He lived 300 years before Alexander the Great
We will present it translated from the book of the prophet David of the Old Testament of the parts which describe the two visions of the prophet about Alexander the Great giving the explanation of the first vision from an Angel and the second from Archangel Gabriel. We will finish with the interpretation of the prophecy of Saint John Chrysostomos.
1.1. The first dream of prophet Daniel (Daniel z’ 1,3,6)
1. During the first year of monarchy of Belshazzar king of Haldaion (the tribe) Daniel saw a dream… which he wrote…
3. And four big beasts, different from each other, were ascending from the sea…
6. Then the second beast was looking carefully and suddenly saw another beast that looked like a leopard and on the upper part of its body it had four bird feathers.
The beast also had four heads and was given great authority.
Alexander the Great, Archeological museum in Constantinopolis)
1.2. Interpretation of the first vision by an angel.
16. Come close to one of the angels which was present and was asking from him to explain everything and he explained and revealed the interpretation of everything he saw and heard.
17. (He said) These four big beasts are four kings, who will appear on earth.
1.3. The second dream of prophet Daniel (Daniel 7′ 1,5-8)
1. The third year of the monarchy of the king Belshazzar to me Daniel appeared a vision after the first dream that appeared in the beginning…
5. And as I was thinking about the vision with a ram, suddenly I saw a goat of the herd coming from the south-west, with a mood to rule all the world. But due to its speed it seemed like it was not stepping on earth. The goat had between its eyes a horn that was seen everywhere.
6. This goat went up to the ram which had two horns, which I saw standing near the river Uval, and attacked it with all its might.
7. I saw him reach the ram and showed violent temper opposite it and hit the ram and crashed both of its horns after the attack of the goat, the ram did not have the strength to defend itself.
And the goat pushed the ram to the ground and stepped all over it and there was no-one, to save the ram from the goat’s attack.
8. And the goat of the herd become very glorious.
But while thriving the strength it crashed its big horn and in its place another four grew there, which had direction towards the four points of the horizon.
1.4. Interpretation of the second dream from the archangel Gabriel (Daniel 7′ 16-17, 19, 21-22)
16. And I heard some man’s voice between the banks of the river Uval, who yelled and said ” Gabriel, explain to that man the meaning of the dream “.
17. And Gabriel came and stood near me…
19. And said…
21. ” The goat of the herd is the king of the Greeks (Alexander the Great) and the big horn, which lays between its eyes, he is the first and the most important king of the Greeks. 22. And the four horns which grew in its place which was crushed means that from the nation of this king’s, four kings will be appointed, but will not have his strength “.
1.5. The interpretation of the prophecies from saint John Chrysostom.
The leopard, which the prophet Daniel mentions, is Alexander the king of Macedonians, who flew like a bird on the universe. Because no-one was quicker and more flexible than he, but was impetuous and flexible like the wild beast. The prophet says ” The leopard had four wings of a bird on the upper part of its body “. That is, he obtained all the strength. Since he separated the Persians into thirteen kingdoms, conquered everything. Did you see his speed? We can see this from the nature of the beast which is fast, but from the wings too. Running through all the universe. ” And the beast had ” it is said ” four heads. And it was given the kingdom and power ” (P.G. 56, 230).
The prophecy through the leopard looks at the kingdom of the Macedonians… It prophecises, yet, that the Alexander the Macedonian occupied the kingdom of the Persians, talking about the ram meaning the king of the Persians, and the goat meaning the Alexander the Macedonian (P.G. 56, 383). When Alexander king of Macedonians conquered Darius the king of Persia, gained power in his country. When Alexander died, four kings succeeded…
The prophet, named Darius the ram, the king of Persia, the goat the king of the Greeks, meaning Alexander the Macedonian. Saying that the four horns means the kings, whom followed…
Later when the prophet talks about Alexander the Macedonian, say ” And the goat from the herd is coming from libechio… (south-west) “. And when further down he made a speech about Alexander’s war operation against Darius and his complete victory of the nation, says ” The goat came up to the ram… ” (P.G. 48, 893-894).
The nation of the Macedonians were well-known before the coming of Jesus Christ and everyone spoke highly of them more than the Romans.
The Romans, moreover, for this reason were considered remarkable, because they conquered the Macedonians. Because the Macedonian king’s achievements went beyond every logic, as he started from a small city, conquered the whole universe. That is why the prophet saw the dream with Alexander as a leopard with wings wanting to state the speed and the strength and the rush and his sudden flying on top of universe with triumph and victories. It is said, that, when he heard a philosopher saying that there are endless worlds, sighed with pity, because, as he said if there are endless worlds, he has not conquered even one. He was very pround and big hearted, and all the world was talking about him. Together, with the fame of being king the fame of the nation was becoming even greater. Because it was named Alexander the Macedonian.
Therefore, since everyone was talking with admiration about him, being a Macedonian it was natural that they were all praising him and for everything that was going on in Macedonia. Because what ever famous people do, it does not go unnoticed. The Macedonians, therefore, where more superior than the Romans (P.G. 62, 399).
Map of the Empire of Alexander the Great, 334-323 B.C.
