Daniel his Chaldie visions and his Ebrevv: both translated after the original: and expounded both, by reduction of heathen most famous stories vnto the exact proprietie of his wordes (which is the surest certaintie what he must meane:) and by ioyning all the Bible, and learned tongues to the frame of his worke

How Heathen that neuer knew Daniel recorde the euent of this matter.

THe Heathē for this story, as in my former of Greeks, must be my warrāt. Thus it dependeth vpō the friend∣ship vvhich vvas betwixt Ptolemie Lagides and Seleu∣cus Nicator: vvho* 1.1 ioyned helpe continually, to make them selues strong.

Magas, sonne to Ptolemie Lagides, bro∣ther by mother also vnto Pt. Philadelphus maried the daughter of Antiochus Soter, sonne to Seleucus. He, vn∣dertaking warres against his brother Philadelphus, cau∣sed his father in law to breake the league, vvhich Seleu∣cus and Lagides their two fathers made.

Therupon Phi∣ladelphus sendeth forces into Antiochus countries,* 1.2 to busie him at home. This much Pausanias recordeth in Atticis. This breach wearying both sides, might wel force them to seeke a new attonement, which here the Angell telleth: and Appiane the prophane writer, doth recorde for good diuinitie vse, in these wordes in Syriac.

After Se∣leucus, the first successour vvas Antiochus, surnamed Soter, that is, a Sauiour: because he droue the * 1.3 French out of Asia: He married his stepmother Stratonice, like to dye for loue of her: the Phisitian Erasistratus told the father. Which matter is most famous in many Heathen vvriters: and among them infamous. And 2. Cor. 5. the H. Gh. seemeth to call his storie into minde. Next, vnto him vvas Antiochus begotten by that mariage, called of the Milesians Theos, the God, because he did put downe their Tyrant Timark.

This God vvas poysoned by his wife: two he had, Laodice, and Berenice, the DD. of Pto∣lemie Philadelphus. Laodice kild him, and after him Berenice, and an infant of Berenices. In reuenge of that, Ptolemie her brother, being then king, killeth Laodice,

marcheth vnto Syria, and vnto Babylon: and now first the Parthians rebell, vpon the stirres in the kingdome of the Seleucidae.* 1.4 Thou all might see vvho is the true God, whē the very enemies are sufficient iudges. Foretel euents vvithout helpe, none but God can. Here an Angell from God foretelleth matter most fit for the Iron & Clay shew∣ed to Nebuchadnezar 68. yeares ago: and ••n heathen is an indefferent recorder of the euent. And vve see then vvho be the persons vvhich the Angell speaketh off, what daughter, of a father king of Egypt, is maried, and to what king of Syria, vvhat successe it had: and vvho being an impe from her rootes reuengeth her death, and inuadeth the others kingdome:* 1.5 how they seeke by mariages to make agreement: vvhich cleaueth together no better, then Iron and Clay, but that the marier and marie••, dye for it: and the killers vvith the killed, pay for their doings. These be most noble examples: to shew the iustice of the Iudge sitting vpon a fierie Throne. He that maried his fathers vvife: (vvhich verie mariage is most famous and infa∣mous among the Heathen) first is troubled vvith warres for his owne daughter: that his incestuous sonne is driuen for peace, to mary vnto the disturbance of all his kingdome: and admitting a title of God, dyeth not a men, but by poyso∣ning from his owne vvife. Of Seleucus Callinicus Iu∣stine vvriteth▪ and bestoweth his ••7. B••oke to be a verie fit Commentarie for the storie of this Prophecie, and for the iustice of Gods iudgement. There Seleucus, through Laodices pricking forward, beginneth his reigne vvith the death of his stepmother Bernice, and her child Ptolemy her brother warreth: the Cities in Asia reu••••••. Seleucus fleate vvra••••: he scant saued his naked bodie•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 brother Antiochus banked for his kingdome, tell robbers kild him: Eumenes was much from him: Ptolemy, and the French spoyled him: He dyed by a fall off an house: so paying for his murther▪ This the Heathen noteth.

[ 9] So the king of the South shall come into the kingdome: and a 1.6 returne into his owne land.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Diodorus booke 17.18.19.20.
• * 1.2

  Which fal∣leth out af∣ter the death of Soter, and not long be∣fore the death of Philadel∣phus.
• * 1.3

  Brennus from Bri∣tanie and Fraunce then did warre into the East.
• * 1.4

  Deut. 32. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.5

  The not mar¦king of this point hath postered all libraries with books giuing strength vn∣to Iewes and Turkes, to make Chri¦stiās thought senslesse, and condemning their owne selues: in far the greatest part of our own writings. The learned of late see it. The vnlear∣ned should not striue. To the legs of the Image these mat∣ters belong.
• a 1.6

  If by sedi∣tiō at home he had not bene called home: he had easily won all the kingdome of Syria Iust. 27