Ephrem the Syrian : "My reason returned to me," that is, I was made again master of my own mind, and certainly returned to my senses. "I blessed the Most High, who does what he wills," that is, who with his divinity and will rules and administrates not only the affairs of human beings, whom he fashioned from clay, but also those of the spiritual powers, whom he placed in heaven. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 4:34 Hippolytus of Rome : And so the dream seems to be self evident and quite clear to all, just as Scripture also teaches that these things happened in this way, and the same king later, while confessing, described what occurred to him. But at all events the grace of God plentifully causes man to understand, so that we, having in all things an unhindered mind, may not devote ourselves to the persons of human kings, for hope in man is vain, let us not, for the sake of gifts, flatter rulers who being in authority marshal men, but rather adhering to God alone and doing what is pleasing to him, let us also now continue in the present less dangerous life and let us readily flee from the judgment which is to come. For how is a king and a ruler able to aid a man, since he is also mortal and is moved by the same authority of he who made all things? For he is able in this life to furnish to you many great gifts, but even these are earthly and happen to also be temporary. But many obtain honor and gifts under the king and are appointed into some authorities, later however, they endanger themselves either being found as plotters, or done away with by others as being friends of the king. How does friendship with the king aid them, who were not satiated with gifts which they received, but also besides destroy their own souls? And so flee such persons, O man, never endangering yourself on account of them, "for all flesh is grass and all the glory of men is as the flower of the field. The grass withers and the flower falls." [1 Peter 1:24] Hear what was spoken by the apostle Paul, how he advises Timothy, writing, "Proclaim to the wealthy in the present age not to be high-minded, nor to obey the uncertainty of wealth, but to hope in the living God, [1 Timothy 6:17] who is the Savior of all men who exceedingly believe." [1 Timothy 4:10] — Commentary on Daniel 3.6.1-8 Hippolytus of Rome : Then he says, "Its feathers were plucked and it was lifted up from the earth and it stood upon human feet and a heart of a man was given to it." [Daniel 7:4] For this really happened to Nebuchadnezzar, just as has been indicated in the book before this book, and he himself testifies in this way about that which happened to him, as he was banished from his kingdom and his glory was taken away and so was the majesty which he procured at first. And so just as he says to strip the feathers of the whole bird, he is powerless and is easily caught, and in this way at that time the powers of the king were removed, through which he imagined to boast and to be high-minded, but then was afraid and fled into the desert, so that he may not be killed by them. When Scripture says, "It stood upon human feet and a heart of a man was given to it," [Daniel 7:4] it is clear that Nebuchadnezzar, having humbled himself and recognized that he is a man lying under the authority of God, he, after begging the Lord, obtained from him a good heart, and again his kingdom and glory were reestablished. Just as he himself testifies saying, "And after the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven and my wits returned to me and I blessed the Most High and praised and glorified him that lives forever, because his authority is an eternal authority and his kingdom is from generation to generation and all who dwell upon the earth are reckoned as nothing and they are as nothing." [Daniel 4:34-35] — Commentary on Daniel 4.2.6-10 Hippolytus of Rome : And so we find in the records that Nebuchadnezzar reigned twenty-five years. For after he reigned the first eighteen years, then after being lifted up, he set up the image. Then after twelve months this happened to him and he was banished from men and his kingdom was taken from him. And when he humbled himself and begged the Lord and confessed and entreated God the Most High, he was sought by his magistrates and having returned, he reigned again for seven years. Just as he himself also described saying, "And after the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven and my thoughts returned to me and I blessed the Most High and praised and glorified him who lives forever, because his authority is an eternal authority and his kingdom is from generation to generation and all who dwell upon the earth are reckoned as nothing, and according to his will he does in the power of heaven and in the dwelling of the earth, and there is not anyone who shall stand against his hand and will say to him, 'What have you done?' In the same season my thoughts returned to me and I came into the honor of my kingdom. And my form returned to me and my princes and my magistrates sought me, and I was strengthened over my kingdom and extravagant majesty was added to me. And so now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of Heaven, because all his works are true and his paths are just judgments and all who walk in arrogance are able to be humbled." [Daniel 4:34-37] When he put away the same great arrogance which he acquired, and when he was suffering in the mountains, he confessed to God, recognizing the heavenly authority and he was restored again to the office of his kingdom, after both the magistrates and princes and all of those who were under him sought him, they also bestowed extravagant honor and glory upon him, so that what was spoken in the vision was fulfilled, "Except leave the stump of the roots of the tree in the earth, until you know that the Most High reigns over the kingdom of men and he shall give it to whom he esteems." [Daniel 4:25] — Commentary on Daniel 3.11.1-5 Jerome : Verse 34. "'I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted mine eyes toward heaven, and my intelligence returned to me.'" Had he not raised his eyes towards heaven, he would not have regained his former intelligence. Moreover, when he says that his intelligence returned to him, he shows that he had lost not his outward appearance but only his mind. "'And His kingdom is from generation to generation.'" If we accept this expression in the Scriptures, "From generation to generation," as simply for what it is, then it unquestionably means "for all time to come." But if, on the other hand, "generation and generation" signifies (as we have often asserted) two generations, that of the Law and that of the Gospel, the question comes up as to how Nebuchadnezzar would have known of the unrevealed secrets ("sacraments") of God. But perhaps we might say this, that after he raised his eyes towards heaven and received back his former estate and exalted and blessed the ever-living God, he would not have failed to know this secret also. — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER FOUR