This implies that Alexander ruled for a complete twelve years; during his final six years, he subdued the empires of Persia and Egypt, bringing all nations between them under his dominion. The Archangel clarifies that those who will rise to power after him will not be comparable to Alexander, neither in strength nor in authority acquired during his later years. This assertion is encapsulated in the phrase, ‘in his last years, lower in his power, which he shall possess.’ His empire will be displaced, and others will arise beyond these. The Archangel remarks that the dominion will not only be partitioned amongst these four rulers, but will also be granted to others. Throughout their reign, Arsac the Persian rose to power through warfare, claiming a portion of the Persian dominion. Since then, the Persian rulers have been referred to as Arsacids, in contrast to the previous Achaemenids. The Romans, when the Macedonian kingdom was fragmented, wielded considerable influence and imposed tributes on these same kings. Thus, in foresight of the division, the Archangel refrains from mentioning two of these rulers, as the Asiatic and Macedonian kings lasted briefly, and additionally, the Edenites experienced little hardship from them. Instead, he highlights two kings from whom the Jewish people faced severe tribulations: the king of Egypt and the ruler who triumphed over the nations in the east, where Antioch and Babylon served as significant capitals.
It is essential to first present the essence of what is at hand, and subsequently provide a more detailed interpretation. The goat that the blessed Daniel beheld, after the breaking of one horn, developed into four horns, representing these four kings; from one of them emerged another horn, which exerted great turmoil upon Egypt and subjected the Jewish people to countless afflictions. This horn symbolizes Antiochus Epiphanes. Additionally, the blessed Daniel witnessed a fourth beast, which had ten horns, among which arose a little horn possessing ‘eyes and a mouth speaking great things’ and waging war against the saints (Dan. 7:20, 21). This indicates that at the conclusion of the Roman empire, ten kings will arise, causing much strife among themselves, while one kingdom will clash with another, similar to the conflicts of the Macedonian kings. When these events transpire, the man of lawlessness, the son of perdition, referred to as the Antichrist, will emerge. Since the final occurrences of the Roman dominion mirror the division of the Macedonian realm, the blessed Daniel is informed of the happenings in both scenarios. The discourse pertains to the Macedonians and the future ten horns and the force that will emerge among them. The truth of this can be affirmed through the prophecy itself. Hence, we must diligently engage in discerning what applies specifically to each situation. The teachings of the Gospel serve as a pertinent example of this. For when the Lord spoke to his Apostles regarding the Jerusalem temple, declaring, ‘Amen, “Amen I say unto you, there shall not remain stone upon stone, which shall not be destroyed” (Matt. 24:2), their inquiry followed: “When shall these things be, and what is the sign of Thy coming?” (3). They posed a dual question, and the Lord's response, though connected, addressed both the end of the age and the temporal events. The divine mysteries distinctly clarify the associated contexts. We shall endeavor to do likewise and provide adequate evidence for this. So the one speaking to the blessed Daniel, having disclosed the division of the kingdom into four segments while omitting two kings—namely the Macedonian and the Asiatic or Hellespontian, as they existed only briefly and caused minimal distress to the Jews—continues:
THEOSIS