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they would say again: The matter which the king asks is difficult; and there is no man who will be able to interpret it, but only gods, whose dwelling is not with all flesh. He learned from these things that Daniel did not say the former things from this wisdom. He learned that not even in former times did they say anything sound, just as he himself says, but were in a desolation of those who could refute them. But when proof came to them from Judea, Daniel, they no longer dare even to feign. So, these men are called again according to a divine plan. And indeed it is worth wondering for what reason, having had experience of Daniel's power in so many things, he did not call him first. For God Himself arranged this, so that the victory might appear after their defeat. It frightened me, he says; and not even so did he become better, but he wished to come to the very test. Thus God is blameless everywhere. And the enchanters, magi, Gazarenes, Chaldeans came in; and I told the dream before them; and its interpretation they did not make known to me, until another came in, Daniel, before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, who has the spirit of God in him; and I told the dream before him. Until another, he says, came in before me. As if having forgotten, he speaks thus. For many years had passed, and he quickly lost the memory, being amidst so many cares, and living with such food. To say "another" is a sign of his being very ignorant of him. "According to the name," he says, "of my god." Does he mean to say this, that I so honored him as to say this from my god? For it was their custom to name their children after the name of the gods; since they also made gods out of men. Thus the obelisk, thus also a certain Belaios was named among us. For when the demons saw men being honored in this way, and being called gods, they themselves also coveted this. For what reason does he say, "Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar"? Because he had the power of God. For this among them is the greatest honor. And Daniel endured being called this for their sake; but nowhere here, when mentioning himself, does he call himself Belteshazzar; but what? "I, Daniel." Of as much honor as the king's son was deemed worthy, so much also was this man, and before the test he seemed to be wonderful from his very appearance. Not, however, by his own power, he says, did he speak, but he had the holy spirit of God in him. A spirit not that which we call the Paraclete, but, as one might say, an inspiration; he was inspired. "Belteshazzar," he says, "the chief of the enchanters." He was the first of them, 56.215 he says. See how many proofs there are of his being better. "Belteshazzar, chief of the enchanters, whom I have known, because a holy spirit of God is in you." The better one, the superior to all, whom I have known. For so that he might not again be forced to say, "And I, not by any wisdom that is in me," he expected to draw him in especially by this, and said this before the other things. For do not think, because I said "chief of the enchanters," that I said this as testifying that these things are said by human wisdom; you are indeed chief of the enchanters; but I know that moved by divine power you say all things; I came to know it through the experience of the events. "And no mystery," he says, "is impossible for you." Such are the divine things. For human things are imperfect; but the things of God are not. "Hear, therefore, the vision of my dream, which I saw, and tell me its interpretation, and the visions of my head upon my bed." What then does he say? "I was watching, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. The tree grew and became strong, and its height reached to heaven, and its expanse to the ends of all the earth, and its leaves were beautiful, and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all, and under it the wild beasts took shelter, and in its branches the birds of the heaven dwelt; from it all flesh was fed." What does the vision mean? Again the temporary nature of human affairs is shown. The birds, he says, and the beasts enjoyed shade in it, and dwelt; and their food was from there. His rule

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εἶχον λέγειν πάλιν· Τὸ ῥῆμα, ὃ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπερωτᾷ, βαρύ· καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄνθρωπος, ὃς δυνήσεται διακρῖναι αὐτὸ, ἀλλ' ἢ θεοὶ, ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ κατοικία μετὰ πάσης σαρκός. Ἐμάνθανεν ἐκ τού των, ὅτι οὐδὲ τὰ πρότερα ἐκ τῆς σοφίας ταύτης εἶπεν ὁ ∆ανιήl. Ἔμαθεν ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν χρόνοις ἔλεγόν τι ὑγιὲς, καθάπερ αὐτός φησιν, ἀλλ' ἢ πάν των ἐν ἐρημίᾳ τῶν ἐλεγχόντων ὄντες. Ὅτε δὲ ἦλθεν αὐτοῖς ἀπόδειξις ἐξ Ἰουδαίας, ὁ ∆ανιὴλ, οὐκέτι τολμῶσιν οὐδὲ πλάττεσθαι. Ὥστε οἰκονομικῶς πάλιν καλοῦνται οὗτοι. Καὶ γὰρ ἄξιον θαυμάσαι. τίνος ἕνεκεν λαβὼν πεῖραν τῆς τοῦ ∆ανιὴλ δυνάμεως ἐν τοσούτοις, οὐ πρῶτον αὐτὸν ἐκάλεσεν. Ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸς γὰρ τοῦτο κατεσκεύασεν, ὥστε μετὰ τὴν ἐκείνων ἧτταν φανῆναι τὴν νίκην. Ἐφοβέρισέν με, φησί· καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἐγένετο βελτίων, ἀλλ' ἐπ' αὐτὴν ἠθέλησε τὴν πεῖραν ἐλθεῖν. Οὕτως ἀναίτιος ὁ Θεὸς πανταχοῦ. Καὶ εἰσ επορεύοντο οἱ ἐπαοιδοὶ, μάγοι, Γαζαρηνοὶ, Χαλ δαῖοι· καὶ τὸ ἐνύπνιον εἶπον ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν· καὶ τὴν σύγκρισιν αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐγνώρισάν μοι, ἕως οὗ ἕτερος εἰσῆλθε, ∆ανιὴλ, ἐνώπιόν μου, οὗ τὸ ὄνομα Βαλτάσαρ κατὰ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ θεοῦ μου, ὃς πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῷ· καὶ τὸ ἐνύπνιον ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ εἶπον. Ἕως οὗ ἕτερος, φησὶ, εἰσῆλθεν ἐνώπιόν μου. Ὡς ἐπιλαθόμενος οὕτω φησί. Καὶ γὰρ πολλὰ ἔτη παρεληλύθει, καὶ ταχέως τὴν μνήμην ἀπέβαλεν, ἅτε ἐν τοσαύταις φροντίσιν ὢν, καὶ τοσαύτῃ συζῶν τροφῇ (l. τρυφῇ). Τὸ εἰπεῖν ἕτερον, σημεῖόν ἐστι τοῦ σφόδρα αὐτὸν ἀγνοεῖν. Κατὰ τὸ ὄνομα, φησὶ, τοῦ θεοῦ μου. Ἦ τοῦτο βούλεται εἰπεῖν, ὅτι οὕτως ἐτίμησα ὡς καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦτο εἶπεν (f. εἰπεῖν); Καὶ γὰρ ἔθος αὐτοῖς ἐπ' ὀνόματι τῶν θεῶν τοὺς παῖδας ὀνομάζειν· ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἐποίουν θεούς. Οὕτως ὁ ὄβελος, οὕτω καὶ ὁ Βήλαιος ἐκλήθη τις παρ' ἡμῖν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἶδον οἱ δαίμονες ταύτῃ τιμωμένους τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, καὶ θεοὺς καλου μένους, καὶ αὐτοὶ τοῦτο ἐζήλωσαν. Τίνος ἕνεκέν φησι, ∆ανιὴλ, οὗ τὸ ὄνομα Βαλτάσαρ; Ὅτι Θεοῦ δύναμιν εἶχε. Τοῦτο γὰρ παρ' ἐκείνοις μεγίστη τιμή. Καὶ ἠνείχετο ∆ανιὴλ δι' ἐκείνους τοῦτο καλεῖσθαι· οὐδα μοῦ δὲ ἐνταῦθα, αὑτοῦ μνημονεύων, Βαλτάσαρ αὑτὸν καλεῖ· ἀλλὰ τί; Ἐγὼ ∆ανιήl. Ὅσης ἠξιώθη τιμῆς ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως υἱὸς, τοσαύτης καὶ οὗτος, καὶ πρὸ τῆς πείρας ἔδοξεν εἶναι θαυμαστὸς ἀπ' αὐτῆς τῆς ὄψεως. Οὐ μὴν τῇ ἐκείνου δυνάμει, φησὶ, ἔλεγεν, ἀλλὰ πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἅγιον εἶχεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ. Πνεῦμα οὐχὶ τοῦτο, ὃ λέγομεν ἡμεῖς τὸν Παράκλητον, ἀλλ' ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις ἐπίπνοιαν, ἔνθους ἦν. Βαλτάσαρ, φησὶν, ὁ ἄρχων τῶν ἐπαοιδῶν. Πρῶτος αὐτῶν ἦν, 56.215 φησί. Ὅρα πόσα τεκμήρια τοῦ βελτίονα αὐτὸν εἶναι. Βαλτάσαρ ὁ ἄρχων τῶν ἐπαοιδῶν, ὃν ἔγνων, ὅτι πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἅγιον ἐν σοί. Ὁ βελτίων, ὁ πάν των κρείττων, ὃν ἐγὼ ἔγνωκα. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ πάλιν εἰς ἀνάγκην καταστήσῃ τοῦ εἰπεῖν· Καὶ ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ τῇ οὔσῃ ἐν ἐμοί· τούτῳ μάλιστα ἐπισπά σασθαι αὐτὸν προσεδόκησεν, καὶ τοῦτο πρὸ τῶν ἄλ λων εἶπεν. Μὴ γὰρ, ἐπειδὴ ἄρχοντα εἶπον ἐπαοιδῶν, νομίσῃς διὰ τοῦτό με εἰρηκέναι ὡς μαρτυροῦντα ἀν θρωπίνῃ σοφίᾳ ταῦτα λέγεσθαι· ἄρχων μὲν εἶ τῶν ἐπαοιδῶν· οἶδα δὲ ὅτι ὑπὸ θείας δυνάμεως κινούμενος ἅπαντα λέγεις· ἔγνων διὰ τῆς πείρας τῶν πραγμάτων. Καὶ πᾶν μυστήριον, φησὶ, οὐκ ἀδυνατεῖ σοι. Τοιαῦτα μὲν τὰ θεῖα. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἀνθρώπινα ἀτελῆ· τὰ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκέτι. Ἄκουσον οὖν τὴν ὅρασιν τοῦ ἐνυπνίου μου, οὗ εἶδον, καὶ τὴν σύγκρισιν αὐτοῦ εἰπέ μοι, καὶ τὰς ὁράσεις τῆς κεφαλῆς μου ἐπὶ τῆς κοίτης μου. Τί οὖν φησιν; Ἐθεώρουν, καὶ ἰδοὺ δένδρον ἐν μέσῳ τῆς γῆς, καὶ τὸ ὕψος αὐτοῦ πολύ. Ἐμεγαλύνθη τὸ δένδρον καὶ ἴσχυσε, καὶ τὸ ὕψος αὐτοῦ ἔφθασεν ἕως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ τὸ κύτος αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰ πέρατα πάσης τῆς γῆς, καὶ τὰ φύλλα αὐτοῦ ὡραῖα, καὶ ὁ καρπὸς αὐτοῦ πολὺς, καὶ τροφὴ πάντων ἐν αὐτῷ, καὶ ὑποκάτω αὐτοῦ κατεσκήνουν τὰ θηρία τὰ ἄγρια, καὶ ἐν τοῖς κλάδοις αὐτοῦ κατῴκουν τὰ ὄρνεα τοῦ οὐ ρανοῦ· ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἐτρέφετο πᾶσα σάρξ. Τί βούλεται ἡ ὄψις; Πάλιν τὸ πρόσκαιρον δείκνυται τῶν πραγμά των τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων. Τὰ πετεινὰ, φησὶ, καὶ τὰ θη ρία ἐν αὐτῷ σκιᾶς ἀπέλαυον, καὶ ᾤκουν· καὶ τροφὴ αὐτοῖς ἐκεῖθεν ἦν. Τὴν ἀρχὴν αὐτοῦ