"And thus he will think to render himself master of all the empire of Egypt,"—despising the youth of Epiphanes, says Justin.
"And for that he will make alliance with him and give his daughter,"—Cleopatra, in order that she may betray her husband. On which Appian says that doubtful of being able to make himself master of Egypt by force, because of the protection of the Romans, he wished to attempt it by craft. "He would fain corrupt her, but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him. After this shall he turn his face unto the isles,"—that is to say, the sea-ports,—"and shall take many,"—as Appian relates.
"But a prince shall oppose his conquests and cause the reproach offered by him to cease,"—Scipio Africanus, who stopped the progress of Antiochus the Great because he offended the Romans in the person of their allies.—"He will return into his kingdom and perish and be no more."—He was killed by his soldiers.
"And he who stands in his place shall be a tyrant, a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom," that is the people, Seleucus Philopator or Soter, the son of Antiochus the Great—"but within a few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger nor in battle;
"And in his place shall stand up a vile person, unworthy of the honour of the kingdom, but he shall come in by skilful flatteries.
"All armies shall bend before him, he will conquer them, and even the prince with whom he has made a league. For having renewed the league with him, he will deceive him, and come in with a few tribes into his province, calm and without fear. He will take the best places, and shall do that which his fathers have not done, and ravage on all sides. He will forecast devices, during his time."
The zeal of the Jews for their law and their temple. Josephus and Philo the Jew ad Caium.
What other people has so great a zeal, but for them it was a necessity.
Jesus Christ foretold as to the time and the state of the world. The leader taken from the thigh, and the fourth monarchy.