DANIEL'S SECOND VISION,—DANIEL VIII.
By John B. Dymot
In the palace at Shushan, in Elam's fair land,
Near Ulai's waters, now Daniel doth stand;
And sees, in a vision, a ram standing by,
Whose horns, though unequal, are both very high.
Now westward, and northward, and southward he goes,
And, mightily pushing, reduces all foes.
From his hand none could save, but his violence knew;
For his will he performed, and to greatness he grew. But, as Daniel considered, behold, from the west,
A shaggy he-goat over all the earth pressed:
With valor and swiftness he bounded along,
Between his eyes bearing a horn great and strong.
With furious power, and maddened with rage,
He dashed on the ram, that grew feeble with age,
And breaking his horns, stamped him down to the ground;
And none to deliver the ram could be found. Hence very great waxed the he-goat; but that horn
From its owner, while fresh in his greatness, was torn;
And for it, four notable horns did arise,
Which spread to the winds of the uttermost skies. At length there came forth of one of the four,
A horn, at first little, which waxed more and more,
Till exceedingly great, to the south and the east,
That horn to the land of the prophet increased. This vision was given to Daniel, for he
Was troubled in mind as to what was to be;
And his countenance changed at what he had heard
And seen where the waters by tempests were stirred;
For though the good angel had tried to explain,
'Twas a man who had listened with wonder and pain. Ere long the primeval dominion would fade
From Babylon's diadem, scepter, and blade;
And so in the vision it does not appear;
But the other three kingdoms are symbolized here. "The ram," said the angel, "is meant to denote
Medo-Persia; and Grecia is shown by the goat.
The notable horn between the goat's eyes
His first king shall be; but as broken it lies,
That king shall be broken; and as in its stead
Four horns for it stood, so when he is dead,
Four kingdoms shall out of the nation stand up,
Grow aged and sinful. Then with them shall cope
A king of fierce countenance, crafty and strong;
But not to himself shall his power belong.
He shall practice and thrive, on the record of fame,
With the blood of the nations inscribing his name.
But his days shall be numbered; his revels shall cease:
And the earth shall rejoice in perpetual peace.