Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 11 · Questions · Question 8 – Question 13
Quest. 8. Why the Angel leaueth at the fourth king of Persia, seeing there were more.
1. Lyranus his opinon here is not sound, that thinketh, following the Hebrewes, that none of the Persian kings are here omitted: and taketh this fourth king to be the last Darius, that was ouercome by Alexander: but both the continuance of the Persian Monarchie, and the number of the Persian kings agreed vponupon almost by all historians, ouerthroweth this opinion. 2. yet although there were more kings of Persia then sowre, diuerse reasons may be alleadged, why the Angel staieth at the fourth and proceedeth no further. 1. the spirit of God intended not to followe the order of the historie, sed praeclara quaeque praestringere, but to touch onelyonly the principall and speciall things, Hierome, Hugo Card. 2. Theodoret saith the reason is, because the Angel would onelyonly set downe the most mightie kings of Persia, omitting the rest: and to the same purpose Bullinger and Polanus, because it is said, there shall stand vp three kings of Persia: the Angel onelyonly speaketh of the flourishing state of … at Empire, before it beganne to decay, as it did presently after Xerxes time. 3. Some giuegive this reason, that the other kings of Persia are omitted here, because they are supplied out of other bookes of the Scripture, as of Ezra, Nehemiah, and some of the Prophets, Pappus. 4. Iunius addeth, because the historie of the Persian kings following concerned not the people of God: their chiefe businesse afterward fell out with the Grecians, in commentar. 5. But the most speciall reason is, the Angel onelyonly nameth those kings by whom the Iewes were held in captiuitie: and such as hindered the worke of the Temple; and as Oecolampad. out of Eudoxius, their gouernements are spoken of, in which there was foreign, the hinderance of the worke, and staying of the building of the Temple, which the Prophet tooke greatest care and thought for: to the same purpose M. Calvin. by standing, vnderstandeth those kings, which stood against the people of God. 6. Adde hereunto that the Prophet maketh a cursary mention of them, to insinuate in what short time these foure kings should runne out the race of their kingdome; for first Cyrus, in whose third the Temple was hindered, raigned not long after: some thinke that Cyrus going against a people of the Indians called Derbices, which vsed to deuoure their parents when they were old, thinking it a more honourable ende for them, then to be eaten of wormes, fell from his horse, and then was wounded in the thigh by a dart cast at him by an Indian, and so died, Polan, ex Cresia. but the more receiued opinion is out of Herodotus, that he was slaine of Queene Tomyris, and his head beeing cut off was cast into a bowle of blood: yet Xe…ophon writeth that Cyrus beeing aged died in his bed, giuing fatherly and graue exhortations to his sonnes. After him Cambyses hauing raigned not much aboue 6. yeares, was wounded by his owne sword, and so died: Darius Hystaspis, beeing 20. yeares old when Cyrus went against Queene Tomyris, and liuing but 43. yeares in all, enioyed not his kingdome 36. yeares, as most thinke, nor yet halfe so much: Xerxes time could not be long: H. Br. giueth but 31. yeares to the Persian Monarchie vntounto the second of Darius Longimanus, and maketh the 49. yeares, for the reedifying of the Temple, to coucurre with the 20. of Darius Longimanus, whom he supposeth raigning at home, while his father Xerxes was occupied in the Greeke warres, beeing but then a young man, to hauehave giuen libertie in his 2. yeare for the reedifying of the Temple: but if 30. yeares be onelyonly allowed for the raigne of Cyrus, Cambyses, Darius, and Xerxes, Darius Longimanus cannot be thought to be then of yeares to hauehave sonnes, as he had, Ezra. 6. 10. But allowe 49. yeares vntounto the 2. of Darius, as is further prooued, c. 9. quest. 58. this was but a short time for the raigne of fowre such potent kings.
7. This also beeing ioyned to the former may make the former reasons more full, why the Angel endeth it at Xerxes, and so passeth vntounto Alexanders time, because then the quarrell begunne betweene the Persians and the Grecians, which was neuer laid downe, till the Grecians had ouerthrowne the Persian Monarchie. And so Alexander in an epistle to Darius Codomannus, as Arrianus writeth, lib. 2. pretendeth this as the cause of his warre against the Persians: Maitores vestri Mecedoniam ingressi, &c. Your Auncestors invaded Macedonia, and all Grecia beside, and offred them many wrongs, whereas they had receiued none: wherefore I beeing created Emperour of the Grecians, beeing willing to reuenge their wrongs, am come ouer into Asia beeing prouoked by you.
Quest. 9. A briefe description of the rising and fall of Alexanders kingdome, v. 3. 4.
The Angel briefely toucheth both the rising vp and the fall of Alexanders kingdome. 1. the rising of his kingdome is described, by two adiuncts. 1. he shall be mightie: for with 30. thousand footemen, and 5. thousand horsemen, he tooke vponupon him to conquer the whole world. 2. and it is said he shall stand vp: whereby is noted the suddennesse of his rising, and the singular dexteritie that was in him to atchieue that which he intended and purposed: the effects are likewise two, 1. he shall rule with great dominion: his Empire was large, for beside other countreys, which he subdued, he possessed all the great Monarchie of Persia. 2. he shall doc according to his pleasure, he shall be prosperous in all his enterprises, and preuaile in his warres, according to his owne desires.
2. The fall and ruine of his kingdome is likewise described, first in generall, then in particular. 1. In generall both by the circumstance of time, when he shall stand vp, that is, after he hath stood a short time: for not aboue seuen yeares had Alexander raigned, when his kingdome, together with his life was dissolued, Iun. commentar. and euen when his kingdome was come to the height, and he expected embassadours at Babylon from al the world, he died at Babylon: As also the manner is shewed, by a Metaphor, it shall be broken, like as when a brittle thing is broken into many peices and shiuers.
2. In particular two things are expressed, the subiect of this kingdome, and the qualitie and condition of it. 1. the subiect is declared affirmatiuely, it shall be diuided into the 4. winds, that is to fowre kings and chiefe gouernours, negatiuely, not to any of his posteritie, which is amplified by a Metaphoricall speach, it shall be pulled vp, as a thing by the rootes, in respect of his owne succession: and others shall be planted in their stead, in the place of his successors: for so is the meaning of those words, to others beside those, that is, it shall be giuen vntounto those fowre successor, of Alexander, beside his owne heires.
2. For the qualitie of these kingdomes, they shall not be like in power vntounto Alexanders. as it is said, not according to his dominion.
Quest. 10. Of Alexanders birth, and education, acts and life, ende and death abriged.
1. For the first, Philip king of Macedonia, was father to Alexander, and his mothers name was Olympias: he was borne about the 2. yeare of the 106. Olympiad: the same day, wherein he was borne, the great Temple of Diana at Ephesus was set on fire, which the Magicians interpreted to signifie, that one was then borne, who should set all Asia on fire: at 15. yeares of age he was committed to Aristotle to be instructed, and in his youth was of such magnanimitie, that when his father had conquered any citie he would say, that his father would leaue nothing for him to winne.
2. At 20. yeares of age he sit vponupon the conquest of all the world: in his acts and life three things are memorable, his vertues, his monuments and exploits, his notable vices. 1. his vertues may be thus diuided, into his morall, and militarie vertues: As his morall were these, his continencie, before he tasted of the pleasures of Asia: he preserued the chastitie of Darius beautifull wife and daughters, and would not so much as see them: his clemencie and humanitie was great euen towad his enemies: but his liberalitie exceeded all the rest: he gaue 23. thousand talents among his souldiers: see more of his vertues, c. 2. quest. 48.
His militarie vertues were excellent. 1. his courage, that with 30. thousand footemen, and 5. thousand horsemen durst aduenture to bid battell to the whole world. 2. his patient labour in enduring hunger and thirst, frost and cold. 3. his dexteritie and celeritie in omitting no opportunitie. 4. and hereunto may be added his singular successe, he neuer besieged any citie but he tooke it.
2. His exploits were singular. 1. he enlarged the Empire of the Grecians, and made them Lords of the whole world. 2. he built many cities 70. in number as Plutarch writeth, whereof Alexandria in Egypt was one. 3. he reduced many barbarous nations from their sauage and brui…ish manners to ciuilitie, as is further shewed, c. 2. quest. 48.
3. And his vices which he fell into after he had glutted himselfe with the pleasures of Asia, were not inferiour to his vertues: fowre notable vices among the rest raigned in him. 1. drunkennesse, he would drinke so excessiuely, that he would lie 2. or 3. dayes till he had s…pt out his drinke. 2. in his drinke he was cruell and outragious: in his rage he killed his deare friend Clitus, much lamenting his death afterward. 3. he was giuen to the wantonnesse and pleasure of the flesh. 4. And at length he grewe so intolerable proud, that he made himselfe Iupiters sonne, for which cause he commanded Calisthenes to be killed, because he refused to worship him: see before, c. 8. quest. 16.
3. Then Alexanders ende was this, in the 32. yeare of his age he died at Babylon. some thinke of poison: but he died rather of surfetting and drunkennesse, continuing quaffing so long, at a Phisitians house a Thessalian, that he fell into a burning feuer, at such time, as he expected embassadors from the remote countreys of the world, out of Africa, Europa, as out of Spaine, and Italie, and so in fewe dayes after he sickened, he died, hauing no time to returne into his owne co…ntrey, nor space to appoint his successor: see more c. 8. quest. 16.
Quest. 11. Of the fowre successors of Alexander.
Concerning three of Alexanders successors there is no question: Ptolomeus the sonne of Lagus possessed Egypt the kingdome of the South: Seleucus raigned in Syria and Babylon, in the East, which in respect of Iudea was counted the North: and Antigonus held Asia minor in respect of Egypt on the North: but there is some question, who was Alexanders successor in the kingdome of Macedonia in the West.
1. The receiued opinion is, that Arideus called Philippus the brother of Alexander succeeded in the Macedonian kingdome, as Hierome, Lyranus, Hugo Card. Pintus, Bullinger. But Arideus cannot properly be counted Alexanders successor, because he was but chosen king for a time vntill Alexanders sonnes came to age: and he had but the name of a king: Perdiccas was chosen Tutor and protector of the Empire, and Seleucus master of the horse, which was the second place in dignitie: Craterus Treasurer, Antipater gouernour of Macedonia and Grecia: and beside the text saith, that the kingdome should not be left to any of Alexanders posteritie, that is, heires or kinred: But his brother was one of his posteritie and kinred.
2. An other opinion is, that Antipater one of Alexanders chiefe captaines succeeded in Macedonia, Osiand. but this can not be neither: for though Antipater were set ouer Macedonia, as other of Alexanders captaines were appointed their seuerall regiments, before the kingdome was shared and diuided into foure parts; yet because Aridaeus was then liuing, to whome by generall consent of the captaines, the name and title of the king was yeilded, during the nonage of Alexanders children, Antipater could not be said to succeede in that kingdome.
3. Wherefore Cassander rather the sonne of Antipater, who vsurped the kingdome of Macedonia, as soone as Aridaeus was dead, is rather held to be one of the foure successors in the kingdome, Iun. Polan. Calv. Pap. Calvin thinketh that Cassander was Antipaters father: true it is that he had two sonnes, Antipater and Alexander; but they by mutuall parricide made an ende one of an other, and held not the kingdome long after their father: But Cassander which raigned 18. or 19. yeares ouer Macedonia, was the sonne also of Antipater.
Quest. 12. How all Alexanders posteritie was rooted out, that none of them succeeded in the kingdome.
1. Hierome thus expoundeth these words, not to his posteritie, quia Alexander liberos non habuit, because Alexander had no children, which Pintus thus with fauour interpreteth, that he had no sonne, which succeeded him: but if Hieromes words be well marked, he giueth this as a reason, why the kingdome was devolued to strangers, because Alexander had no children: whereas he had two sonnes, Alexander by Roxane, and Hercules of Barsines, as Trogus and Iustinus testifie.
2. Some writers thinke, that Alexander had a sonne called Alexander by Thalestra, Queene of the Amazons, as Q. Curtius, Clitarchus, Polycritus, Onexicritus affirme: but that is by other historians held to be but a fable: as Hecataeus, Philippus Chalcidicus, Duris Samius, Plutarchus Cheronens. Philo Thebanus, with others, ex Pinto. for this Alexander was Alexanders sonne by his wife Roxane.
3. This then was Alexanders posteritie and kinred which he left behind him: his mother Olympias, and Pyrrhus his vncle king of Epirus, his brother Aridens, and his sister Cleopatra, his two wiues with their two sonnes, Roxane with Alexander, and Barsines with Hercules, they were eight in all: Olympias causeth Arideus to be killed: Cassander thereupon taketh occasion to put Olympias to death beeing almost 80. yeare old, and poisoneth both Alexanders sonnes, Alexander and Hercules, with Roxane Alexanders wife: Cleopatra Alexanders sister, the gouernour of the Sardians, who was base brother to Philip Alexanders father, procured to be killed, therein thinking to gratifie Antigonus: last of all Pyrrhus was vanquished by Antigonus Demettius sonne, and his head cut off. And thus in few yeares all Alexanders posteritie was cut off, that none liued to succeede him.
13. Quest. Of the meaning of these words, v. 4. It shall be for others beside those.
1. Whereas it is said in the text in the ende of the fourth verse, it shall be giuen to others beside, Hierome readeth strangers for others: the word acharim, signifieth both strangers and others: by strangers Hierome vnderstandeth other captaines, beside these fowre, as Perdiccas, Crateron, Lysimachus, which had some part of Alexanders dominions. Theodoret interpreteth it of other strangers of forren nations: as in the raigne of some of the posteritie of the first successours of Alexander, the Parthians fell away from the kingdome of Syria and Babylon, by the instigations of Arsaces a Persian, of whome the kings of Persia a long time after were called Arsacidae. But neither of these expositions can stand here: not the first, because before in this verse, mention is made onelyonly of the diuision of the kingdome into the fowre winds: so that we are referred onelyonly to that famous diuision of the kindome into fowre parts, and to none other: not the latter, because that falling away of the Parthians was well nie an 100. yeares after Alexanders death, in the time of Seleucus grandchild to Antiochus the sonne of Seleucus Nicanor, as Iustine writeth, lib. 41. By others then, here are meant none els, but those fowre generall captaines, who diuided Alexanders kingdome among them: yet it shall not be amisse here somewhat to touch the petie diuisions of the kingdome, before it grew into fowre parts, and of Alexanders seuerall captaines, with their endes.