en
years. And this is the end of the posterity of king Nebuchadnezzar, as
history informs us; but when Babylon was taken by Darius, and when
he, with his kinsman Cyrus, had put an end to the dominion of the
Babylonians, he was sixty-two years old. He was the son of Astyages, and
had another name among the Greeks. Moreover, he took Daniel the prophet,
and carried him with him into Media, and honored him very greatly, and
kept him with him; for he was one of the three presidents whom he set
over his three hundred and sixty provinces, for into so many did Darius
part them.

5. However, while Daniel was in so great dignity, and in so great favor
with Darius, and was alone intrusted with every thing by him, a having
somewhat divine in him, he was envied by the rest; for those that see
others in greater honor than themselves with kings envy them; and when
those that were grieved at the great favor Daniel was in with Darius
sought for an occasion against him, he afforded them no occasion at all,
for he was above all the temptations of money, and despised bribery, and
esteemed it a very base thing to take any thing by way of reward, even
when it might be justly given him; he afforded those that envied him not
the least handle for an accusation. So when they could find nothing for
which they might calumniate him to the king, nothing that was shameful
or reproachful, and thereby deprive him of the honor he was in with him,
they sought for some other method whereby they might destroy him. When
therefore they saw that Daniel prayed to God three times a day, they
thought they had gotten an occasion by which they might ruin him; so
they came to Darius and told him that the princes and governors had
thought proper to allow the multitude a relaxation for thirty days,
that no one might offer a petition or prayer either to himself or to the
gods, but that, "he who shall transgress this decree shall be east into
the den of lions, and there perish."

6. Whereupon the king, not being acquainted with their wicked design,
nor suspecting that it was a contrivance of theirs against Daniel, said
he was pleased with this decree of theirs, and he promised to confirm
what they desired; he also published an edict to promulgate to the
people that decree which the princes had made. Accordingly, all the rest
took care not to transgress those injunctions, and rested in quiet; but
Daniel had no regard to them, but, as he was wont, he stood and prayed
t