The head of the Image was of gold, and signifies the nations of _Babylonia_, who reigned first, as _Daniel_ himself interprets. _Thou art this head of gold_, saith he to _Nebuchadnezzar_. These nations reigned till _Cyrus_ conquered _Babylon_, and within a few months after that conquest revolted to the _Persians_, and set them up above the _Medes_. The breast and arms of the Image were of silver, and represent the _Persians_ who reigned next. The belly and thighs of the Image were of brass, and represent the _Greeks_, who, under the dominion of _Alexander_ the great, conquered the _Persians_, and reigned next after them. The legs were of iron, and represent the _Romans_ who reigned next after the _Greeks_, and began to conquer them in the eighth year of _Antiochus Epiphanes_. For in that year they conquered _Perseus_ King of _Macedon_, the fundamental kingdom of the _Greeks_; and from thence forward grew into a mighty empire, and reigned with great power till the days of _Theodosius_ the great. Then by the incursion of many northern nations, they brake into many smaller kingdoms, which are represented by the feet and toes of the Image, composed part of iron, and part of clay. For then, saith _Daniel_, [1] _the kingdom shall be divided, and there shall be in it of the strength of iron, but they shall not cleave one to another._ _And in the days of these Kings_, saith _Daniel_, _shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; but it shall break in pieces, and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountains without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver and the gold._ Notes to Chap. III. [1] Chap. ii. 41, &c. * * * * * CHAP. IV. _Of the vision of the four Beasts._ In the next vision, which is of the four Beasts, the Prophecy of the four Empires is repeated, with several new additions; such as are the two wings of the Lion, the three ribs in the mouth of the Bear, the four wings and four heads of the Leopard, the eleven horns of the fourth Beast, and the son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven, to the Antient of Days sitting in judgment. The first Beast was like a lion, and had eagle's wings, to denote the kingdoms of _Babylonia_ and _Media_, which overthrew the _Assyrian_ Empire, and divided it between them, and thereby became considerable, and grew into great Empires. In the former Prophecy, the Empire of _Babylonia_ was represented by the head of gold; in this both Empires are represented together by the two wings of the lion. _And I beheld,_ saith [1] _Daniel_, _till the wings thereof were pluckt, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it_; that is, till it was humbled and subdued, and made to know its human state.