Daniel, advancing, “The hand of God!” and returns the same answer to the king’s angry question, “What can save thee from my power or defend thee?”
Baltassar is profoundly moved, but spares Daniel because Vanity loathes the captive and Idolatry disdains his religion.
In the fourth scene the prophet addresses the Most High, and cries: “Who can endure these offences, these pretences of Vanity and displays of Idolatry? Who will end so great an evil?”
“I will,” answers Death, who enters, wearing a sword and dagger, and dressed symbolically in a cloak covered with figures of skeletons.
Daniel. “Awful shape, to whom I bow
Through the shadowy glooms that screen thee,
Never until now I’ve seen thee:
Fearful phantom, who art thou?”
Death’s answer in the following monologue is most impressive and beautiful. Our space, unfortunately, will let us quote but a part:
“Daniel, thou Prophet of the God of Truth,