THE FULFILLMENT OF DANIEL 7, Part 2 of 3
HOW ALEXANDER THE GREAT COULD HAVE FULFILLED THE WINGS OF AND EAGLE DESCRIBED IN DAN. 7:4
The historical records below demonstrated that Alexander the Great fulfilled the wings of an eagle described in Dan 7:4 when they point out that he moved with great speed during his conquests and that he conquered a vast amount of territory in so short a period of time. Dan 7:4 “The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it.
1933. Alexander took with him the troops of his fellow cavaliers, vant (??) couriers, mercenaries led by Erigyius, the Macedonian squadron (except those who were left at Ecbatane to guard the money), the Agrians and the archers and he went after Darius. Since he marched so far so fast, many of his foot soldiers and cavalry were not able to follow. They fainted in the way and perished. However Alexander continued and on the 11th day he came to Rages. (Arrian. l. 3.) In those 11 days, he went over 410 miles. On this long journey, the cavalry followed him very cheerfully although they lacked water in many places. Of that company which set out with him from Ecbatane, there were only 60 with him at the end of his journey. (Plut. in Alex.)
1934. This city of Rages (/APC Tob 1:14 4:1) is a day's journey from the Caspian Gates or passes to anyone that would ride at Alexander's pace. Darius had already passed through them. Many of those who set out with him on his journey slipped away and returned home. Also many of them returned to Alexander on the way. (Arrian. l. 3.)
The Macedonian Empire 3674c AM, 4384 JP, 330 BC
1946. The empire of Alexander lasted 5 years according to Isidore and Beda from Eusebius' Chronicle. Jul. Africa. states 6 years and the historian who wrote in the time of Alexander Severus, 7 years (Tome 2. Antiqu. Lectio. Henr. Canisis, p. 600.) Strabo (l. 15. fin.) allows 10 or 11 years. Nicephorus Constantinopolitanus in his Chronicle, states 12 years. Clemens Alexandrinus, (l. 1. Stromat.) is wrong when he says it was 18 years. It is most obvious that from the month Hecatombaeon when Darius died (when Aristophontes was archon at Athens) to the month Thargelion when Alexander died, as we shall show presently, (when Hegesias was archon in Athens) only 6 years and 10 months passed. In this short period of time, Alexander did so many and great feats of arms in the east that he may well be said to have flown rather than to have marched over all those regions. He took everything from the gulf of Venice and the Adriatic Sea to the very Indian Ocean and the Ganges River. He did this not so much by war but as by his reputation. What he did after the death of Darius, is set down by Diodorus, (l. 17. 2nd part), by Justin, (l. 12.) by Curtius, (5 last books of his History), by Plutarch (in his life) and by Arrian (l. 3.). I have inserted these accounts from the various authors in this work.
1962. When Alexander heard of this, he halted his journey into Bactria. He marched 75 miles in two days and came to Attacoana. Satibarzanes with 2000 cavalry (for that was all he could gather at that time) fled into Bactria to Bessus. The rest escaped to the mountains. Alexander pursued Satibarzanes a long time but was not able to overtake him. He attacked those who were in the mountains and took the craggy rocks where 13,000 armed Arians had fled. Alexander returned to Attacoana which was besieged by Craterus during this time. Craterus had prepared all things for an assault and waited for Alexander to lead it so that the honour of taking the place would fall to Alexander not him. Joab did the same for David. 2Sa 12:27,28 When the king came, he found them ready to plead for his mercy. He pardoned them and lifted his siege. He restored to every man what was his. Within 30 days he had taken all the places of that country and made Arsaces their governor.
1989. After Alexander had crossed the Oxus River, he soon marched to the place where Bessus was. On the way, he received news from Spitamenes and Dataphernes that if he would be pleased to send any captain of his with a sufficient guard, they would deliver Bessus into his hands. Therefore Alexander sent Ptolemy the son of Lagus with 3 companies of cavalry, the regiment of foot soldiers under Philotas, 1000 of the silver targeteers, all the entire squadron of the Agrians and one half of the Archers. Ptolemy marched in 4 days with these to the place where Spitamenes with his army had camped the day before. This is normally a 10 day journey.
2006. Alexander took half of his fellow cavaliers, all his targeteers, archers, Agrians and the best of all the Macedonian squadron. He marched to Maracanda where he was told that Spitamenes had returned again to besiege the Greeks in the citadel. He marched about 90 miles in 3 days and came early the next day to the city. When Spitamenes heard of his approach, he lifted his siege and fled. Alexander pursued him as fast as he could. On the way he came to the place, where the Scythians had slain his Macedonians. He had their bones gathered and buried with a proper Macedonian funeral. After this he followed the enemy until he came into the desert.
2151. The first day he camped near a little river about 12 miles from the Acesines. When they rested for a while, he ordered every man to fill what bottles he had with water. They marched on the remainder of that day and the next night some 50 miles. On the next morning, they attacked a great many of the Mallians. They never thought that he would come over that dry wilderness and were walking abroad idly outside the city. He killed most of them and the rest fled into the gates of the city and there locked them. Alexander had his cavalry surround the walls, instead of a trench, until his foot soldiers came.
2199. Alexander came to Patala and found no inhabitants in the city and country side. He found there great numbers of flocks and herds of cattle and grain in great abundance. He quickly sent his fastest soldiers to overtake those, who had fled. As they overtook them, they were to send them away to overtake the rest and to persuade them to return. They were promised peace and their belongings and home in both the city and country.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT’S DESIRE TO RULE BEYOND THE PLACES HE WAS TOLD WOULD BE GIVEN TO HIM IN A VISION FROM GOD
Alexanders’ desire to conquer India
2044. Alexander left Amyntas in Bactria with 3500 cavalry and 10,000 foot soldiers. Toward the middle of spring (according to Arrian) Alexander moved with his army from there toward India to make the ocean and utmost border of the east, the boundary of his empire. He prepared his army in their attire for this great plan of his. He had all their shields covered with silver plate and their horse bridles made of beaten gold. Their very body armour he had enriched with gold or silver. He had 120,000 men with him on the Indian expedition.
2117. On the 3rd day he departed from there and came to the Hyphasis or Hypanis River. It is almost a mile wide and 36 feet deep. It was very rocky under water and quite difficult to cross. Phegeus told him what he wanted to know about the other side of the river. There was a vast desert of 11 or 12 days journey to cross bounded by the
Ganges River. It was the largest in all of India. Beyond the river lived various peoples. The people there were the Gaugaridae or Gongaridae and Prasians or Praendians, or Praesiaeans, or Pharrasians, or Tabraesians, for they are all known by these different names. Their King was called Agrammes. (Diod. Sic. calls him Xagrames,) He had an army of 20,000 cavalry, 200,000 foot soldiers, 2000 chariots and 3000 or (as Diodorus says) 4000 elephants, all trained and equipped for war.
2118. These things seemed incredible to Alexander. When he had questioned Porus further, Porus told him that the force and power of that king and kingdom was indeed very great and no less than what he was told. However the current king was of ignoble birth and no better than a poor barber's son. He was hated and scorned by his subjects. Androcottus, who was then but a youth and had not only seen Alexander but also for a certain saucy prank played on Alexander, was ordered to be executed. He would have died had he not fled. Justin, (l. 15. c. 4.) tells us that he later said that Alexander almost conquered all of India. The part he missed was of little note since their the king was too wicked, so base, so hated and so much scorned by his people.
2119. Alexander began to reflect that his soldiers were all tired out and spent with the length of the war. Every man began to look for an end of these dangers and for the reward and fruit of all their labours. They had now been 8 whole years (for so long it was since he became king) in a continual perilous war. It happened that for 70 consecutive days, it poured rain accompanied with violent thunderstorms according to Diodorus. Diodorus says that to pacify the soldiers, he gave them permission to plunder a most rich and bountiful country of the enemies and to take all to themselves. While they were busy at this, he called together their wives and children and made there a law that the wives would receive their monthly allowance in grain and their children the same wages that their fathers did.
2120. When the soldiers were returned home laden with wealth and riches, the king called them all together. He made a prepared speech to request them to accompany him cheerfully to the conquest of the Gangaridae. Caenus the son of Polemocrates replied in the name of the whole army and concluded that they all desired an end of the war. The Macedonians would not listen to Alexander's request. Ptolemy reports that he went on and offered sacrifices for the crossing of the river. When the entrails portended all direful things if he proceeded, he called together his friends and such as were the oldest and most intimate with him. He told them first and afterward declared to all the army that since all things seemed to be against his going any farther, he was now content and resolved to return home.
Alexander the Greats’ desire to conquer lands north of the Caspian Sea
2312. Alexander sent Heraclides, with certain shipwrights into Hircania to cut timber there for building ships. They were all to be "men of war", some with decks some without after the Greek design. He had a great desire to see the Caspian Sea and to know to whom it belonged.
Alexanders aim to advance his own glory
2168. Curtius (l. 9. c. 12.) mentions a speech made to him by Craterus in the name of his friends for the same purpose. His answer to it to this end that a man can never lack an occasion to win glory by. ``After the 9th year of my reign and 29th of my age, do you think it possible for me to be lacking to myself in advancing my glory which I have ever addicted and devoted myself to?
Alexanders’ desire to rule the Carthaginians and others bordering on the sea coasts of Africa, Spain and Sicily
2349. When Craterus was sent to lead some old worn out soldiers into Cilicia, he received written orders from Alexander. Diodorus Siculus using the king's own commentaries states the main points were these. He should have 1000 war ships of 3 tiers of oars built that would be a little larger than ships of that size. These were to be constructed in Phoenicia, Syria, Cilicia and Cyprus for his wars against the Carthaginians and others bordering on the sea coasts of Africa, Spain and the islands as far as Sicily. He was to give orders that his way along the sea coast of Africa as far as Hercules' Pillars was to be ready for him. To set aside 1500 talents to build 6 magnificent temples. He was to make ports in various places suitable to receive that large fleet. He was to take men from Europe into Asia and likewise from Asia into Europe to live in such new cities as he would build in either continent. Alexander hoped that by inter-marriages he might establish a peace between the two main continents of the world. These were his plans of which Lucan speaks in this manner. (l. 10.) His purpose was the Atlantic Sea to sail; Nor fire, nor water, nor the Lybian sand. Nor Ammons Syrts could bound his vast desires. He would into the western clime wave gone, Where the sun stoops to fall into Tethis lap; And to have marched quite round about the poles, And drunk Nile's water, where it first doth rise, Had not death met him and his journey stayed. Nothing but nature could a period bring, To the vast projects of this mad- cap king.
The entire world was aware of his power
2319. While Alexander resided at Babylon, there came ambassadors to him from all the parts and nations of the world. For besides those that came out of Asia, from cities, princes and countries there, many came from other countries in Europe and Africa. From Africa came the Ethiopians who lived near the temple of Hammon and from the Carthaginians and other Punic countries bordering all along the sea coast from as far as the Pillars of Hercules and the western sea. From Europe came ambassadors from various cities of Greece, Macedon, Thracians, Illyrians and Scythians. The Brutians (England), Lucanians and Etruscians came from Italy along with the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. They also came from Spain and France whose very names and countries the Macedonians had never heard of before.
HOW ALEXANDER THE GREAT COULD HAVE FULFILLED THE WINGS OF AND EAGLE DESCRIBED IN DAN. 7:4
The historical records below demonstrated that Alexander the Great fulfilled the wings of an eagle described in Dan 7:4 when they point out that he moved with great speed during his conquests and that he conquered a vast amount of territory in so short a period of time. Dan 7:4 “The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it.
1933. Alexander took with him the troops of his fellow cavaliers, vant (??) couriers, mercenaries led by Erigyius, the Macedonian squadron (except those who were left at Ecbatane to guard the money), the Agrians and the archers and he went after Darius. Since he marched so far so fast, many of his foot soldiers and cavalry were not able to follow. They fainted in the way and perished. However Alexander continued and on the 11th day he came to Rages. (Arrian. l. 3.) In those 11 days, he went over 410 miles. On this long journey, the cavalry followed him very cheerfully although they lacked water in many places. Of that company which set out with him from Ecbatane, there were only 60 with him at the end of his journey. (Plut. in Alex.)
1934. This city of Rages (/APC Tob 1:14 4:1) is a day's journey from the Caspian Gates or passes to anyone that would ride at Alexander's pace. Darius had already passed through them. Many of those who set out with him on his journey slipped away and returned home. Also many of them returned to Alexander on the way. (Arrian. l. 3.)
The Macedonian Empire 3674c AM, 4384 JP, 330 BC
1946. The empire of Alexander lasted 5 years according to Isidore and Beda from Eusebius' Chronicle. Jul. Africa. states 6 years and the historian who wrote in the time of Alexander Severus, 7 years (Tome 2. Antiqu. Lectio. Henr. Canisis, p. 600.) Strabo (l. 15. fin.) allows 10 or 11 years. Nicephorus Constantinopolitanus in his Chronicle, states 12 years. Clemens Alexandrinus, (l. 1. Stromat.) is wrong when he says it was 18 years. It is most obvious that from the month Hecatombaeon when Darius died (when Aristophontes was archon at Athens) to the month Thargelion when Alexander died, as we shall show presently, (when Hegesias was archon in Athens) only 6 years and 10 months passed. In this short period of time, Alexander did so many and great feats of arms in the east that he may well be said to have flown rather than to have marched over all those regions. He took everything from the gulf of Venice and the Adriatic Sea to the very Indian Ocean and the Ganges River. He did this not so much by war but as by his reputation. What he did after the death of Darius, is set down by Diodorus, (l. 17. 2nd part), by Justin, (l. 12.) by Curtius, (5 last books of his History), by Plutarch (in his life) and by Arrian (l. 3.). I have inserted these accounts from the various authors in this work.
1962. When Alexander heard of this, he halted his journey into Bactria. He marched 75 miles in two days and came to Attacoana. Satibarzanes with 2000 cavalry (for that was all he could gather at that time) fled into Bactria to Bessus. The rest escaped to the mountains. Alexander pursued Satibarzanes a long time but was not able to overtake him. He attacked those who were in the mountains and took the craggy rocks where 13,000 armed Arians had fled. Alexander returned to Attacoana which was besieged by Craterus during this time. Craterus had prepared all things for an assault and waited for Alexander to lead it so that the honour of taking the place would fall to Alexander not him. Joab did the same for David. 2Sa 12:27,28 When the king came, he found them ready to plead for his mercy. He pardoned them and lifted his siege. He restored to every man what was his. Within 30 days he had taken all the places of that country and made Arsaces their governor.
1989. After Alexander had crossed the Oxus River, he soon marched to the place where Bessus was. On the way, he received news from Spitamenes and Dataphernes that if he would be pleased to send any captain of his with a sufficient guard, they would deliver Bessus into his hands. Therefore Alexander sent Ptolemy the son of Lagus with 3 companies of cavalry, the regiment of foot soldiers under Philotas, 1000 of the silver targeteers, all the entire squadron of the Agrians and one half of the Archers. Ptolemy marched in 4 days with these to the place where Spitamenes with his army had camped the day before. This is normally a 10 day journey.
2006. Alexander took half of his fellow cavaliers, all his targeteers, archers, Agrians and the best of all the Macedonian squadron. He marched to Maracanda where he was told that Spitamenes had returned again to besiege the Greeks in the citadel. He marched about 90 miles in 3 days and came early the next day to the city. When Spitamenes heard of his approach, he lifted his siege and fled. Alexander pursued him as fast as he could. On the way he came to the place, where the Scythians had slain his Macedonians. He had their bones gathered and buried with a proper Macedonian funeral. After this he followed the enemy until he came into the desert.
2151. The first day he camped near a little river about 12 miles from the Acesines. When they rested for a while, he ordered every man to fill what bottles he had with water. They marched on the remainder of that day and the next night some 50 miles. On the next morning, they attacked a great many of the Mallians. They never thought that he would come over that dry wilderness and were walking abroad idly outside the city. He killed most of them and the rest fled into the gates of the city and there locked them. Alexander had his cavalry surround the walls, instead of a trench, until his foot soldiers came.
2199. Alexander came to Patala and found no inhabitants in the city and country side. He found there great numbers of flocks and herds of cattle and grain in great abundance. He quickly sent his fastest soldiers to overtake those, who had fled. As they overtook them, they were to send them away to overtake the rest and to persuade them to return. They were promised peace and their belongings and home in both the city and country.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT’S DESIRE TO RULE BEYOND THE PLACES HE WAS TOLD WOULD BE GIVEN TO HIM IN A VISION FROM GOD
Alexanders’ desire to conquer India
2044. Alexander left Amyntas in Bactria with 3500 cavalry and 10,000 foot soldiers. Toward the middle of spring (according to Arrian) Alexander moved with his army from there toward India to make the ocean and utmost border of the east, the boundary of his empire. He prepared his army in their attire for this great plan of his. He had all their shields covered with silver plate and their horse bridles made of beaten gold. Their very body armour he had enriched with gold or silver. He had 120,000 men with him on the Indian expedition.
2117. On the 3rd day he departed from there and came to the Hyphasis or Hypanis River. It is almost a mile wide and 36 feet deep. It was very rocky under water and quite difficult to cross. Phegeus told him what he wanted to know about the other side of the river. There was a vast desert of 11 or 12 days journey to cross bounded by the
Ganges River. It was the largest in all of India. Beyond the river lived various peoples. The people there were the Gaugaridae or Gongaridae and Prasians or Praendians, or Praesiaeans, or Pharrasians, or Tabraesians, for they are all known by these different names. Their King was called Agrammes. (Diod. Sic. calls him Xagrames,) He had an army of 20,000 cavalry, 200,000 foot soldiers, 2000 chariots and 3000 or (as Diodorus says) 4000 elephants, all trained and equipped for war.
2118. These things seemed incredible to Alexander. When he had questioned Porus further, Porus told him that the force and power of that king and kingdom was indeed very great and no less than what he was told. However the current king was of ignoble birth and no better than a poor barber's son. He was hated and scorned by his subjects. Androcottus, who was then but a youth and had not only seen Alexander but also for a certain saucy prank played on Alexander, was ordered to be executed. He would have died had he not fled. Justin, (l. 15. c. 4.) tells us that he later said that Alexander almost conquered all of India. The part he missed was of little note since their the king was too wicked, so base, so hated and so much scorned by his people.
2119. Alexander began to reflect that his soldiers were all tired out and spent with the length of the war. Every man began to look for an end of these dangers and for the reward and fruit of all their labours. They had now been 8 whole years (for so long it was since he became king) in a continual perilous war. It happened that for 70 consecutive days, it poured rain accompanied with violent thunderstorms according to Diodorus. Diodorus says that to pacify the soldiers, he gave them permission to plunder a most rich and bountiful country of the enemies and to take all to themselves. While they were busy at this, he called together their wives and children and made there a law that the wives would receive their monthly allowance in grain and their children the same wages that their fathers did.
2120. When the soldiers were returned home laden with wealth and riches, the king called them all together. He made a prepared speech to request them to accompany him cheerfully to the conquest of the Gangaridae. Caenus the son of Polemocrates replied in the name of the whole army and concluded that they all desired an end of the war. The Macedonians would not listen to Alexander's request. Ptolemy reports that he went on and offered sacrifices for the crossing of the river. When the entrails portended all direful things if he proceeded, he called together his friends and such as were the oldest and most intimate with him. He told them first and afterward declared to all the army that since all things seemed to be against his going any farther, he was now content and resolved to return home.
Alexander the Greats’ desire to conquer lands north of the Caspian Sea
2312. Alexander sent Heraclides, with certain shipwrights into Hircania to cut timber there for building ships. They were all to be "men of war", some with decks some without after the Greek design. He had a great desire to see the Caspian Sea and to know to whom it belonged.
Alexanders aim to advance his own glory
2168. Curtius (l. 9. c. 12.) mentions a speech made to him by Craterus in the name of his friends for the same purpose. His answer to it to this end that a man can never lack an occasion to win glory by. ``After the 9th year of my reign and 29th of my age, do you think it possible for me to be lacking to myself in advancing my glory which I have ever addicted and devoted myself to?
Alexanders’ desire to rule the Carthaginians and others bordering on the sea coasts of Africa, Spain and Sicily
2349. When Craterus was sent to lead some old worn out soldiers into Cilicia, he received written orders from Alexander. Diodorus Siculus using the king's own commentaries states the main points were these. He should have 1000 war ships of 3 tiers of oars built that would be a little larger than ships of that size. These were to be constructed in Phoenicia, Syria, Cilicia and Cyprus for his wars against the Carthaginians and others bordering on the sea coasts of Africa, Spain and the islands as far as Sicily. He was to give orders that his way along the sea coast of Africa as far as Hercules' Pillars was to be ready for him. To set aside 1500 talents to build 6 magnificent temples. He was to make ports in various places suitable to receive that large fleet. He was to take men from Europe into Asia and likewise from Asia into Europe to live in such new cities as he would build in either continent. Alexander hoped that by inter-marriages he might establish a peace between the two main continents of the world. These were his plans of which Lucan speaks in this manner. (l. 10.) His purpose was the Atlantic Sea to sail; Nor fire, nor water, nor the Lybian sand. Nor Ammons Syrts could bound his vast desires. He would into the western clime wave gone, Where the sun stoops to fall into Tethis lap; And to have marched quite round about the poles, And drunk Nile's water, where it first doth rise, Had not death met him and his journey stayed. Nothing but nature could a period bring, To the vast projects of this mad- cap king.
The entire world was aware of his power
2319. While Alexander resided at Babylon, there came ambassadors to him from all the parts and nations of the world. For besides those that came out of Asia, from cities, princes and countries there, many came from other countries in Europe and Africa. From Africa came the Ethiopians who lived near the temple of Hammon and from the Carthaginians and other Punic countries bordering all along the sea coast from as far as the Pillars of Hercules and the western sea. From Europe came ambassadors from various cities of Greece, Macedon, Thracians, Illyrians and Scythians. The Brutians (England), Lucanians and Etruscians came from Italy along with the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. They also came from Spain and France whose very names and countries the Macedonians had never heard of before.
