(ll. 104-115) Now the famous lord of Babylon was great and
glorious over all the earth, and terrible to the sons of men. He
lived in insolence and heeded not the law. And there came to the
great king in his slumber, when the prince had gone to his rest,
a terrible dream that hovered about his heart, how wondrously the
world was wrought, unlike for men, until the world's redemption.
Truth was revealed as he slumbered, that there would come a
bitter end to every rule and to the joys of earth.
(ll. 116-129) Then the wolf-hearted lord of Babylon awoke from
his wine-flushed slumber. His heart was not blithe; but a fear
was upon him, and dread of the dream. Yet he could not recall
what the vision had been. And he summoned his people, all such
as were skilled in magic, and asked the men so gathered what his
dream had been, while men lay sleeping. He was shaken with
terror and knew no beginning nor word of the dream; but he bade
them tell it to him. Troubled, the sorcerers answered (for
wisdom was not given them to tell his dream unto the king):
(ll. 130-133) "How may we divine so secret a thing in thy soul, O
king! how thy dream hath run, or knowledge come to thee of
Fate's decrees, except thou tell us first the beginning of thy
dream?"
(ll. 134-144) And the wolf-hearted king was vexed, and answered
his wise men: "Ye were not so wise above all men as ye told me,
saying ye knew my fate as it should fall, or I should find it in
the future, nor do ye know the dream that bringeth wisdom before
this people. Ye shall die the death except I know the import of
the dream that lieth heavy on my heart."
(ll. 145-157) But the company there gathered might not divine or
search out knowledge, for it was denied them to tell the king his
dream, or the mysteries of fate, until Daniel, the prophet, wise
and righteous, and beloved of God, came to the palace to
interpret the vision. He had pre-eminence among that wretched
remnant who needs must serve the heathen king. God gave him
grace from heaven through the communion of the Holy Spirit; and
an angel of the Lord rehearsed to him all the dream, even as the
king had dreamed it.
(ll. 158-177) Then went Daniel at the dawn of day to tell the
dream unto his lord, recounting wisely the decrees of fate; and
soon the haughty king knew all the dream, its end and its
beginning, that he had dreamed. And Daniel had great honour and
reward in Babylon among the scribes, after he showed the dream
unto the king which the prince of Babylon had not been able to
remember because of his sins. Yet could not Daniel bring him to
believe in the might of God, but he began to build an idol in the
plain which men called Dura, which was in the land of the mighty
Babylonians. The city-warden, the ruler of the realm, reared an
idol before men, a golden image displeasing unto God; he was not
wise, but redeless, reckless, heeding not the right....
((LACUNA--One leaf missing.))
(ll. 178-187) The warriors listened; and when the sound of the
voice of the trumpet came to the city-dwellers, the heathen
people fell upon their knees before the image, and bowed them
down before the idol, and worshipped it, knowing no better
wisdom. Wickedness they wrought and sin, with hearts perverted,
even as their king. As their lord before them, the people turned
to folly. Grim the reward that came on him thereafter! For he
had sinned.
(ll. 188-208) Now there were three men of Israel in the city of
the king who would not heed their lord's decree, nor offer up
their prayers unto the idol, though trumpets sang aloud among the
host. They were of the stock of Abraham's children, faithful men
who served Almighty God, the Everlasting Lord in heaven above.
The royal youths gave men to know they would not have or hold the
golden image as a god, but only the Great King, Shepherd of
souls, who granted them His grace. Oft they said boldly that
they recked naught of the idol, nor could the leader of the
heathen people constrain them unto prayer, nor compel them to go
before the golden image which he had set up as a god. These
thanes said unto their lord that this was their resolve: that
they were subject to a higher power in this lofty city, "nor will
we ever work idolatry, nor worship the image which thou hast made
to be thy god."
(ll. 209-223) Then the prince of Babylon was angered with them,
and in wrath gave them savage answer: grimly said that they
should quickly worship, or suffer pain and torture, the cruel
surge of flame, except they sought protection of that worst of
demons, the golden image which he had made his god. Yet would
the youths not hearken in their hearts unto his heathen counsels.
They were resolved to keep the law of God and not forsake the
Lord of hosts, lest that their virtue turn to heathen folly.
They had no longing to seek shelter with false gods, though
bitter the death proclaimed!