ed away, and scattered abroad, but the stone did increase to such
a degree, that the whole earth beneath it seemed to be filled therewith.
This is the dream which thou sawest, and its interpretation is as
follows: The head of gold denotes thee, and the kings of Babylon that
have been before thee; but the two hands and arms signify this, that
your government shall be dissolved by two kings; but another king
that shall come from the west, armed with brass, shall destroy that
government; and another government, that shall be like unto iron, shall
put an end to the power of the former, and shall have dominion over all
the earth, on account of the nature of iron, which is stronger than that
of gold, of silver, and of brass." Daniel did also declare the meaning
of the stone to the king [18] but I do not think proper to relate it,
since I have only undertaken to describe things past or things present,
but not things that are future; yet if any one be so very desirous of
knowing truth, as not to wave such points of curiosity, and cannot curb
his inclination for understanding the uncertainties of futurity, and
whether they will happen or not, let him be diligent in reading the book
of Daniel, which he will find among the sacred writings.

5. When Nebuchadnezzar heard this, and recollected his dream, he was
astonished at the nature of Daniel, and fell upon his knee; and saluted
Daniel in the manner that men worship God, and gave command that he
should be sacrificed to as a god. And this was not all, for he also
imposed the name, of his own god upon him, [Baltasar,] and made him and
his kinsmen rulers of his whole kingdom; which kinsmen of his happened
to fall into great danger by the envy and malice [of their enemies]; for
they offended the king upon the occasion following: he made an image of
gold, whose height was sixty cubits, and its breadth six cubits, and set
it in the great plain of Babylon; and when he was going to dedicate the
image, he invited the principal men out of all the earth that was under
his dominions, and commanded them, in the first place, that when they
should hear the sound of the trumpet, they should then fall down and
worship the image; and he threatened, that those who did not so, should
be cast into a fiery furnace. When therefore all the rest, upon the
hearing of the sound of the trumpet, worshipped the image, they relate
that Daniel's kinsmen did not do it, because they would not transgress
the laws of