John Chrysostom, Interpretation of Daniel the Prophet

of symbols shows the royal. But some say that it conquered the Assyrian, for this reason two. And I beheld until its wings were plucked, that is, the dominion, and it was lifted 56.230 from the earth, and was made to stand on human feet; and a human heart was given to it. The animal was swift. From both sides it had the strength of speed, from above from its wings, and from below from its feet; but both speeds were taken away, those wings being plucked (l. ἐκτιl.), and appearing no more, and these feet changing to the weaker, human feet. And a human heart was given to it. For this was in that animal, pride. Humbled, he says, mild, tame the king became. And behold, another beast, like a bear, and it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. And thus they said to it: Arise, devour much flesh. The slowness of men occurred in the time of the Persians. In the time of the Medes and Persians, three ribs, either places, or the kingdoms, which it gathered. They said to it: Arise, devour much flesh. For these also took Babylon, and caused many calamities. After this I beheld; and lo, another beast, like a leopard; and it had four wings of a bird above it, and the beast had four heads; and authority was given to it. Then, he says, a leopard; Alexander, the king of the Macedonians, who flew across the whole world. For nothing has become swifter than him, nor sharper, but he was a certain vehement and sharp one, just like this beast. Four, he says, wings of a bird above it. That is, it took all the strength. For having divided the Persians into thirteen kingdoms, he subdued them all. Did you see his speed? Both from the nature of the beast, and from the wings. He ran through the whole world. And four heads, he says, the beast had. And the kingdom and the authority were given to it. Then it speaks of its presence, the varied and diverse, and has no image to describe; so different a beast it was. For it conquered all those. For the others, the strength was from speed; but for this one from its teeth; they were of iron. And the rest it trampled with its feet. It means the many wars. Who are the ten kings? what is the little horn? I say the Antichrist appears between certain kings. And eyes, like the eyes of a man in this horn, and a mouth speaking great things. For what could be greater than that mouth which says, "Above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits in the temple of God"? And if they are the eyes of a man, do not be amazed; for he utters such things. He is a man, it says. But why small, and does it not appear great from the beginning? But later it will grow, and will overpower certain kings. What then? No longer does a kingdom succeed this one, but God himself destroys it. I beheld, until the thrones were set, and the Ancient of days sat; and his garment was white as snow; and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was a flame of fire; his wheels burning fire. A river 56.231 of fire issued and came forth from before him. A thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The judgment was set, and the books were opened. Let us concentrate our minds, beloved. For the discourse is not about small things. Thrones, he says, were set, and the Ancient of days sat. Who is this? Just as hearing "bear," you did not understand a bear, and "lioness," you did not suspect this, but kingdoms; and "sea," not the sea, but the world, other things through others; so also now. What is Ancient of days? It seemed like someone aged. For according to the needs of the matters, for which he appears, he forms himself, showing that judgments must be entrusted to such ones. For just as hearing "throne" you do not think of a chair; but how could one attract the common man, since elsewhere he appears armed, and elsewhere stained with blood? This then he wishes to show, that it is a time of judgment. His garment, like snow, was white. For what reason? That it is not only a time of judgment, but also

συμβόλων τὸ βασιλικὸν ἐνδείκνυται. Τινὲς δέ φασιν, ὅτι τὸν Ἀσσύριον ἐκρά τησε, διὰ τοῦτο δύο. Καὶ ἐθεώρουν ἕως οὗ ἐξετί λαντο τὰ πτερὰ αὐτῆς, τουτέστι ἡ ἀρχὴ, καὶ ἤρθη 56.230 ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐπὶ ποδῶν ἀνθρώπου ἐστάθη· καὶ καρδία ἀνθρώπου ἐδόθη αὐτῇ. Γοργὸν τὸ ζῶον. Ἑκατέρωθεν εἶχε τὴν ἰσχὺν ταχυτῆτος, ἄνωθεν μὲν ἀπὸ τῶν πτερῶν, κάτωθεν δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ποδῶν· ἀλλ' ἑκατέρα ἡ ταχυτὴς ἀνῃρέθη, ἐκείνων μὲν ἐκταλέντων (l. ἐκτιl.), καὶ μηδὲ φανέντων λοιπὸν, τούτων δὲ μεταπεσόντων ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀσθενεστέρους, τοὺς ἀνθρώ πους. Καὶ καρδία ἀνθρώπου ἐδόθη αὐτῇ. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ ζώῳ, τὸ γαῦρον. Ταπεινὸς, φησὶ, ἥμερος, χειροήθης ἐγένετο ὁ βασιλεύς. Καὶ ἰδοὺ θη ρίον ἕτερον ὅμοιον ἄρκῳ, καὶ εἰς μέρος ἓν ἐστάθη, καὶ τρία πλευρὰ ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῆς ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ὀδόντων αὐτῆς. Καὶ οὕτως ἔλεγον αὐτῇ· Ἀνάστηθι, φάγε σάρκας πολλάς. Ἐπὶ τῶν Περσῶν ἐγένετο τὸ βραδὺ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Ἐπὶ Μήδων καὶ Περσῶν τρία πλευρὰ, ἤτοι τόπους, ἢ τὰς βασι λείας, ἃς συνεῖλεν. Ἔλεγον αὐτῷ· Ἀνάστηθι, φάγε σάρκας πολλάς. Οὗτοι γὰρ εἷλον καὶ Βαβυ λῶνα, καὶ τὰς πολλὰς εἰργάσαντο συμφοράς. Ὀπίσω τούτου ἐθεώρουν· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἕτερον θηρίον, ὡσεὶ πάρδαλις· καὶ αὐτῇ πτερὰ τέσσαρα πετεινοῦ ὑπεράνω αὐτῆς, καὶ τέσσαρες κεφαλαὶ τῷ θηρίῳ· καὶ ἐξουσία ἐδόθη αὐτῷ. Εἶτα, φησὶ, πάρδαλις· Ἀλέξανδρος ὁ τῶν Μακεδόνων βασιλεὺς, πᾶσαν δια πτὰς τὴν οἰκουμένην. Οὐδὲν γὰρ τούτου γοργότερον, οὐδὲ ὀξύτερον γέγονεν, ἀλλὰ σφοδρός τις ἦν καὶ ὀξὺς, καθάπερ τοῦτο τὸ θηρίον. Τέσσαρα, φησὶ, πτερὰ πετεινοῦ ὑπεράνω αὐτῆς. Τουτέστιν, ἅπασαν προσ έλαβε τὴν ἰσχύν. Πέρσας γὰρ εἰς δέκα τρεῖς βασι λείας διελὼν, ἅπαντας ἐχειρώσατο. Εἶδες αὐτοῦ τὴν ταχυτῆτα; Καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς φύσεως τοῦ θηρίου, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν πτερῶν. Πᾶσαν διέδραμε τὴν οἰκουμένην. Καὶ κεφαλαὶ, φησὶ, τέσσαρες τῷ θηρίῳ. Καὶ ἡ βασι λεία καὶ ἡ ἐξουσία ἐδόθη αὐτῷ. Εἶτα λέγει ταύ της τὴν παρουσίαν, τὴν ποικίλην καὶ παντοδαπῆ, καὶ οὐκ ἔχει εἰκόνα εἰπεῖν· οὕτως ἐξαλλάττον τι τὸ θηρίον ἦν. Πάσας γὰρ ἐκείνας ἐνίκησε. Ταῖς μὲν ἄλ λαις, ἀπὸ τοῦ τάχους ἦν ἡ ἰσχύς· τούτου δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ὀδόντων· σιδηροῖ ἦσαν. Καὶ τὰ ἐπίλοιπα τοῖς πο σὶν αὐτοῦ συνεπάτει. Τοὺς πολλοὺς λέγει πολέμους. Τίνες οἱ δέκα βασιλεῖς; τί τὸ μικρὸν κέρας; Ἐγὼ τὸν Ἀντίχριστόν φημι μεταξύ τινων φαίνεσθαι βασι λέων. Καὶ ὀφθαλμοὶ, ὡς ὀφθαλμοὶ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῷ κέρατι τούτῳ, καὶ στόμα λαλοῦν μεγάλα. Τί γὰρ ἐκείνου τοῦ στόματος μεῖζον γένοιτ' ἂν τοῦ λέγον τος, Ἐπὶ πάντα λεγόμενον θεὸν ἢ σέβασμα, ὥστε αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ καθίσαι; Εἰ δὲ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἀνθρώπου, μὴ θαυμάσῃς· καὶ γὰρ τοιαῦτα φθέγγεται. Ἄνθρωπός ἐστι, φησί. ∆ιὰ τί δὲ μικρὸν, καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἀρχῆς μέγα φαίνεται; Ἀλλ' ὕστερον αὐ ξηθήσεται, καὶ κρατήσει τινῶν βασιλέων. Τί οὖν; Οὐκέτι βασιλεία διαδέχεται τοῦτον, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς καταλύει. Ἐθεώρουν, ἕως οὗ θρόνοι ἐτέθησαν, καὶ Παλαιὸς ἡμερῶν ἐκάθητο· καὶ τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐ τοῦ λευκὸν ὡσεὶ χιών· καὶ ἡ θρὶξ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ ἔριον καθαρόν· ὁ θρόνος αὐτοῦ φλὸξ πυρός· οἱ τροχοὶ αὐτοῦ πῦρ φλέγον. Ποταμὸς 56.231 πυρὸς εἷλκεν ἐκπορευόμενος ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ. Χίλιαι χιλιάδες ἐλειτούργουν αὐτῷ, καὶ μύριαι μυριάδες παρειστήκεισαν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ. Κρι τήριον ἐκάθισε, καὶ βίβλοι ἀνεῴχθησαν. Συντείνω μεν τὴν διάνοιαν, ἀγαπητοί. Οὐ γὰρ περὶ μικρῶν ὁ λόγος ἐστί. Θρόνοι, φησὶν, ἐτέθησαν, καὶ ὁ Πα λαιὸς ἡμερῶν ἐκάθητο. Τίς ἐστιν οὗτος; Ὥσπερ ἀκούσας ἄρκον, οὐκ ἄρκον ἐνόησας, καὶ λέαιναν, οὐ τοῦτο ὑπώπτευες, ἀλλὰ βασιλείας· καὶ θάλασσαν, οὐ θάλασσαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην, δι' ἑτέρων ἕτερα· οὕτω καὶ νῦν. Παλαιὸς ἡμερῶν τί ἐστιν; Γεγηρα κότι τινὶ ἐῴκει. Πρὸς γὰρ τὰς χρείας τῶν πραγμά των, δι' ἃς φαίνεται, τυποῖ ἑαυτὸν, δεικνὺς ὅτι τοῖς τοιούτοις πιστεύεσθαι τὰ κριτήρια χρή. Ὥσπερ γὰρ θρόνον ἀκούων οὐχὶ καθέδραν νοεῖς· ἀλλὰ πῶς τὸν χυδαῖόν τις ἐπισπάσαιτο, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ ὡπλισμένος φαίνεται, καὶ ἑτέρωθεν ᾑμαγμέ νος; Τοῦτο οὖν βούλεται δεῖξαι, ὅτι κρίσεως καιρός. Τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτοῦ, ὡσεὶ χιὼν, λευκόν. Τίνος ἕνεκεν; Ὅτι οὐχὶ κρίσεως καιρὸς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ