he eagle. Arian, an early writer, mentions the fact that dragons were
used as military standards by the Romans. The dragon of Revelation
12 is also described as a _red_ dragon. The dragon standards of the
Romans were painted red. Ammianus Marcellinus mentions "the purple
standard of the dragon." By this fabulous beast described as a great
red dragon, then, is symbolically represented the heathen Roman
Empire.

The ten horns, or kingdoms, which had not yet risen when the
revelation was given, were the ten minor kingdoms that grew out of
the Roman Empire during its decline and fall. These are as follows:
1. Anglo-Saxons; 2. Burgundians; 3. Franks; 4. Huns; 5. Heruli; 6.
Lombards; 7. Ostrogoths; 8. Suevi; 9. Vandals; 10. Visigoths.

The dragon is described with the horns, although they were not yet in
existence and did not arise until about the time the dragon became
the beast. He is also represented with seven heads, although he really
possessed only one head at a time and five had already fallen and one
was yet to come. He is described with all the heads and horns he had
ever had or was to have. The reason why the same general power is
described under two forms--first as the dragon and later as the
beast--will appear more clearly hereafter.

The fact that the dragon was called the devil and Satan has led some
to think that the personal devil himself is meant. The foregoing
explanation concerning the heads and the horns shows conclusively,
however, that by the dragon is meant the pagan Roman Empire, and not
Beelzebub. The Hebrews applied the term "Satan" to an adversary, or
opposer, as can be seen by examining in the original the following
and many other texts: Num. 22:22; 1 Sam. 29:4; 2 Sam. 19:22; 1 Kings
11:25. The term is also thus used in the New Testament, signifying
merely an opposer. "But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee
behind me, _Satan_" (Matt. 16:23). "The things which the Gentiles
sacrifice, they sacrifice to _devils_" (1 Cor. 10:20). Paganism was
the great opposer of Christianity; hence was a Satan to it, while the
apostle Paul denominated its religious rites as devil-worship. We must
remember that the text does not say that the dragon was the devil and
Satan, but that he was _called_ the devil and Satan. He partook of the
nature and character of the personal devil, was the chief instrument
through which the devil worked, and was therefore called by his name.

The tail of this dragon "drew the th