallel. Histor. lib. XI, cap. LIII: « Sicut, ait, sapphiri visceribus innascitur lapis sane pretiosus, et ipso qui genuit pretiosior, lucidus et splendens carbunculus: ita ex virginum gemma Maria natus est ille lapis angularis excisus de monte sine manibus, matre nobilior, et matri totius nobilitatis auctor. » O Virgo insignis, mater pia, nobile semen, Quam Deus implevit totius orbis ope! In te habitans mundi lumen statione corusca, Floruit interius per tua membra Deus. Nunc vivax fulgor penetrans, et ad ima profundi, Orbem alit, astra regit, tartara luce replet. Porro Gentiles hæc ad deorum suorum superstitiones transtulisse, docet S. Justinus, Contra Tryphon.: « Jam, inquit, quando Mithragyrtæ suum Mithram aiunt saxo progenitum, et speluncam vocant locum ubi discipulos initiant, nonne hic licet agnoscere saxum illud, quod Daniel dicit excisum sine manibus? nimirum his quoque oracula effingere conantibus. » COMMINUIT TESTAM, ET FERRUM, ET ÆS, ET ARGENTUM, ET AURUM. — Lapis hic fuit conjectus in statuam, eamque comminuit et confregit, uti lapide solet statua dejici et confringi. Hoc symbolice significabat, quod regnum Christi spirituale everteret omnia regna mundi, omnesque gentes subderet Christo et Ecclesiæ. Nota: Christi regnum alia omnia regna superat acto prærogativis, scilicet primo, duratione: quia stetit jam 1600 annos, et stabit in æternum. Secundo, amplitudine: quia omnes mundi plagas, etiam Indos et Sinas, sibi subjecit, aut subjiciet; hinc dicitur vers. 35: « Lapis factus est mons magnus, » id est Ecclesia magna; hæc enim est mons domus Dei, Isaiæ II, 1. Tertio, vi et efficacitate, qua non solum corporibus in resurrectione, sed etiam animis mentibusque hominum intime dominatur, atque ex obduratis, superbis, obscœnis, rebellibus, facit molles, humiles, castos, obsequentes. Quarto, fructu: quia eos qui se illi subjiciunt liberat a dæmone, peccatis et inferno, facitque eos filios Dei, et hæredes cœli. Quinto, modo quo partum et acquisitum est: quia scilicet non armis, sed paupertate, humilitate, cruce, domandis cupiditatibus, patientia, martyriis, contemptu honorum, opum et voluptatum, atque amore rerum cœlestium, Christus monarcha, ejusque Apostoli et sequaces illud constituerunt et propagarunt. Sexto, excellentia sanctissimarum legum, quæ omnem castimoniam, innocentiam, sanctitatem et perfectionem præscribunt. Septimo, fine: quia sibi subditos facit et creat reges in cœlo. Octavo, quia regem habet ipsum Christum Deum ac Dominum omnium. Ita Pererius.
2:46
Agnovit enim ex somnio Danielem non fingere, sed vere apteque illud interpretari. Cum enim Daniel somnium quod ipse oblitus erat ei refricavit, mox ipse ejus recordatus est, sibique dixit: Vere hoc somniavi, vere hoc fuit somnium meum. Unde ex eo prudenter collegit: Si Daniel tangit ipsum somnium, tanget et ejus significationem; neutrum enim naturaliter, sed sola Dei revelatione sciri potest. Deus ergo qui revelavit Danieli meum somnium, eidem quoque revelabit somnii interpretationem. Ad hoc enim somnium ipsum ei revelavit, ut scilicet per hoc futura quæ significat, cognoscerem: alioqui enim frustra somnium ipsum revelasset. Danielem adoravit — adoratione, id est veneratione quæ viris magnis et sanctis exhibetur, qua Abraham adoravit filios Heth, Genes. XXIII, 7. Ita Vasquez et alii. Secundo et verius, adoravit proprie: hoc enim significat Chaldæum סגד segid; unde בית סגדתא bet sigdeta, vocatur domus orationis, id est templum in quo adoratur Deus. Id mox clarius patebit. ET HOSTIAS, ET INCENSUM PRÆCEPIT UT SACRIFICARENT EI. — Nota: Sacrificium Sanctis, imo Christi humanitati offerre non licet, sed soli Deo: sacrificium enim est protestatio numinis, et divinitatis ejus, cui offertur. Ita S. Augustinus, lib. X Contra Faustum, cap. XXI. Quæres, quomodo ergo Nabuchodonosor jussit Danieli offerri sacrificium? Respondet primo S. Hieronymus regem hoc sacrificio non tam Danielem, quam in Daniele Deum venerari et colere voluisse; unde ait: « Vere Deus vester Deus deorum est. » Sic Alexander adoravit Jaddo pontificem, id est Deum cujus pontifex erat Jaddo. Secundo, idem Hieronymus respondet regem hujus prophetiæ magnitudine perturbatum et attonitum, id ex stupore inconsiderate jussisse. Tertio, Gabriel Vasquez, lib. I De Ador. disp. 6, cap. III, cui favet Cardinalis Bellarminus, respondet pro hostias hebraice esse מנחה mincha, id est oblationes (ut vertunt Syrus et Arabicus) et munera, scilicet odorum et suffituum. Hæc enim etiam Sanctis, imo imaginibus, offerri possunt, ut definit Synodus VII, act. VII. Unde et Septuaginta pro mincha vertunt θυσίαν, id est munera, ut vertit Græcus Scholiastes, puta thus, ut explicat Theodoretus, καὶ εὐωδίας, id est, et suaves odores. Non ergo victimas carneas, sed thus et suffitus jussit rex adoleri Danieli, uti eadem Sanctis, imo regibus adolentur. Verum hæc nunquam a principibus usurpata videntur, nisi cum insanientes adversus numen divinos honores affectaverunt, uti recte observavit noster Pineda, lib. De Rebus Salomon. cap. XIII, § 9. Quarto, verius videtur regem proprie adorasse Danielem, et jussisse veras victimas sacrificari illi, tanquam Prophetæ divino, habenti in se numen et spiritum Dei. Sic enim Gentiles suos reges, et homines sapientia aut virtute excellentes, quasi deorum filios adorabant, et sacrificiis colebant. Audi Lycaonios, Actor. XIV, 10, de Paulo et Barnaba loquentes: « Dii similes facti hominibus descenderunt ad nos, etc., sacerdos quoque Jovis tauros et coronas afferens, cum populis volebat sacrificare. » Quin et Plato præter unum Deum summum posuit alios minores deos pariter adorandos: et sic adorari voluit ipse Nabuchodonosor in statua quam erexit, cap. III, 5. Sic ergo proprie rex adoravit Danielem, quasi hominem, imo deum aliquem, de cœlo lapsum: præsertim, quia ipsimet ejus sapientes ei dixerant, vers. 11, non esse hominem qui somnium hoc regi enarrare posset, « exceptis diis quorum non est cum hominibus conversatio. » Daniel autem illud regi enarravit; ergo ex eorum sententia, quasi unus e diis haberi et coli debebat. Hunc sensum exigere videtur primo, vox hostia, quæ victimas proprie dictas significat; secundo, vox sacrificarent, et Chaldæus לנסכה lenassecha, id est libarent; tertio, vox adoravit, nam Chaldaice est segid, ut dixi; quarto, vox Chaldaica ניחוחין nichochin, quæ non significat quoslibet odores et suffitus, sed sacros et religiosos, puta incensum et thymiama. Ad verbum enim, nichochin significat placamina, scilicet sacrificia et thurificationem quibus placatur Deus: radix enim Hebraica et Chaldaica נוח noach, in Qal significat quiescere, et in Hiphil, sedare, placare, propitiare. Denique licet Hebraice mincha subinde quodlibet donum aut munus significet, tamen quando jungitur cum incenso et sacrificio, ut hic fit, non nisi victimam significat. Nec aliud voluerunt Septuaginta; ipsi enim retinuerunt Hebræam vocem mincha, sed molliendo pro mincha posuerunt manna. Sic enim gutturalem chet solent emollire, eamque in e, vel in a convertere, ut pro pesach vertunt phase, pro Corach Core, pro Tharach Thare, etc.; manna ergo est idem quod mincha, scilicet hostia et victima. Id ita esse patet ex Baruch I, 10, ubi dicitur: « Emite holocautomata, et thus, et facite manna, et afferte pro peccato ad aram Domini Dei nostri. » Ubi certum est manna esse idem quod mincha, et significare hostiam proprie dictam, puta sacrificium. Dices: Ergo idololatriam admisit hic rex, eique consensit Daniel: tacuit enim, et permisit eam sibi impendi. Objecit hoc olim Danieli Porphyrius, cui respondet hic S. Hieronymus. Porphyrium sequitur Calvinus, dum ait Danielem aulicis moribus fuisse corruptum. Ita Aristarchus ille philolœdorus. Sed apage blaspheme, qui ex Propheta sanctissimo et sapientissimo facis Luciferum, Dei æmulum, et divini honoris cupidum. Dico ergo Danielem nullo modo consensisse, sed omni modo institisse et impedivisse exsecutionem mandati regii, ut restiterunt Paulus et Barnabas Actor. XIV. Etsi Scriptura idipsum, uti et alia multa, hic taceat: satis tamen illud insinuat eo ipso, quo mandatum hoc exsecutioni datum esse, et Chaldæos reipsa sacrificasse Danieli, non commemorat; præsertim cum mox subdat Danielem a rege alio honore fuisse affectum, scilicet toti Babyloniæ fuisse præpositum. Ita Lyranus, Dionysius Carthusianus, Maldonatus et alii. 49. Super opera — super negotia, q. d. Præfecit eos administrationi et regimini Babyloniæ. DANIEL ERAT IN FORIBUS REGIS. — Græce est, Daniel erat in atrio regis, id est Daniel erat in aula princeps regi proximus et intimus; ita ut nemo sine ejus auctoritate ad regem ingrederetur. Ita S. Hieronymus. Aliter Vatablus: Daniel, inquit, in porta regis sedit, ut redderet jus, id est fuit judex. Judices enim olim sedebant in portis urbium quasi in loco publico et omnibus obvio. Sed prior sensus est verior. In Daniele ergo verum est illud Aristidis tom. III, orat. 1 Platonica: « Maxima quæque in paucissimos cadunt. » Et: « Maximum reipublicæ commodum in proventu virorum bonorum consistit. »
2:4
di iscrizione sono venuti in luce dagli scavi di Arslan Tāš, che pare rappresentino il più antico documento in a. finora posseduto e che si fa risalire al sec. IX a. C. - b) Alcuni testi biblici: Gen. 31, 47 (due parole); Ier. 10,11; Etd. 4,8-6,18; 7,22-26; Dan. 2,4-7,28. - c) I papiri, le iscrizioni e gli ostraca dell'Egitto (secc. v e IV a. C.), specialmente di Elefantina (v.). - d) Le parole a. della scrittura pehlevica. - e) Il nabateo e il palmireno.
… Il nome derivò da Dan. 2, 4 in cui il discorso dei Caldei è dato in aramaico. …
2:7
… a. C.); il terzo vede la persecuzione di Antioco Epifane con la profanazione del santuario (abominatio desolationis), per tre anni e mezzo, e termina con la morte del persecutore e l'inizio del culto ristabilito da Giuda Maccabeo (Dan. 9, 25 sgg.; cf. 2, 7-12). La restaurazione sarà completa soltanto con l'avvento del regno del M., allorché «ogni peccato sarà cancellato e regnerà una giustizia sempiterna» (ibid. 9, 24). Tale connessione …
2:10
III. LA M. NELLA S. SCRITTURA. - Nella Bibbia la m. è severamente condannata. È posta in risalto la m. degli Egiziani (Ex. 7, 11 sgg.; Sap. 17, 7) e dei Babilonesi (Is. 47, 12 sg.; Dan. 1, 20; 2, 10-12), tra i quali essa aveva grande importanza. …
2:13
… Quest'ultimo significato, nel senso profano di decreto imperiale, si ritrova nel Settanta (Eth. 3, 9; Dan. 2, 13; 6, 8). Nel senso religioso di ordinanze divine contenute nella legge mosaica si trova nell'ellenismo giudaico (III Mach. 1, 3; Giuseppe Flavio, Apologia, 1, 24). Nel Nuovo Testamento …
2:14
2. Capo (rabh) della milizia del re o guardia del corpo (fabbahajā = satelliti) di Nabuchodonosor, da cui ebbe ordine di uccidere gli indovini incapaci di interpretare il sogno del re, e presso cui introdusse Daniele (Dan. 2, 14-16. 24 sg.); incombenze che nelle corti orientali ritroviamo affidate a tali ufficiali (II Sam. 4, 12; 1, 15).
2:17
MISAEL (EBR. MIȚĂ'ĂL « CHI [È] CIÒ CHE È DIO ? »)
Superato il periodo preparatorio, nel quale si mantenne fedele alla Legge mosaica, M. insieme agli altri fu trovato « dieci volte » più sapiente di qualsiasi saggio o mago di Babilonia (Dan. 1, 20). M. implorò da Dio la rivelazione del sogno di Nabuchodonosor a Daniele (Dan. 2, 17) e ne ebbe quale ricompensa un'alta carica amministrativa della provincia di Babilonia (Dan. 2, 49). Rifutatosi di adorare la statua eretta dal Re, M. con i suoi compagni venne gettato …
2:20
… « Santificazione » del Nome di Dio, di cui il tratto essenziale (« Sia il Suo Santo Nome benedetto per tutti i secoli ») trae le sue origini da Dan. 2,20 e Ps. 113,2. Il primo a menzionare questa importante eulogia fu Jōsē ben Ḥalaphtā' (ca. 150 d. C.). Il q. in origine era recitato per riguardo al suo contenuto messianico alla fine …
2:33
… in polvere, che sparse sull'acqua e ne die' a bere ai figli d'Israele» (ibid. 32, 20). Ciò indica che la qualifica «d'oro» è da intendere nel senso che l'espressione ha in altri casi: di legno con rivestimento metallico (Is. 40, 19, 20; 44, 10-17; cf. Dan. 2, 33; 14, 6).
2:44
… Tutte le profezie messianiche portano questa impronta (veggasi, ad es., Gen. 12, 3; 18, 18; 22, 18; Ps. 2, 8; 21, 26-29; Is. 2, 2; 60, 4 sg.; Ier. 3, 17; Dan. 2, 44; Mal. 1, 15). Nel Nuovo Testamento i testi che affermano il carattere universalista della Chiesa, regno di Dio sulla terra, sono innumerevoli. …
Nel Nuovo Testamento, i sinottici specialmente (cf. Mt. 3, 2; 4, 23; 9, 35; 13, 1-53; 21, 43; Mc. 1, 14; Lc. 1, 32, 33; 16, 16) ci descrivono il regno fondato dal Cristo, regno predetto dai profeti (cf. Is. 9, 6, 7; Dan. 2, 44; 7, 14), a cui tutti gli uomini debbono appartenere, dove la solidarietà è cementata dalla carità, implorata da Gesù nella sua preghiera sacerdotale (Io. 17, 21-24), estesa, nella …
2:49
… babilonese dato ad Azaria (v.), uno dei tre compagni di Daniele deportati in Babilonia nella prima depredazione di Nabucodonosor (606 a. C.) ed educati alla corte di questo re (Dan. 1, 7). A. ricompare come sovrintendente della provincia di Babilonia (Dan. 2, 49) e nel noto episodio dei tre giovani nella fornace (Dan. 3, 12-97). Enrico Galbiati
MISAEL (EBR. MIȚĂ'ĂL « CHI [È] CIÒ CHE È DIO ? »)
… volte » più sapiente di qualsiasi saggio o mago di Babilonia (Dan. 1, 20). M. implorò da Dio la rivelazione del sogno di Nabuchodonosor a Daniele (Dan. 2, 17) e ne ebbe quale ricompensa un'alta carica amministrativa della provincia di Babilonia (Dan. 2, 49). Rifutatosi di adorare la statua eretta dal Re, M. con i suoi compagni venne gettato in una fornace ardente, donde un angelo lo preservò immune dal fuoco. …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · Douay-Rheims originale (Douai 1609-10), trascrizione EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Pubblico dominio.