ophecy
in all the Bible, told the story of events connected with this region of
the Near East for the centuries to come, until the end. Putting the word
of prophecy and the record of history side by side, we see how exactly
history has fulfilled prophecy; and we may know certainly that the brief
portion of the prophecy yet unfulfilled will surely come to pass.

Persia

_Prophecy._--"Now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand
up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than
they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all
against the realm of Grecia." Dan. 11:2

_History._--The three kings following Cyrus were (1) Cambyses, (2)
Smerdis, (3) Darius; the fourth, Xerxes, was "far richer than they all."
He had the treasures of his father, Darius, who was called the
"merchant" or "hoarder" by his own people, and Xerxes gathered stores of
wealth in addition. When Xerxes was on his way to invade Grecia, a
Lydian named Pythius entertained the whole Persian army with feasts, and
offered to aid in bearing the expense of the campaign. Xerxes asked who
this man of such wealth was. He was answered:

"This is the man, O king! who gave thy father Darius the golden
plane tree, and likewise the golden vine; and he is still the
wealthiest man we know of in all the world, excepting
thee."--_Herodotus, book 7, par. 27._

"Richer than they all," Xerxes, "through his riches," was able, as the
prophecy had foretold, to "stir up all against the realm of Grecia."
Forty-nine nations marched under his banners to the attack. The Greek
poet, AEschylus, who himself fought against the Persians, wrote of
Xerxes' mighty host,

"And myriad-peopled Asia's king, a battle-eager lord,
From utmost east to utmost west sped on his countless horde,
In unnumbered squadrons marching, in fleets of keels untold,
Knowing none dared disobey,
For stern overseers were they
Of the godlike king begotten of the ancient race of Gold."

--_"Persae," Way's translation._

Xerxes boasted that he was leading "the whole race of mankind to the
destruction of Greece." But his invasion ended in the total rout of his
forces by land and by sea. It was an advertisement to the world that
Persia's might was broken. The prophecy treats it so, and deals no
further with Persian history.

AEschylus at the time celebrated the passing of Persia's prestige in the
lines,--