Lot. Thou shalt enjoy a glorious resurrection, (Menochius) and thy dignities till death, for which thou must prepare. (Calmet) --- Days. "Hitherto," says St. Jerome, "we read Daniel, in the Hebrew volume; what follows, to the end, is translated from Theodotion's edition." (Haydock) --- The history of Susanna is there placed at the beginning. (Calmet) --- According to the order of time, it should be placed after the first chapter. (Menochius) Daniel 13 CHAPTER XIII. This history of Susanna, in all the ancient Greek and Latin Bibles, was placed in the beginning of the Book of Daniel, till St. Jerome, in his translation, detached it from thence, because he did not find it in the Hebrew; which is also the case of the history of Bel and the dragon. But both the one and the other are received by the Catholic Church, and were from the very beginning a part of the Christian Bible. (Challoner) --- Daniel seems not to have written the history of Susanna, at least in the volume which contains his prophecies, though it be unquestionably canonical. (Cornelius a Lapide) --- It has been doubted whether it was ever in Hebrew. (Calmet) --- But Origen solves the difficulties of Africanus. (Haydock) --- Susanna means "lily," and is proposed as a pattern of conjugal chastity. (Calmet) --- Daniel was about twelve years old when he disclosed the malice of her accusers. (St. Augustine, ser. 242. de temp.) (Worthington) Back door, leading from the house. Strangers came by the other gates. (Calmet) --- Susanna had not perhaps at first intended to bathe. Cappel. accuses her of imprudence, without reason. He cannot believe that the old judges would be so sottish as they appear to have been. (Houbigant.) Angry. Cappel thinks the priests would not be so easily caught, or that such an imposture would not be so long concealed. But it was their interest to keep the secret, particularly if the king furnished the provisions; and in the night time they would not perceive the small ashes. (Houbigant.) --- The pagans stupidly believed (Calmet) that the idols eat. (Aristoph. [Aristophanes?], Plutus. iii. 2.) --- All the objections against this history are refuted by Jeremias li. 5. (Houbigant.) --- It is wonderful that so learned a man as Cappel should urge so many. (Haydock) Death of the soul, (St. Jerome) and also of the body, if the adultery were detected. How much does Susanna surpass the famed Lucretia, who slew herself to shew that she had not consented to her violation! Si adultera cur laudata? Si pudica cur occisa? (St. Augustine, City of God i. 19.; St. Ambrose, de Sp. iii. 3.) (Calmet) Dragon. The devil had seduced our first parents in the form of a serpent, and caused most nations to adore it. (Calmet) --- They expected benefit, or to be preserved from harm. (Valer. i. 8.; St. Augustine, de Civ. Dei. xiv. 11.) (Worthington) Out. so the law ordained, when a woman was assaulted. (Haydock) Asunder, being choked, and not poisoned. (Vales. 81.) (Menochius) --- The throat is narrow. (Solin. 43.) Jew, or "a Jew is king;" Daniel governs all. (Grotius) House. Religion is daring. Darius was weak, and only a sort of viceroy, left by Cyrus. (Houbigant.) People, for greater shew of justice. (Worthington) --- We here behold the forms. The den of lions. Daniel was twice cast into the den of lions: once under Darius, the Mede, because he had transgressed the king's edict, by praying three times a day; and another time under Evilmerodac, by a sedition of the people. This time he remained six days in the lions' den; the other time only one night. (Challoner) Carcasses: people condemned, (Calmet) or dead. (Houbigant.) Uncovered, pretending that respect for the company required it, or perhaps that they might detect her guilt by her blushes. (Calmet) --- But their real motive is here disclosed. (Haydock) Habacuc. The same, as some think, whose prophecy is found among the lesser prophets: but others believe him to be different. (Challoner) --- About twenty years before there was no prophet in Judea. (Chap. iii. 38.) Habacuc, the eighth of the minor prophets, lived before the Babylonian monarchy was formed. (Chap. i. 6.) (Worthington) --- Yet he might still survive. If this had not been a true history, such an extraordinary mode of conveyance would not have been mentioned. Cappel imagines it was an allusion to Philip, the deacon, and fabricated by some Christian. But Theodotion found it in Hebrew (Houbigant.) and he was no friend to Christianity when he wrote; though he had once followed Tatian, and the Marcionites. (Haydock) Head, saying, "Thy malice brings on this chastisement, and not we." (Lyran.) --- They appear to discharge their conscience, (Leviticus i. 4. and xxiv. 14.) no as judges but as accusers. The people pass sentence. (ver. 41.) Adulteresses were stoned. (Leviticus xx. 10.) (Calmet) Seventh. He had not come before, supposing he was dead, till at last a rumour got to his ears, notwithstanding the precautions of the Babylonians, who hoped that Daniel would be starved to death. (Houbigant, Proleg. p. 2. p. 425 which end here.) Daniel. Greek adds, "besides thee there is no other." (Haydock) Death. The multitude approved of this sentence, which the judges pronounced, pretending to act agreeably to the law. (Deuteronomy xxii.) (Worthington) Den, by the law of retaliation. (Chap. vi. 24.) (Menochius) Then, &c. is not in Greek nor in the ancient manuscripts of St. Jerome. The verse may be taken from Chap. ii. 26. (Calmet) CHAPTER XII. Boy. He was about twelve years old. (St. Ignatius, ad Magn.; Sulpitius ii.; Theod.) --- He might walk out, though he lodged at court. (Houbigant.) --- God enabled him to declare that Susanna was innocent. The people had consented to her death, but he stands up in her defence. (Worthington) Clear. This form is often used. (Acts xviii. 6.; Matthew xxvii. 24.)