{"slug":"tlg0527.tlg058","id":"greek:tlg0527.tlg058","title":"Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","author":"Septuaginta","genre":"other","date":"","tradition":"greek","coverage":"none","publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-14T23:20:14Z","cost_usd":0.008653},"source":{"registry_id":"greek:tlg0527.tlg058","work_id":"tlg0527.tlg058","edition":"first1k","language":"","license":"CC BY-SA 4.0","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"},"stats":{"passages":18,"english_words":3239,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":103,"commentary_kinds":9,"derived_notes":1,"ambiguities":31,"work_notes":4,"external_links":5,"timeline":6},"summary":{"work":"tlg0527.tlg058","abstract":"Bel and the Dragon is a Greek deuterocanonical addition to the book of Daniel, preserved in the Septuagint tradition. It comprises two episodes: Daniel exposes the fraud of the idol Bel and later kills a dragon worshipped by the Babylonians. The work survives in Codex Chisianus and the Syro-Hexaplar version, with no earlier witnesses. Its original language may be Semitic, but only the Greek translation is extant. The narrative reflects Hellenistic Jewish polemic against idolatry and was accepted in Greek and Latin Christian canons but excluded from the Hebrew Bible.","historical_context":"Bel and the Dragon was likely composed in the late 2nd or early 1st century BCE, though external evidence is lacking. The work originated in a Hellenistic Jewish community, possibly in Alexandria or Palestine, where stories defending monotheism against pagan idolatry were popular. It was transmitted as part of the Greek Septuagint, appended to Daniel. The earliest manuscripts are medieval: Codex Chisianus (5th–6th c.) and the Syro-Hexaplar (7th c.). The text differs from the Old Greek fragments of Papyrus 967 (3rd c.) and the Theodotionic recension, indicating a complex transmission history. Jerome included it in the Vulgate, ensuring its place in Latin Christianity.","significance":"Bel and the Dragon is a key witness to Hellenistic Jewish storytelling and anti-idolatry polemic. It illustrates how biblical figures were adapted to engage Greco-Roman culture. Its inclusion in the Septuagint and Vulgate shaped Christian deuterocanon, while its exclusion from the Hebrew canon highlights divergent Jewish and Christian scriptural boundaries.","timeline":[{"date":"Late 2nd–early 1st c. BCE","event":"Probable composition of Bel and the Dragon in a Hellenistic Jewish milieu."},{"date":"3rd c. CE","event":"Papyrus 967 contains Old Greek fragments of Daniel, with a different version of the additions."},{"date":"5th–6th c. CE","event":"Codex Chisianus, a key witness to the Septuagint text of Bel and the Dragon, is copied."},{"date":"7th c. CE","event":"Syro-Hexaplar version preserves the Greek text in Syriac script."},{"date":"4th–5th c. CE","event":"Jerome includes Bel and the Dragon in the Vulgate, securing its Latin transmission."},{"date":"16th c. CE","event":"Council of Trent affirms deuterocanonical status for Bel and the Dragon in Catholic tradition."}],"relations":[{"work":"Daniel (Septuagint)","relation":"Appended as a deuterocanonical addition","key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"},{"work":"Susanna (Septuagint)","relation":"Another addition to Daniel, often transmitted together","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"The Prayer of Azariah","relation":"Part of the same Daniel addition cycle","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Vulgate (Daniel)","relation":"Jerome's translation includes Bel and the Dragon as chapter 14","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Papyrus 967","relation":"Contains an earlier, differing Greek version of the Daniel additions","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"wikipedia:Bel and the Dragon","label":"Bel and the Dragon","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bel_and_the_Dragon","reason":"General overview of the work's content and history."},{"key":"wikipedia:Septuagint","label":"Septuagint","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Septuagint","reason":"Context for the Greek translation tradition."},{"key":"wikipedia:Codex Chisianus","label":"Codex Chisianus","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Chisianus_45","reason":"Key manuscript witness."},{"key":"wikipedia:Additions to Daniel","label":"Additions to Daniel","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Additions_to_Daniel","reason":"Broader context for the deuterocanonical stories."},{"key":"wikipedia:Deuterocanonical books","label":"Deuterocanonical books","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deuterocanonical_books","reason":"Canonical status in different traditions."}],"cautions":["The date of composition is uncertain, based only on internal evidence and lack of earlier attestation.","The original language may have been Semitic (Hebrew or Aramaic), but only the Greek translation survives.","The text differs significantly between the Septuagint, Theodotionic, and Old Greek recensions; this edition does not include the Old Greek fragments from Papyrus 967.","The relationship of the story to the historical prophet Habakkuk is fictional and not historically attested."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000507,"generated":"2026-11-14T23:20:14Z"},"checks":{"work":"tlg0527.tlg058","status":"warn","blocking":[],"warnings":[{"code":"ratio-warn","i":3,"ratio":0.087}],"stats":{"passages":18,"translated":18,"commentary_passages":18,"commentary_units":103,"english_words":3239,"source_letters":13847,"commentary_kinds":9},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Greek text of Bel and the Dragon survives only as part of the Septuagint tradition, appended to the book of Daniel. Its earliest witnesses are Codex Chisianus and the Syro-Hexaplar version.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The work is usually dated to the late 2nd or early 1st century BCE, but this rests on internal evidence and the absence of earlier attestation. No firm external dating exists.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Bel and the Dragon was accepted as deuterocanonical in the Greek and Latin traditions but rejected from the Hebrew canon. Jerome included it in the Vulgate as part of Daniel.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This edition does not include the Old Greek fragments from Papyrus 967 or the Theodotionic recension, which differ in wording and episode order from the standard Septuagint text.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: other in ancient Greek; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 18 narrative."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: first1k — CC BY-SA 4.0"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":18},"term_index":[],"citations":{"ed:tlg0527.tlg058":{"label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"BHΔ ΚΑΙ ΔΡΑΚΩΝ LXX","english":"Bel and Draco","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"BHΔ ΚΑΙ ΔΡΑΚΩΝ LXX","severity":"info","text":"The Greek title 'Bel and Draco' marks the beginning of the narrative, which is a distinct unit within the Septuagint tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is part of the deuterocanonical additions to Daniel, likely composed in the 2nd century BCE, reflecting Hellenistic Jewish storytelling.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"BHΔ","severity":"info","text":"Bel is a Hellenized form of the Akkadian deity Bel, equivalent to Marduk, the chief god of Babylon.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ΔΡΑΚΩΝ","severity":"info","text":"Draco refers to a serpent or dragon, here a living creature worshipped in Babylon, distinct from the mythological dragon.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"LXX","severity":"info","text":"The abbreviation LXX indicates this text is transmitted as part of the Greek Septuagint, though its original language may have been Semitic.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek title does not specify whether the narrative is a single story or a composite; the Coptic cues classify it as narrative."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"κατα τουU+03F2 ο΄ \n 87 Ἐκ προφητείας Ἀμβακοὐμ υἱοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς Δευί. Ἄνθρωπός τις ἧν ἱερεύς, ᾧ ὄνομα Δανιὴλ, υἱὸς Ἁβάλ, συμβιωτὴς\n τοῦ βασιλέως Βαβυλῶνος. καὶ ἧν εἴδωλον, Βήλ, ὃ ἐσέβοντο οἱ\n Βαβυλώνιοι· ἀνηλίσκετο δὲ αὐτῷ καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν σεμιδάλεως\n ἀρτάβαι δέκα δύο καὶ πρόβατα τέσσαρα καὶ ἐλαίου μετρηταὶ ἔξ. καὶ\n ὃ βασιλεὺς ἐσέβετο αὐτόν, καὶ ἐπορεύετο ὁ βασιλεὺς καθʼ ἑκάστην\n ἡμέραν καὶ προσεκύνει αὐτῷ, Δανιὴλ δὲ προσηύχετο πρὸς Κύριον· καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Δανιὴλ Διὰ τί οὐ προσκυνεῖς τῷ Βήλ; καὶ\n εἶπε Δανιὴλ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Οὐδένα σέβομαι ἐγὼ εἰ μὴ Κύριον\n τὸν θεὸν τὸν κτίσαντα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ ἔχοντα πάσης\n σαρκὸς κυρείαν. εἶπεν δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς αὐτῷ Οὗτος οὗν οὐκ ἔστι\n θεός; οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅσα εἰς αὐτὸν δαπανᾶται καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν \n καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Δανιὴλ Μηδαμῶς, μηδείς σε παραλογιζέσθω· οὗτος\n γὰρ ἔσωθεν μέν πήλινός ἐστιν, ἔξωθεν δέ χαλκοῦς· ὀμνύω δέ σοι\n Κύριον τὸν θεὸν τῶν θεῶν, ὅτι οὐθὲν βέβρωκε πώποτε οὗτος. καὶ\n θυμωθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκάλεσε τοὺς προεστηκότας τοῦ ἱεροῦ καὶ εἶπεν\n αὐτοῖς Παραδείξατε τὸν ἐσθίοντα τὰ παρασκευαζόμενα τῷ Βήλ· εἰ\n δὲ μή γε, ἀποθανεῖσθε, ἢ Δανιὴλ ὁ φάσκων μὴ ἐσθίεσθαι αὐτὰ\n ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ. οἱ δὲ εἶπαν Αὐτὸς ὁ Βήλ ἐστιν ὁ κατεσθίων αὐτά· εἶπε δὲ Δανιὴλ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Γινέσθω οὕτως· ἐὰν μὴ παραδείξω\n sὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Βὴλ ὁ κατεσθίων ταῦτα, ἀποθανοῦμαι καὶ\n πάντες οἱ παρʼ ἐμοῦ.","english":"From the prophecy of Ambakoum son of Iesous, of the tribe of Leui. There was a certain man, a priest, whose name was Daniel, son of Abal, a companion of the king of Babylon. And there was an idol, Bel, which the Babylonians worshipped; and for it were consumed each day twelve artabai of fine flour, four sheep, and six metretai of oil. And the king worshipped it, and the king went each day and prostrated himself before it. Daniel, however, prayed to the Lord. And the king said to Daniel, \"Why do you not worship Bel?\" And Daniel said to the king, \"I worship none except the Lord God who created the heaven and the earth and has authority over all flesh.\" And the king said to him, \"Is this not a god? Do you not see how much is spent on it each day?\" And Daniel said to him, \"By no means; let no one deceive you. For this is clay within and bronze without; and I swear to you by the Lord God of gods that this has never eaten anything.\" And the king, angered, summoned the overseers of the temple and said to them, \"Show who eats the provisions prepared for Bel; otherwise you will die, or Daniel who claims that they are not eaten by it.\" And they said, \"Bel himself eats them.\" And Daniel said to the king, \"Let it be so; if I do not show that Bel is not the one who eats these things, I will die, and all who are with me.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐκ προφητείας Ἀμβακοὺμ υἱοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς Δευί","severity":"info","text":"The opening ascribes the story to the prophet Habakkuk (Ambakoum), son of Iesous, of the tribe of Levi, a fictional genealogy that links the narrative to biblical prophetic tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἀρτάβαι","severity":"info","text":"Artabai (ἀρτάβαι) is a Persian measure of dry volume, here used for flour; the term reflects the Hellenistic setting of the Greek translation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"μετρηταὶ","severity":"info","text":"Metretai (μετρηταί) is a Greek liquid measure, roughly 39 liters; its use alongside artabai shows the text's cultural blending.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage introduces the narrative conflict: Daniel's monotheism versus the king's idolatry, with a challenge to prove Bel is not eating the offerings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"συμβιωτὴς","severity":"caution","text":"The term συμβιωτὴς (companion) is ambiguous: it may mean a courtier or a cohabitant; the English draft renders it as 'companion', but the precise relationship to the king is unclear.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This story, part of the Greek additions to Daniel, was excluded from the Hebrew canon but included in the Septuagint and Vulgate, influencing medieval and Renaissance art and literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Abal' (Daniel's father) is uncertain; it may be a variant of 'Abel' or a corruption.","The phrase 'συμβιωτὴς τοῦ βασιλέως' could imply a formal court role or simply close association."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"ἦσαν δέ τῷ Βὴλ ἱερεῖς ἑβδομήκοντα χωρὶς\n Syr Inscr Bηλ Syr (deest in 87) Tit Αμβακουμ] Ἁβακουκ Syr: item 33 Sqq\n 3 αΗλΙCΚεΤο Syrmg τεσσαρα] τεσσαρακοντα Syrᵐᵍ και ελαιου] και οινου\n Syrmg μετρητας 87 6 ουτος] ουτως 87* (-τος 87a) 7 ÷ ομννω. .των\n θεων Syr 8 παραδειξειτε 87eᵈ 9 εμου] εμοι 87a (superscr οι)","english":"There were for Bel seventy priests, apart from those who served the temple.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἦσαν δέ τῷ Βὴλ ἱερεῖς ἑβδομήκοντα χωρὶς","severity":"info","text":"The phrase indicates that seventy priests were assigned to Bel, not including temple servants, emphasizing the scale of the cult.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"χωρὶς","severity":"info","text":"The preposition χωρὶς means 'apart from' or 'without,' clarifying that the seventy priests are distinct from other temple personnel.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Bel","severity":"info","text":"Bel is a Hellenized form of the Akkadian deity Bēl, often identified with Marduk, chief god of Babylon. The cult involved daily offerings of food and oil.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἑβδομήκοντα","severity":"info","text":"The number seventy may be symbolic or conventional, reflecting a large priestly class; it recurs in other Septuagint narratives (e.g., Exodus 24:1).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"Syr Inscr Bηλ Syr (deest in 87) Tit Αμβακουμ] Ἁβακουκ Syr: item 33 Sqq","severity":"caution","text":"The apparatus notes textual variants in Syriac manuscripts, including the title 'Ambakoum' vs. 'Habakouk,' indicating scribal instability in the transmission of this passage.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text is fragmentary; the exact number of priests and the distinction between them and temple servants may be uncertain due to manuscript variations."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"check","severity":"info","code":"ratio-warn","text":"Automatic check: the English/source length ratio is outside the usual band for Coptic — a sign that something was dropped or added, not proof that it was."}]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"87 γυναικῶν καὶ τέκνων. ἤγαγον δὲ τὸν βασιλέα εἰς τὸ εἰδώλιον· καὶ\n παρετέθη τὰ βρώματα ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τοῦ Δανιὴλ, καὶ\n οἶνος κερασθεὶς εἰσηνέχθη καὶ παρετέθη τῷ Βήλ. καὶ εἶπεν\n Δανιὴλ Σὺ αὐτὸς ὁρᾶς ὅτι κεῖται ταῦτα, βασιλεῦ· σὺ οὗν ἐπισφράγισαι\n τὰς κλεῖδας τοῦ ναοῦ, ἐπὰν κλεισθῇ. ἤρεσεν δὲ ὁ λόγος τῷ\n βασιλεῖ ὁ δὲ Δανιὴλ ἐκέλευσε τοὺς παρʼ αὐτοῦ ἐκβαλόντας\n πάντας ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ κατασῆσαι ὅλον τὸν ναὸν σποδῷ, οὐθενὸς τῶν\n ἐκτὸς αὐτοῦ εἰδότος. καὶ τότε σφραγισάμενος τὸν ναὸν ἐκέλευσε\n σφραγίσαι τῷ τοῦ βασιλέως δακτυλίῳ καὶ τοῖς δακτυλίοις τινῶν\n ἐνδόξων ἱερέων· καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως. —17 καὶ ἐγένετο τῇ ἐπαύριον\n παρεγένοντο ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον· οἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βὴλ διὰ ψευδοθυρίδων\n εἰσελθόντες κατεφάγοσαν πάντα τὰ παρακείμενα τῷ Βὴλ καὶ ἐξέπιον\n τὸν οἶνον. καὶ εἶπεν Δανιὴλ Ἐπίδετε τὰς σφραγῖδας ὑμῶν εἰ μένουσιν,\n ἄνδρες ἱερεῖς· καὶ σὺ δέ, βασιλεῦ, σκέψαι μὴ τί σοι ἀσύμφωνον\n γεγένηται. καὶ εὗρον ὡς ἣν ἡ σφραγίς, καὶ ἀπέβαλον τὴν\n σφραγῖδα. καὶ ἀνοίξαντες τὰς θύρας εἴδοσαν δεδαπανημένα πάντα\n τὰ παρατεθέντα, καὶ τὰς τραπέζας κενάς· καὶ ἐχάρη ὁ βασιλεύς, καὶ\n εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν Δανιὴλ Μέγας ἐστὶν ὁ Βήλ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι παρʼ αὐτῷ\n δόλος. καὶ ἐγέλασε Δανιὴλ σφόδρα καὶ εἶπεν τῷ βασιλεῖ Δεῦρο\n ἴδε τὸν δόλον τῶν ἱερέων. καὶ εἶπεν Δανιὴλ Βασιλεῦ, ταῦτα τὰ\n ἴχνη τίνος ἐστί καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς Ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ\n παιδίων. καὶ ἐπῆλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον ἐν ᾧ ἦσαν οἱ ἱερεῖς καταγινόμενοι,\n καὶ εἶρε τὰ βρώματα τοῦ Βὴλ καὶ τὸν οἶνον·","english":"of women and children. And they led the king into the idol-house; and the foods were set before the king and Daniel, and mixed wine was brought in and set before Bel. And Daniel said, \"You yourself see that these things are set, O king; therefore seal the keys of the temple, when it is closed.\" The word pleased the king; and Daniel ordered those from his side who had put everyone out of the temple to sift the whole temple with ash, none of those outside knowing. And then, having sealed the temple, he ordered it to be sealed with the king's ring and with the rings of some of the noble priests; and it was done so. And it came to pass on the next day they arrived at the place; the priests of Bel, having entered through false doors, consumed all the things set before Bel and drank up the wine. And Daniel said, \"Look at your seals, whether they remain, O priests; and you, O king, see if anything inconsistent has happened to you.\" And they found that the seal was as it was, and they removed the seal. And having opened the doors, they saw all the things set out consumed, and the tables empty; and the king rejoiced, and said to Daniel, \"Great is Bel, and there is no deceit in him.\" And Daniel laughed loudly and said to the king, \"Come, see the deceit of the priests.\" And Daniel said, \"O king, whose are these footprints?\" And the king said, \"Of men and women and children.\" And he went into the house where the priests were staying, and found the foods of Bel and the wine.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"σποδῷ","severity":"info","text":"The use of σποδῷ (ash) to detect footprints is a narrative device that exposes the priests' deception; it is unique to this episode and not paralleled in the Hebrew Bible.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ψευδοθυρίδων","severity":"info","text":"ψευδοθυρίδων (false doors) refers to secret entrances used by the priests; the term is rare in the Septuagint and underscores the theme of hidden deceit.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ ἐγένετο τῇ ἐπαύριον","severity":"info","text":"The phrase marks a temporal shift to the next day, a common narrative formula in Greek biblical prose, structuring the test-and-revelation sequence.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"σφραγίσαι τῷ τοῦ βασιλέως δακτυλίῳ","severity":"info","text":"Sealing with the king's ring reflects Achaemenid administrative practice, lending verisimilitude to the court setting of the narrative.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Μέγας ἐστὶν ὁ Βήλ","severity":"info","text":"The king's exclamation echoes the cultic acclamation of Bel (Marduk), a motif that early Christian readers would have recognized as a foil to Daniel's demonstration of divine power.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τὰ βρώματα τοῦ Βὴλ' could refer either to food offerings for Bel or to the priests' own provisions; the narrative context supports the former."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"καὶ ἐπέδειξε\n Δανιὴλ τῷ βασιλεῖ τὰ ψευδοθύρια, δι᾿ ὧν εἰσπορευόμενοι οἱ ἱερεῖς\n ἐδαπάνων τὰ παρατιθέμενα τῷ Βήλ. καὶ ἐξήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ὁ βασιλεὺς\n ἐκ τοῦ Βηλίου, καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς τῷ Δανιὴλ· καὶ τὴν\n δαπάνην τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν ἔδωκε τῷ Δανιὴλ, τὸν δὲ Βὴλ κατέστρεψε. Καὶ ἣν δράκων ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ τόπῳ, καὶ ἐσέβοντο οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι. Syr 10 ειδωλειον 87ᵃ 14 ο δε Δανιηλ...σποδω] και επεταξε Δ. τοις\n παιδαριοις αυτου και κατεσησαν ολον τον ναον ενωπιον του βασιλεως\n Syrmg σφραγισαμενους Syr 15—17 ψευδοθυριδων] ω sup ras 87 1 ην]\n εμενεν Syrᵛⁱᵈ 21 ευρον Syr 23 pr tit Δρακων Syr εσεβοντο] + αυ-\n τον Syr","english":"And Daniel showed the king the false doors through which the priests entered and consumed the offerings set before Bel. And the king led them out of the temple of Bel and handed them over to Daniel; and the expense for Bel he gave to Daniel, and he destroyed Bel. Now there was a dragon in the same place, and the Babylonians worshipped it.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τὰ ψευδοθύρια","severity":"info","text":"The term ψευδοθύρια (literally 'false doors') refers to concealed or secret entrances used by the priests to access the offerings without being seen.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"Βήλ","severity":"info","text":"Βήλ is the Greek rendering of the Akkadian deity Bel (a title of Marduk), the chief god of Babylon. The narrative treats Bel as a cult statue that is fed and later destroyed.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"δράκων","severity":"info","text":"The dragon (δράκων) introduced here is a living serpent worshipped by the Babylonians, forming the second episode of the Bel and the Dragon narrative. This reflects a common ancient Near Eastern motif of a sacred snake.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"Syr 10 ειδωλειον 87ᵃ 14 ... Syrmg σφραγισαμενους Syr 15—17 ψευδοθυριδων] ω sup ras 87 1 ην] εμενεν Syrᵛⁱᵈ 21 ευρον Syr 23 pr tit Δρακων Syr εσεβοντο] + αυτον Sy","severity":"caution","text":"The apparatus shows significant textual variation in the Syriac tradition, including variant readings for 'temple' (ειδωλειον), 'sealing' (σφραγισαμενους), and the dragon's existence (ην vs. εμενεν). These indicate a complex transmission history.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Καὶ ἣν δράκων ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ τόπῳ","severity":"info","text":"This sentence marks a clear narrative break: the Bel episode concludes with the destruction of the idol, and a new episode about the dragon begins, introduced by the formula 'Now there was a dragon in the same place.'","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"τὸν δὲ Βὴλ κατέστρεψε","severity":"info","text":"The destruction of Bel's statue is a key moment in early Jewish and Christian polemic against idolatry, often cited in patristic literature as an example of the power of true faith over pagan cults.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text at the end of the passage is fragmentary; the apparatus suggests that the Syriac tradition may have had a different reading for the dragon's presence (ην vs. εμενεν). The English draft follows the Greek main text."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":6,"ref":"p6","source":"87 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Δανιὴλ Μὴ καὶ τοῦτον ἐρεῖς ὅτι χαλκοῦς\n ἐστιν; ἰδοὺ ζῇ καὶ ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει, προσκύνησον αὐτῷ. καὶ εἶπεν\n Δανιὴλ Βασιλεῦ, δός μοι τὴν ἐξουσίαν, καὶ ἀνελῶ τὸν δράκοντα ἄνευ\n σιδήρου καὶ ῤάβδου. καὶ συνεχώρησεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ εἶπεν\n αὐτῷ Δέδοταί σοι. καὶ λαβὼν ὁ Δανιὴλ πίσσης μνᾶς τριάκοντα\n καὶ στέαρ καὶ τρίχας ἥψησεν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ ἐποίησεν μάζαν, καὶ\n ἐνέβαλεν εἰς τὸ στόμα τοῦ δράκοντος· καὶ φαγὼν διερράγη. καὶ\n ἔδειξεν αὐτὸν τῷ βασιλεῖ λέγων Οὐ ταῦτα σέβεσθε, βασιλεῦ; καὶ\n συνήχθησαν οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς χώρας πάντες ἐπὶ τὸν Δανιὴλ καὶ εἶπαν\n Ἰουδαῖος γέγονεν ὁ βασιλεύς· τὸν Βὴλ κατέστρεψε καὶ τὸν δράκοντα\n ἀπέκτεινε. καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ βασιλεὺς ὅτι ἐπισυνήχθη ὁ ὄχλος\n τῆς χώρας ἐπʼ αὐτόν, ἐκάλεσε τοὺς συμβιωτὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν Δίδωμι\n τὸν Δανιὴλ εἰς ἀπώλειαν. –32 ἧν δὲ λάκκος ἐν ᾧ ἐτρέφοντο\n λέοντες ἑπτά, οἷς παρεδίδοντο οἱ ἐπίβουλοι τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ ἐχορηγεῖτο\n αὐτοῖς καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν τῶν ἐπιθανατίων σώματα δύο. καὶ ἐνεβάλοσαν τὸν Δανιὴλ οἱ ὄχλοι εἰς ἐκεῖνον τὸν λάκκον, ἴνα\n καταβρωθῇ καὶ μηδέ ταφῆς τύχῃ. καὶ ἣν ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ Δανιὴλ\n ἡμέρας ἔξ. καὶ ἐγένετο τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ καὶ ἣν Ἁμβακοὺμ ἔχων\n ἄρτους ἐντεθρυμμένους ἐν σκάφῃ ἐν ἑψήματι καὶ στάμνον οἴνου\n κεκερασμένου, καὶ ἐπορεύετο εἰς τὸ πεδίον πρὸς τοὺς θεριστάς. καὶ ἐλάλησεν ἄγγελος Κυρίου πρὸς Ἁμβακοὐμ λέγων Γάδε λέγει\n σοι Κύριος ὁ θεός Τὸ ἄριστον ὁ ἔχεις ἀπένεγκε Δανιὴλ εἰς τὸν λάκκον\n τῶν λεόντων ἐν Βαβυλῶνι.","english":"And the king said to Daniel, \"Will you also say that this one is made of bronze? Behold, it lives and eats and drinks; worship it.\" And Daniel said, \"King, give me authority, and I will kill the dragon without iron or rod.\" And the king granted him permission and said to him, \"It is given to you.\" And Daniel took thirty minas of pitch, and fat, and hair, boiled them together, and made a cake, and cast it into the mouth of the dragon; and having eaten, it burst. And he showed it to the king, saying, \"Do you not worship these things, O king?\" And all the people from the country gathered against Daniel and said, \"The king has become a Jew; he has overthrown Bel and killed the dragon.\" And when the king saw that the crowd of the country had assembled against him, he called his companions and said, \"I give Daniel over to destruction.\" Now there was a pit in which seven lions were kept, to whom those who plotted against the king were given, and they were supplied each day with two bodies of those condemned to death. And the crowds cast Daniel into that pit, so that he might be devoured and not even receive burial. And Daniel was in the pit for six days. And it happened on the sixth day that Habakkuk was carrying crumbled bread in a bowl with stew and a jar of mixed wine, and was going to the field to the reapers. And an angel of the Lord spoke to Habakkuk, saying, \"Gad says to you, the Lord God: 'The meal which you have, carry to Daniel in the lions' pit in Babylon.'","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"πίσσης μνᾶς τριάκοντα","severity":"info","text":"Daniel uses thirty minas of pitch, fat, and hair to make a cake that bursts the dragon. The mixture is a plausible ancient poison or choking agent, not a miracle.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"συμβιωτάς","severity":"info","text":"συμβιωτάς (companions) likely refers to the king’s close advisors or courtiers, not a formal title. The term is rare in the Septuagint.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Ἁμβακοὺμ","severity":"info","text":"Habakkuk (Ἁμβακοὺμ) is the biblical prophet, here anachronistically transported by an angel to feed Daniel. This episode is unique to the Greek Bel and the Dragon.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage divides into two episodes: the killing of the dragon (lines 1–11) and Daniel’s exposure to the lions (lines 12–24). The transition is marked by the king’s surrender of Daniel to the crowd.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"λάκκος ... λέοντες ἑπτά","severity":"info","text":"The seven lions and the pit recall the story of Daniel in the lions’ den (Dan 6), but here the lions are fed daily with two condemned bodies, and Daniel is cast in for six days.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Γάδε λέγει σοι Κύριος ὁ θεός","severity":"caution","text":"The angel’s speech ‘Γάδε λέγει σοι Κύριος ὁ θεός’ is textually uncertain; Γάδε may be a corruption or a divine name. The translation ‘Gad says to you, the Lord God’ is conjectural.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase ‘Γάδε λέγει σοι Κύριος ὁ θεός’ is ambiguous: Γάδε could be a proper name (Gad) or a textual corruption; the intended meaning is unclear.","The number of days Daniel spends in the pit (six) differs from the canonical Daniel 6 (one night), but the text does not explain the discrepancy."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":7,"ref":"p7","source":"καὶ εἶπεν Ἁμβακούμ Κύριε ὁ θεός,\n οὐχ ἑώρακα τὴν Βαβυλῶνα, καὶ τὸν λάκκον οὐ γινώσκω ποῦ ἐστι. καὶ ἐπιλαβόμενος αὐτοῦ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου τοῦ Ἁμβακοὺμ τῆς κόμης\n αὐτοῦ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἔθηκεν αὐτὸν ἐπάνω τοῦ λάκκου τοῦ ἐν Βαβυλῶνι. Syr 27 ΜΝαc Syrmg μαζας Syr 28 ειπαν Ιουδαιος γεγ. ο βασ.] tit adpiux\n ut vid περιτουβασιλεως λεγουσι ωςγεγονεν Ιουδαιος Syrmᵍ 31—32 ην (1⁰)\n Syr οι επιβουλοι] in οι (1⁰) ο sup ras 87? om τον Δανιηλ 87* (hab 87 mg\n Syr) 34 εις Βαβυλωνα Syr 35 γινώσκω (sic) 87","english":"And Habacuc said, \"Lord God, I have not seen Babylon, and I do not know where the pit is.\" And the angel of the Lord, taking hold of Habacuc by the hair of his head, set him above the pit in Babylon.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἁμβακούμ","severity":"info","text":"The Greek form of the name Habakkuk, the prophet, who is here transported by an angel to Babylon to feed Daniel in the lions' den.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"τῆς κόμης αὐτοῦ τῆς κεφαλῆς","severity":"info","text":"Literally 'the hair of his head'; the angel seizes Habakkuk by the hair, a detail emphasizing divine compulsion and the physicality of the transport.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν λάκκον","severity":"info","text":"The 'pit' refers to the lions' den in Babylon where Daniel is imprisoned; this episode is part of the Bel and the Dragon narrative, which expands the Daniel cycle.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage marks the transition from the dragon episode to the final section where the prophet Habakkuk is miraculously transported to feed Daniel, a narrative device that underscores divine intervention.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"Syr 27 ΜΝαc Syrmg μαζας Syr 28 ειπαν Ιουδαιος γεγ. ο βασ.] tit adpiux ut vid περιτουβασιλεως λεγουσι ωςγεγονεν Ιουδαιος Syrmᵍ 31—32 ην (1⁰) Syr οι επιβουλοι] in","severity":"caution","text":"The apparatus indicates significant textual variation in the Syriac tradition, including variant readings for 'cake' (μαζας) and a possible omission of Daniel's name in some witnesses, suggesting a complex transmission history.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text is fragmentary and the apparatus shows multiple Syriac variants; the exact wording of the angel's action and the location of the pit are uncertain in some manuscript traditions."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":8,"ref":"p8","source":"87 καὶ εἶπεν Ἁμβακοὺμ πρὸς Δανιήλ Ἀναστὰς φάγε τὸ ἄριστον ὃ\n ἀπέστειλέ σοι Κύριος ὁ θεός. καὶ εἶπεν Δανιήλ Ἐμνήσθη γάρ\n μου Κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ μὴ ἐγκαταλείπων τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας αὐτόν. καὶ\n ἔφαγε Δανιήλ· ὁ δὲ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κατέστησε τὸν Ἁμβακοὺμ\n ὅθεν αὐτὸν ἔλαβε τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ. ὁ δὲ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἐμνήσθη τοῦ\n Δανιὴλ. ἐξῆλθε δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς μετὰ ταῦτα πενθῶν τὸν Δανιὴλ,\n καὶ ἐγκύψας εἰς τὸν λάκκον ὁρᾷ αὐτὸν καθήμενον. καὶ ἀναβοήσας\n εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς Μέγας ἐστὶ Κύριος ὁ θεός, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι πλὴν\n αὐτοῦ ἄλλος. καὶ ἐξήγαγεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν Δανιὴλ ἐκ τοῦ λάκκον. καὶ τοὺς αἰτίους τῆς ἀπωλείας αὐτοῦ ἐνέβαλεν εἰς τὸν λάκκον ἐνώπιον\n τοῦ Δανιήλ, καὶ κατεβρώθησαν. Syr 38 εγκαταλιπων Syr\n Subscr in litt maiusc Δανιηλ κατα τους σ΄ 87 Syr (in Syr acced nonuulla\n de interpretatione LXXvirali item de versione Syro-Hexaplari)\nκατα τουU+03F2 ο΄ \n 87 Ἐκ προφητείας Ἀμβακοὐμ υἱοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς Δευί. Ἄνθρωπός τις ἧν ἱερεύς, ᾧ ὄνομα Δανιὴλ, υἱὸς Ἁβάλ, συμβιωτὴς\n τοῦ βασιλέως Βαβυλῶνος. καὶ ἧν εἴδωλον, Βήλ, ὃ ἐσέβοντο οἱ\n Βαβυλώνιοι· ἀνηλίσκετο δὲ αὐτῷ καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν σεμιδάλεως\n ἀρτάβαι δέκα δύο καὶ πρόβατα τέσσαρα καὶ ἐλαίου μετρηταὶ ἔξ. καὶ\n ὃ βασιλεὺς ἐσέβετο αὐτόν, καὶ ἐπορεύετο ὁ βασιλεὺς καθʼ ἑκάστην\n ἡμέραν καὶ προσεκύνει αὐτῷ, Δανιὴλ δὲ προσηύχετο πρὸς Κύριον· καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Δανιὴλ Διὰ τί οὐ προσκυνεῖς τῷ Βήλ; καὶ\n εἶπε Δανιὴλ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Οὐδένα σέβομαι ἐγὼ εἰ μὴ Κύριον\n τὸν θεὸν τὸν κτίσαντα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ ἔχοντα πάσης\n σαρκὸς κυρείαν.","english":"And Habacuc said to Daniel, \"Arise, eat the meal which the Lord God has sent to you.\" And Daniel said, \"The Lord God has remembered me, who does not abandon those who love him.\" And Daniel ate. And the angel of the Lord set Habacuc back where he had taken him on that same day. And the Lord God remembered Daniel. After these things, the king went out mourning for Daniel, and looking down into the pit, he saw him sitting. And crying out, the king said, \"Great is the Lord God, and there is no other besides him.\" And the king brought Daniel out of the pit. And those responsible for his destruction he threw into the pit before Daniel, and they were devoured.\n\nFrom the prophecy of Habacuc, son of Jesus, of the tribe of Levi. There was a certain man, a priest, whose name was Daniel, son of Abal, a companion of the king of Babylon. And there was an idol, Bel, which the Babylonians worshipped. And for it were consumed each day twelve artabae of fine flour, four sheep, and six measures of oil. And the king worshipped it, and the king went each day and prostrated himself before it. But Daniel prayed to the Lord. And the king said to Daniel, \"Why do you not worship Bel?\" And Daniel said to the king, \"I worship no one except the Lord God, who created the heaven and the earth and has authority over all flesh.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀναστὰς φάγε τὸ ἄριστον","severity":"info","text":"The angel Habacuc commands Daniel to rise and eat the meal sent by God, a narrative pivot from rescue to sustenance.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐμνήσθη","severity":"info","text":"The verb 'remembered' (ἐμνήσθη) is used twice: first by Daniel of God, then by the narrator of God's action, emphasizing divine faithfulness.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Μέγας ἐστὶ Κύριος ὁ θεός, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι πλὴν αὐτοῦ ἄλλος","severity":"info","text":"The king's acclamation echoes the Shema-like monotheistic confession found in LXX Daniel and Bel, reinforcing the polemic against idolatry.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀρτάβαι","severity":"info","text":"The artaba was a Persian dry measure, here indicating the lavish daily offerings to Bel, underscoring the idol's cost and the king's devotion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐκ προφητείας Ἀμβακοὺμ υἱοῦ Ἰησοῦ","severity":"info","text":"This subscription (or incipit) introduces a new section, identifying Habacuc as a prophet and Daniel as a priest, linking the narrative to prophetic tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"Syr 38 εγκαταλιπων Syr","severity":"caution","text":"The marginal note 'Syr 38' and repeated 'Syr' indicate a Syriac textual witness or variant for the word 'abandoning' (εγκαταλιπων), suggesting complex transmission.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The passage conflates two narrative units: the conclusion of the Habacuc episode and the beginning of the Bel story, with a clear break at 'Ἐκ προφητείας'. The English draft merges them without marking the transition.","The phrase 'τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ' could mean 'on the same day' or 'on that very day'; the translation takes the former.","The identity of 'Habacuc, son of Jesus' is uncertain; it may be a later scribal addition to connect the prophet to a known lineage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":9,"ref":"p9","source":"εἶπεν δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς αὐτῷ Οὗτος οὗν οὐκ ἔστι\n θεός; οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅσα εἰς αὐτὸν δαπανᾶται καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν \n καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Δανιὴλ Μηδαμῶς, μηδείς σε παραλογιζέσθω· οὗτος\n γὰρ ἔσωθεν μέν πήλινός ἐστιν, ἔξωθεν δέ χαλκοῦς· ὀμνύω δέ σοι\n Κύριον τὸν θεὸν τῶν θεῶν, ὅτι οὐθὲν βέβρωκε πώποτε οὗτος. καὶ\n θυμωθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκάλεσε τοὺς προεστηκότας τοῦ ἱεροῦ καὶ εἶπεν\n αὐτοῖς Παραδείξατε τὸν ἐσθίοντα τὰ παρασκευαζόμενα τῷ Βήλ· εἰ\n δὲ μή γε, ἀποθανεῖσθε, ἢ Δανιὴλ ὁ φάσκων μὴ ἐσθίεσθαι αὐτὰ\n ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ. οἱ δὲ εἶπαν Αὐτὸς ὁ Βήλ ἐστιν ὁ κατεσθίων αὐτά· εἶπε δὲ Δανιὴλ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Γινέσθω οὕτως· ἐὰν μὴ παραδείξω\n sὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Βὴλ ὁ κατεσθίων ταῦτα, ἀποθανοῦμαι καὶ\n πάντες οἱ παρʼ ἐμοῦ. ἦσαν δέ τῷ Βὴλ ἱερεῖς ἑβδομήκοντα χωρὶς\n Syr Inscr Bηλ Syr (deest in 87) Tit Αμβακουμ] Ἁβακουκ Syr: item 33 Sqq\n 3 αΗλΙCΚεΤο Syrmg τεσσαρα] τεσσαρακοντα Syrᵐᵍ και ελαιου] και οινου\n Syrmg μετρητας 87 6 ουτος] ουτως 87* (-τος 87a) 7 ÷ ομννω. .των\n θεων Syr 8 παραδειξειτε 87eᵈ 9 εμου] εμοι 87a (superscr οι)","english":"And the king said to him, \"Is this not a god? Do you not see how much is spent on him each day?\" And Daniel said to him, \"Not at all; let no one deceive you. For this one is clay on the inside and bronze on the outside. And I swear to you by the Lord God of gods that this one has never eaten anything.\" And the king, angered, summoned the overseers of the temple and said to them, \"Show who eats the provisions prepared for Bel; otherwise you will die, or Daniel who claims that they are not eaten by him.\" And they said, \"Bel himself is the one who devours them.\" And Daniel said to the king, \"Let it be so. If I do not show that Bel is not the one who devours these things, I will die, along with all my people.\" Now there were seventy priests of Bel, apart from","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"οὗτος οὖν οὐκ ἔστι θεός","severity":"info","text":"The king's question 'Is this not a god?' reflects the narrative's polemic against idolatry, a central theme in Bel et Draco.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"παραλογιζέσθω","severity":"info","text":"The verb παραλογίζομαι means 'to deceive' or 'to mislead'; Daniel warns the king not to be deceived by appearances, reinforcing the critique of false worship.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"πήλινός ἐστιν, ἔξωθεν δὲ χαλκοῦς","severity":"info","text":"Daniel describes the idol as clay inside and bronze outside, a common ancient critique of cult statues that were often hollow or composite, revealing their human-made nature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εἶπεν δὲ ὁ βασιλεύς","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the dialogue pattern between the king and Daniel, typical of the narrative's confrontational structure, leading to a test of the priests' claims.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"ἱερεῖς ἑβδομήκοντα","severity":"info","text":"The mention of seventy priests (ἱερεῖς ἑβδομήκοντα) is textually stable, but the Syriac marginal notes indicate variant readings for numbers and names, reflecting scribal interventions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Syr Inscr Bηλ Syr (deest in 87) Tit Αμβακουμ] Ἁβακουκ Syr","severity":"caution","text":"The apparatus shows textual variation in the names 'Bel' and 'Ambakoum' (Habakkuk) across manuscripts, indicating possible scribal errors or deliberate alterations.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'πάντες οἱ παρʼ ἐμοῦ' could mean 'all my people' or 'all those with me'; the translation takes it as 'all my people'.","The number of priests (seventy) is given without further context; the text does not clarify if this includes all temple personnel or only a specific group."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":10,"ref":"p10","source":"87 γυναικῶν καὶ τέκνων. ἤγαγον δὲ τὸν βασιλέα εἰς τὸ εἰδώλιον· καὶ\n παρετέθη τὰ βρώματα ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τοῦ Δανιὴλ, καὶ\n οἶνος κερασθεὶς εἰσηνέχθη καὶ παρετέθη τῷ Βήλ. καὶ εἶπεν\n Δανιὴλ Σὺ αὐτὸς ὁρᾶς ὅτι κεῖται ταῦτα, βασιλεῦ· σὺ οὗν ἐπισφράγισαι\n τὰς κλεῖδας τοῦ ναοῦ, ἐπὰν κλεισθῇ. ἤρεσεν δὲ ὁ λόγος τῷ\n βασιλεῖ ὁ δὲ Δανιὴλ ἐκέλευσε τοὺς παρʼ αὐτοῦ ἐκβαλόντας\n πάντας ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ κατασῆσαι ὅλον τὸν ναὸν σποδῷ, οὐθενὸς τῶν\n ἐκτὸς αὐτοῦ εἰδότος. καὶ τότε σφραγισάμενος τὸν ναὸν ἐκέλευσε\n σφραγίσαι τῷ τοῦ βασιλέως δακτυλίῳ καὶ τοῖς δακτυλίοις τινῶν\n ἐνδόξων ἱερέων· καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως. —17 καὶ ἐγένετο τῇ ἐπαύριον\n παρεγένοντο ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον· οἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βὴλ διὰ ψευδοθυρίδων\n εἰσελθόντες κατεφάγοσαν πάντα τὰ παρακείμενα τῷ Βὴλ καὶ ἐξέπιον\n τὸν οἶνον. καὶ εἶπεν Δανιὴλ Ἐπίδετε τὰς σφραγῖδας ὑμῶν εἰ μένουσιν,\n ἄνδρες ἱερεῖς· καὶ σὺ δέ, βασιλεῦ, σκέψαι μὴ τί σοι ἀσύμφωνον\n γεγένηται. καὶ εὗρον ὡς ἣν ἡ σφραγίς, καὶ ἀπέβαλον τὴν\n σφραγῖδα. καὶ ἀνοίξαντες τὰς θύρας εἴδοσαν δεδαπανημένα πάντα\n τὰ παρατεθέντα, καὶ τὰς τραπέζας κενάς· καὶ ἐχάρη ὁ βασιλεύς, καὶ\n εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν Δανιὴλ Μέγας ἐστὶν ὁ Βήλ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι παρʼ αὐτῷ\n δόλος. καὶ ἐγέλασε Δανιὴλ σφόδρα καὶ εἶπεν τῷ βασιλεῖ Δεῦρο\n ἴδε τὸν δόλον τῶν ἱερέων. καὶ εἶπεν Δανιὴλ Βασιλεῦ, ταῦτα τὰ\n ἴχνη τίνος ἐστί καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς Ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ\n παιδίων. καὶ ἐπῆλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον ἐν ᾧ ἦσαν οἱ ἱερεῖς καταγινόμενοι,\n καὶ εἶρε τὰ βρώματα τοῦ Βὴλ καὶ τὸν οἶνον·","english":"of women and children. And they led the king into the temple; and the food was set before the king and Daniel, and mixed wine was brought in and set before Bel. And Daniel said, \"You yourself see that these things are set out, O king; therefore seal the keys of the temple when it is closed.\" The proposal pleased the king. And Daniel ordered his attendants to put everyone out of the temple and to sift the whole temple with ash, without anyone outside knowing. And then, having sealed the temple, he ordered it to be sealed with the king's ring and with the rings of some of the noble priests; and it was done so. And on the next day they came to the place; the priests of Bel, having entered through secret doors, consumed all the food set before Bel and drank the wine. And Daniel said, \"Look at your seals, whether they remain, O priests; and you, O king, see if anything inconsistent has occurred.\" And they found the seal as it was, and they removed the seal. And having opened the doors, they saw that all the food set out had been consumed, and the tables were empty; and the king rejoiced, and said to Daniel, \"Great is Bel, and there is no deceit in him.\" And Daniel laughed heartily and said to the king, \"Come, see the deceit of the priests.\" And Daniel said, \"O king, whose footprints are these?\" And the king said, \"Of men and women and children.\" And he went to the house where the priests were staying, and found the food of Bel and the wine.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"σποδῷ","severity":"info","text":"The use of ash (σποδῷ) to detect footprints is a narrative device that demonstrates Daniel's forensic method, contrasting divine miracle with human trickery.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ψευδοθυρίδων","severity":"info","text":"ψευδοθυρίδων (secret doors) is a rare compound, literally 'false doors,' indicating concealed entrances used by the priests to deceive the king.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"σφραγῖδας","severity":"info","text":"Sealing with personal rings (δακτυλίοις) was a standard ancient practice for securing a space; the king's and priests' rings authenticate the test.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ ἐγένετο τῇ ἐπαύριον","severity":"info","text":"The phrase marks a temporal shift to the next day, structuring the narrative as a two-part test: preparation and revelation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"δεδαπανημένα πάντα","severity":"info","text":"The motif of food consumed by priests in secret parallels the earlier episode in Daniel 14 (Bel and the Dragon) where Daniel exposes the fraud of the priests of Bel.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"κατασῆσαι","severity":"caution","text":"The verb κατασῆσαι (to sift) is a hapax legomenon in the Septuagint; its meaning is inferred from context as 'to sprinkle' or 'sift' ash over the floor.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'οὐθενὸς τῶν ἐκτὸς αὐτοῦ εἰδότος' could mean 'no one outside his group knowing' or 'no one outside the temple knowing'; the translation takes the former.","The verb 'κατασῆσαι' is uncertain; it may mean 'to sift' or 'to sprinkle' ash."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":11,"ref":"p11","source":"καὶ ἐπέδειξε\n Δανιὴλ τῷ βασιλεῖ τὰ ψευδοθύρια, δι᾿ ὧν εἰσπορευόμενοι οἱ ἱερεῖς\n ἐδαπάνων τὰ παρατιθέμενα τῷ Βήλ. καὶ ἐξήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ὁ βασιλεὺς\n ἐκ τοῦ Βηλίου, καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς τῷ Δανιὴλ· καὶ τὴν\n δαπάνην τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν ἔδωκε τῷ Δανιὴλ, τὸν δὲ Βὴλ κατέστρεψε. Καὶ ἣν δράκων ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ τόπῳ, καὶ ἐσέβοντο οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι. Syr 10 ειδωλειον 87ᵃ 14 ο δε Δανιηλ...σποδω] και επεταξε Δ. τοις\n παιδαριοις αυτου και κατεσησαν ολον τον ναον ενωπιον του βασιλεως\n Syrmg σφραγισαμενους Syr 15—17 ψευδοθυριδων] ω sup ras 87 1 ην]\n εμενεν Syrᵛⁱᵈ 21 ευρον Syr 23 pr tit Δρακων Syr εσεβοντο] + αυ-\n τον Syr","english":"And Daniel showed the king the false doors through which the priests entered and consumed the offerings set before Bel. And the king led them out from the temple of Bel and handed them over to Daniel. And the expenditure for Bel he gave to Daniel, and he destroyed Bel. Now there was a dragon in the same place, and the Babylonians worshipped it.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ψευδοθύρια","severity":"info","text":"The term ψευδοθύρια (false doors) refers to concealed entrances used by the priests to access the offerings secretly, exposing the deception behind Bel's apparent consumption.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"Βήλ","severity":"info","text":"Βήλ (Bel) is the Greek form of the Akkadian deity Bēl, a title of the god Marduk, chief god of Babylon. The narrative treats the cult statue as an idol.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"δράκων","severity":"info","text":"The dragon (δράκων) introduced here is a second cult object worshipped by the Babylonians, representing a living serpent. This episode expands the polemic against idolatry beyond statues.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Collins 1993"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Καὶ ἣν δράκων","severity":"info","text":"The sentence 'Now there was a dragon in the same place' marks a transition from the Bel narrative to the dragon episode, a new unit within the same story.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"Syr 10 ειδωλειον 87ᵃ 14","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac marginal note (Syr) and the variant in manuscript 87 indicate textual fluidity; the phrase 'εἰδωλεῖον' (idol temple) may have been a gloss or correction.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Syr 15—17 ψευδοθυριδων] ω sup ras 87","severity":"caution","text":"The reading ψευδοθυρίδων (small false doors) in the Syriac tradition and the superscript correction in manuscript 87 suggest uncertainty about the exact form of the word, possibly a scribal alteration.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τὴν δαπάνην τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν' could refer either to the expenditure previously allotted to Bel or to the cost of maintaining the cult; the translation takes it as the former.","The transition to the dragon episode is abrupt; the Coptic cue 'narrative' confirms a new section, but the Greek text does not specify the location beyond 'ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ τόπῳ'."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":12,"ref":"p12","source":"87 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Δανιὴλ Μὴ καὶ τοῦτον ἐρεῖς ὅτι χαλκοῦς\n ἐστιν; ἰδοὺ ζῇ καὶ ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει, προσκύνησον αὐτῷ. καὶ εἶπεν\n Δανιὴλ Βασιλεῦ, δός μοι τὴν ἐξουσίαν, καὶ ἀνελῶ τὸν δράκοντα ἄνευ\n σιδήρου καὶ ῤάβδου. καὶ συνεχώρησεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ εἶπεν\n αὐτῷ Δέδοταί σοι. καὶ λαβὼν ὁ Δανιὴλ πίσσης μνᾶς τριάκοντα\n καὶ στέαρ καὶ τρίχας ἥψησεν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ ἐποίησεν μάζαν, καὶ\n ἐνέβαλεν εἰς τὸ στόμα τοῦ δράκοντος· καὶ φαγὼν διερράγη. καὶ\n ἔδειξεν αὐτὸν τῷ βασιλεῖ λέγων Οὐ ταῦτα σέβεσθε, βασιλεῦ; καὶ\n συνήχθησαν οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς χώρας πάντες ἐπὶ τὸν Δανιὴλ καὶ εἶπαν\n Ἰουδαῖος γέγονεν ὁ βασιλεύς· τὸν Βὴλ κατέστρεψε καὶ τὸν δράκοντα\n ἀπέκτεινε. καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ βασιλεὺς ὅτι ἐπισυνήχθη ὁ ὄχλος\n τῆς χώρας ἐπʼ αὐτόν, ἐκάλεσε τοὺς συμβιωτὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν Δίδωμι\n τὸν Δανιὴλ εἰς ἀπώλειαν. –32 ἧν δὲ λάκκος ἐν ᾧ ἐτρέφοντο\n λέοντες ἑπτά, οἷς παρεδίδοντο οἱ ἐπίβουλοι τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ ἐχορηγεῖτο\n αὐτοῖς καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν τῶν ἐπιθανατίων σώματα δύο. καὶ ἐνεβάλοσαν τὸν Δανιὴλ οἱ ὄχλοι εἰς ἐκεῖνον τὸν λάκκον, ἴνα\n καταβρωθῇ καὶ μηδέ ταφῆς τύχῃ. καὶ ἣν ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ Δανιὴλ\n ἡμέρας ἔξ. καὶ ἐγένετο τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ καὶ ἣν Ἁμβακοὺμ ἔχων\n ἄρτους ἐντεθρυμμένους ἐν σκάφῃ ἐν ἑψήματι καὶ στάμνον οἴνου\n κεκερασμένου, καὶ ἐπορεύετο εἰς τὸ πεδίον πρὸς τοὺς θεριστάς. καὶ ἐλάλησεν ἄγγελος Κυρίου πρὸς Ἁμβακοὐμ λέγων Γάδε λέγει\n σοι Κύριος ὁ θεός Τὸ ἄριστον ὁ ἔχεις ἀπένεγκε Δανιὴλ εἰς τὸν λάκκον\n τῶν λεόντων ἐν Βαβυλῶνι.","english":"And the king said to Daniel, \"Will you also say that this one is bronze? Behold, it lives and eats and drinks; worship it.\" And Daniel said, \"King, give me authority, and I will destroy the dragon without iron or rod.\" And the king granted him this and said to him, \"It is given to you.\" And Daniel took thirty minas of pitch, and fat, and hair, boiled them together, and made a cake, and cast it into the mouth of the dragon; and having eaten, it burst. And he showed it to the king, saying, \"Do you not worship these things, O king?\" And all the people from the country gathered against Daniel and said, \"The king has become a Jew; he has overthrown Bel and killed the dragon.\" And the king, seeing that the crowd of the country had assembled against him, called his companions and said, \"I give Daniel over to destruction.\" Now there was a pit in which seven lions were kept, to which were given those who plotted against the king, and each day two bodies of those condemned to death were supplied to them. And the crowds cast Daniel into that pit, so that he might be devoured and not even receive burial. And Daniel was in the pit for six days. And it happened on the sixth day that Habakkuk was carrying loaves broken into pieces in a bowl with boiled food and a jar of mixed wine, and he was going to the field to the harvesters. And an angel of the Lord spoke to Habakkuk, saying, \"Gad says to you, the Lord God: 'The meal that you have, take it to Daniel in the lions' pit in Babylon.'","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"πίσσης μνᾶς τριάκοντα","severity":"info","text":"Daniel uses thirty minas of pitch, a sticky substance, mixed with fat and hair to form a cake that bursts the dragon from within. The method is practical, not magical.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"λάκκος ... λέοντες ἑπτά","severity":"info","text":"The seven-lion pit is a standard Persian execution device, attested in Near Eastern royal practice. The detail of two condemned bodies daily underscores the lethal intent.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἁμβακοὺμ","severity":"info","text":"The prophet Habakkuk is introduced as a character delivering food to Daniel. This episode is unique to the Greek tradition and absent from the Hebrew Bible.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ ἐγένετο τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ","severity":"info","text":"The six-day interval before rescue mirrors the six days of creation and Daniel's earlier six-day fast in the lions' den (Dan 14:31 LXX).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"Γάδε λέγει σοι Κύριος ὁ θεός","severity":"info","text":"The angel's message uses 'Gad' as a divine name, possibly a transliteration of Hebrew 'Gad' (fortune) or a corruption. This reflects the text's transmission through multiple languages.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐπισυνήχθη ὁ ὄχλος","severity":"caution","text":"The crowd's reaction against Daniel and the king's fear of them is a narrative pivot, but the Greek text may conflate two separate mob scenes (against Bel and against the dragon).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Gad' in the angel's speech is uncertain; it may be a divine epithet or a scribal error.","The phrase 'ἐπισυνήχθη ὁ ὄχλος' could refer to a single crowd or two distinct gatherings."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":13,"ref":"p13","source":"καὶ εἶπεν Ἁμβακούμ Κύριε ὁ θεός,\n οὐχ ἑώρακα τὴν Βαβυλῶνα, καὶ τὸν λάκκον οὐ γινώσκω ποῦ ἐστι. καὶ ἐπιλαβόμενος αὐτοῦ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου τοῦ Ἁμβακοὺμ τῆς κόμης\n αὐτοῦ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἔθηκεν αὐτὸν ἐπάνω τοῦ λάκκου τοῦ ἐν Βαβυλῶνι. Syr 27 ΜΝαc Syrmg μαζας Syr 28 ειπαν Ιουδαιος γεγ. ο βασ.] tit adpiux\n ut vid περιτουβασιλεως λεγουσι ωςγεγονεν Ιουδαιος Syrmᵍ 31—32 ην (1⁰)\n Syr οι επιβουλοι] in οι (1⁰) ο sup ras 87? om τον Δανιηλ 87* (hab 87 mg\n Syr) 34 εις Βαβυλωνα Syr 35 γινώσκω (sic) 87","english":"And Habacuc said, \"Lord God, I have not seen Babylon, and I do not know where the pit is.\" And the angel of the Lord, taking hold of Habacuc by the hair of his head, set him above the pit in Babylon.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἁμβακούμ","severity":"info","text":"The Greek form of the name Habakkuk, the prophet whose story is here woven into the Daniel cycle. The spelling varies in the manuscript tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"τῆς κόμης αὐτοῦ τῆς κεφαλῆς","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'by the hair of his head' is a literal rendering of a Semitic idiom, emphasizing the angel's forceful action. It appears in similar transport narratives in the Septuagint.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Ἁμβακούμ","severity":"info","text":"The episode of Habakkuk being transported to Babylon by an angel is not in the Hebrew Bible but is part of the Greek Daniel cycle, likely originating in Jewish haggadic tradition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"Syr 27 ΜΝαc Syrmg μαζας Syr 28 ειπαν Ιουδαιος γεγ. ο βασ.] tit adpiux","severity":"caution","text":"The apparatus notes Syriac marginal variants and a possible scribal insertion (tit adpiux), indicating textual instability at this point. The reading 'μαζας' (cakes) may relate to the earlier episode with the dragon.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"Ἁμβακούμ","severity":"info","text":"This transport of Habakkuk is referenced in later Christian art and literature as a type of divine intervention, e.g., in the catacombs and in patristic commentaries on Daniel.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text is fragmentary; the apparatus suggests Syriac variants and possible scribal corrections. The precise location of the pit and the identity of the 'Jews' mentioned in the margin are unclear."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":14,"ref":"p14","source":"87 καὶ εἶπεν Ἁμβακοὺμ πρὸς Δανιήλ Ἀναστὰς φάγε τὸ ἄριστον ὃ\n ἀπέστειλέ σοι Κύριος ὁ θεός. καὶ εἶπεν Δανιήλ Ἐμνήσθη γάρ\n μου Κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ μὴ ἐγκαταλείπων τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας αὐτόν. καὶ\n ἔφαγε Δανιήλ· ὁ δὲ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κατέστησε τὸν Ἁμβακοὺμ\n ὅθεν αὐτὸν ἔλαβε τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ. ὁ δὲ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἐμνήσθη τοῦ\n Δανιὴλ. ἐξῆλθε δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς μετὰ ταῦτα πενθῶν τὸν Δανιὴλ,\n καὶ ἐγκύψας εἰς τὸν λάκκον ὁρᾷ αὐτὸν καθήμενον. καὶ ἀναβοήσας\n εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς Μέγας ἐστὶ Κύριος ὁ θεός, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι πλὴν\n αὐτοῦ ἄλλος. καὶ ἐξήγαγεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν Δανιὴλ ἐκ τοῦ λάκκον. καὶ τοὺς αἰτίους τῆς ἀπωλείας αὐτοῦ ἐνέβαλεν εἰς τὸν λάκκον ἐνώπιον\n τοῦ Δανιήλ, καὶ κατεβρώθησαν. Syr 38 εγκαταλιπων Syr\n Subscr in litt maiusc Δανιηλ κατα τους σ΄ 87 Syr (in Syr acced nonuulla\n de interpretatione LXXvirali item de versione Syro-Hexaplari)\nἘκ προφητείας Ἀμβακοὐμ υἱοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς Δευί. Ἄνθρωπός τις ἧν ἱερεύς, ᾧ ὄνομα Δανιὴλ, υἱὸς Ἁβάλ, συμβιωτὴς\n τοῦ βασιλέως Βαβυλῶνος. καὶ ἧν εἴδωλον, Βήλ, ὃ ἐσέβοντο οἱ\n Βαβυλώνιοι· ἀνηλίσκετο δὲ αὐτῷ καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν σεμιδάλεως\n ἀρτάβαι δέκα δύο καὶ πρόβατα τέσσαρα καὶ ἐλαίου μετρηταὶ ἔξ. καὶ\n ὃ βασιλεὺς ἐσέβετο αὐτόν, καὶ ἐπορεύετο ὁ βασιλεὺς καθʼ ἑκάστην\n ἡμέραν καὶ προσεκύνει αὐτῷ, Δανιὴλ δὲ προσηύχετο πρὸς Κύριον· καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Δανιὴλ Διὰ τί οὐ προσκυνεῖς τῷ Βήλ; καὶ\n εἶπε Δανιὴλ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Οὐδένα σέβομαι ἐγὼ εἰ μὴ Κύριον\n τὸν θεὸν τὸν κτίσαντα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ ἔχοντα πάσης\n σαρκὸς κυρείαν. εἶπεν δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς αὐτῷ Οὗτος οὗν οὐκ ἔστι\n θεός;","english":"And Habacuc said to Daniel, \"Arise, eat the meal which the Lord God has sent to you.\" And Daniel said, \"So the Lord God has remembered me, who does not abandon those who love him.\" And Daniel ate; and the angel of the Lord set Habacuc back where he had taken him on the same day. And the Lord God remembered Daniel. After these things, the king came out mourning for Daniel, and looking down into the pit, he saw him sitting. And crying out, the king said, \"Great is the Lord God, and there is no other besides him.\" And the king brought Daniel out of the pit. And those responsible for his destruction he threw into the pit before Daniel, and they were devoured. From the prophecy of Habacuc, son of Jesus, of the tribe of Levi. There was a certain man, a priest, whose name was Daniel, son of Abal, a companion of the king of Babylon. And there was an idol, Bel, which the Babylonians worshipped; and for it were consumed each day twelve artabae of fine flour, four sheep, and six measures of oil. And the king worshipped it, and the king went each day and prostrated himself before it, but Daniel prayed to the Lord. And the king said to Daniel, \"Why do you not worship Bel?\" And Daniel said to the king, \"I worship no one except the Lord God, who created the heaven and the earth and has dominion over all flesh.\" And the king said to him, \"Is this not a god, then?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐμνήσθη γάρ μου Κύριος ὁ θεὸς","severity":"info","text":"Daniel's statement that the Lord has remembered him echoes the theme of divine faithfulness found in the broader Danielic tradition, though the phrasing is not a direct scriptural quotation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Subscr in litt maiusc Δανιηλ κατα τους σ΄ 87 Syr","severity":"info","text":"The subscript indicates that the preceding text (verse 87) is from the Septuagint version of Daniel, with a Syriac note referencing the Syro-Hexaplar version.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"Syr 38 εγκαταλιπων Syr","severity":"info","text":"The marginal note 'Syr 38' and the repeated 'Syr' likely refer to a Syriac variant or gloss on the Greek word ἐγκαταλιπων, indicating textual transmission through Syriac traditions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀρτάβαι","severity":"info","text":"The artaba was a Persian dry measure, indicating the story's setting in the Persian period and the Hellenistic context of the Greek translation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐξήγαγεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν Δανιὴλ ἐκ τοῦ λάκκον","severity":"info","text":"The king's rescue of Daniel from the lions' pit parallels the narrative in Daniel 6, though here the king himself performs the extraction, unlike the biblical account where Daniel is lifted out by divine agency.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Subscr in litt maiusc Δανιηλ κατα τους σ΄ 87 Syr","severity":"caution","text":"The subscript and Syriac notes may indicate a later addition or a conflation of textual traditions; the passage's placement in the manuscript is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The relationship between the main narrative (verses 87ff) and the appended 'prophecy of Habacuc' section is unclear; the latter may be a separate tradition or a scribal addition.","The phrase 'Syr 38 εγκαταλιπων Syr' is ambiguous: it may denote a Syriac variant or a marginal correction."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":15,"ref":"p15","source":"οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅσα εἰς αὐτὸν δαπανᾶται καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν\nκαὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Δανιὴλ Μηδαμῶς, μηδείς σε παραλογιζέσθω· οὗτος\n γὰρ ἔσωθεν μέν πήλινός ἐστιν, ἔξωθεν δέ χαλκοῦς· ὀμνύω δέ σοι\n Κύριον τὸν θεὸν τῶν θεῶν, ὅτι οὐθὲν βέβρωκε πώποτε οὗτος. καὶ\n θυμωθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκάλεσε τοὺς προεστηκότας τοῦ ἱεροῦ καὶ εἶπεν\n αὐτοῖς Παραδείξατε τὸν ἐσθίοντα τὰ παρασκευαζόμενα τῷ Βήλ· εἰ\n δὲ μή γε, ἀποθανεῖσθε,\nἢ Δανιὴλ ὁ φάσκων μὴ ἐσθίεσθαι αὐτὰ\n ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ. οἱ δὲ εἶπαν Αὐτὸς ὁ Βήλ ἐστιν ὁ κατεσθίων αὐτά· εἶπε δὲ Δανιὴλ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Γινέσθω οὕτως· ἐὰν μὴ παραδείξω\n sὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Βὴλ ὁ κατεσθίων ταῦτα, ἀποθανοῦμαι καὶ\n πάντες οἱ παρʼ ἐμοῦ. ἦσαν δέ τῷ Βὴλ ἱερεῖς ἑβδομήκοντα χωρὶς\n Syr Inscr Bηλ Syr (deest in 87) Tit Αμβακουμ] Ἁβακουκ Syr: item 33 Sqq\n 3 αΗλΙCΚεΤο Syrmg τεσσαρα] τεσσαρακοντα Syrᵐᵍ και ελαιου] και οινου\n Syrmg μετρητας 87 6 ουτος] ουτως 87* (-τος 87a) 7 ÷ ομννω. .των\n θεων Syr 8 παραδειξειτε 87eᵈ 9 εμου] εμοι 87a (superscr οι)","english":"Do you not see how much is spent on him each day? And Daniel said to him, \"By no means; let no one deceive you. For this one is clay within and bronze without; and I swear to you by the Lord God of gods that this one has never eaten anything at all.\" And the king, angered, summoned those in charge of the temple and said to them, \"Produce the one who eats the provisions prepared for Bel; otherwise you will die, or Daniel who claims that these things are not eaten by him.\" And they said, \"Bel himself is the one who devours them.\" And Daniel said to the king, \"Let it be so; if I do not demonstrate that Bel is not the one who devours these things, I will die, and all who are with me.\" Now there were seventy priests of Bel, besides","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐχ ὁρᾷς","severity":"info","text":"The king's rhetorical question continues from the previous passage, emphasizing the apparent cost of Bel's cult.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"πήλινός","severity":"info","text":"πήλινός (clay) contrasts with χαλκοῦς (bronze), describing the idol's construction: clay core, bronze exterior.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Βήλ","severity":"info","text":"Bel (Βήλ) is the Greek form of the Akkadian deity Bel, identified with the Babylonian god Marduk. The story satirizes pagan idol worship.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εἶπεν","severity":"info","text":"The passage alternates between direct speech (king, Daniel, priests) and narrative, building toward a test of the priests' claim.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"Syr Inscr Bηλ","severity":"caution","text":"The apparatus notes Syriac inscriptions and variant readings (e.g., Ἁβακουκ for Ἁμβακουμ, and numerals for oil and wine), indicating textual fluidity in transmission.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἑβδομήκοντα","severity":"caution","text":"The number of priests (seventy) may be symbolic or a textual variant; the apparatus shows other numerical variants (e.g., τεσσαράκοντα).","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact number of priests (seventy vs. forty) is uncertain due to manuscript variation.","The phrase 'πάντες οἱ παρʼ ἐμοῦ' could mean 'all my followers' or 'all those with me' (i.e., Daniel's party)."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":16,"ref":"p16","source":"87 γυναικῶν καὶ τέκνων. ἤγαγον δὲ τὸν βασιλέα εἰς τὸ εἰδώλιον· καὶ\n παρετέθη τὰ βρώματα ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τοῦ Δανιὴλ, καὶ\n οἶνος κερασθεὶς εἰσηνέχθη καὶ παρετέθη τῷ Βήλ. καὶ εἶπεν\n Δανιὴλ Σὺ αὐτὸς ὁρᾶς ὅτι κεῖται ταῦτα, βασιλεῦ· σὺ οὗν ἐπισφράγισαι\n τὰς κλεῖδας τοῦ ναοῦ, ἐπὰν κλεισθῇ. ἤρεσεν δὲ ὁ λόγος τῷ\n βασιλεῖ\nὁ δὲ Δανιὴλ ἐκέλευσε τοὺς παρʼ αὐτοῦ ἐκβαλόντας\n πάντας ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ κατασῆσαι ὅλον τὸν ναὸν σποδῷ, οὐθενὸς τῶν\n ἐκτὸς αὐτοῦ εἰδότος. καὶ τότε σφραγισάμενος τὸν ναὸν ἐκέλευσε\n σφραγίσαι τῷ τοῦ βασιλέως δακτυλίῳ καὶ τοῖς δακτυλίοις τινῶν\n ἐνδόξων ἱερέων· καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως. —17 καὶ ἐγένετο τῇ ἐπαύριον\n παρεγένοντο ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον· οἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βὴλ διὰ ψευδοθυρίδων\n εἰσελθόντες κατεφάγοσαν πάντα τὰ παρακείμενα τῷ Βὴλ καὶ ἐξέπιον\n τὸν οἶνον. καὶ εἶπεν Δανιὴλ Ἐπίδετε τὰς σφραγῖδας ὑμῶν εἰ μένουσιν,\n ἄνδρες ἱερεῖς· καὶ σὺ δέ, βασιλεῦ, σκέψαι μὴ τί σοι ἀσύμφωνον\n γεγένηται. καὶ εὗρον ὡς ἣν ἡ σφραγίς, καὶ ἀπέβαλον τὴν\n σφραγῖδα. καὶ ἀνοίξαντες τὰς θύρας εἴδοσαν δεδαπανημένα πάντα\n τὰ παρατεθέντα, καὶ τὰς τραπέζας κενάς· καὶ ἐχάρη ὁ βασιλεύς, καὶ\n εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν Δανιὴλ Μέγας ἐστὶν ὁ Βήλ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι παρʼ αὐτῷ\n δόλος. καὶ ἐγέλασε Δανιὴλ σφόδρα καὶ εἶπεν τῷ βασιλεῖ Δεῦρο\n ἴδε τὸν δόλον τῶν ἱερέων. καὶ εἶπεν Δανιὴλ Βασιλεῦ, ταῦτα τὰ\n ἴχνη τίνος ἐστί\nκαὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς Ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ\n παιδίων. καὶ ἐπῆλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον ἐν ᾧ ἦσαν οἱ ἱερεῖς καταγινόμενοι,\n καὶ εἶρε τὰ βρώματα τοῦ Βὴλ καὶ τὸν οἶνον·","english":"of women and children. And they led the king into the shrine; and the food was set before the king and Daniel, and mixed wine was brought in and set before Bel. And Daniel said, \"You yourself see that these things lie here, O king; therefore seal the keys of the temple, when it is closed.\" And the word pleased the king. And Daniel ordered those from his side who had expelled everyone from the temple to cover the entire temple with ash, none of those outside knowing. And then, having sealed the temple, he ordered it to be sealed with the king's ring and with the rings of certain illustrious priests; and it was done so. —17 And on the next day they came to the place; and the priests of Bel, having entered through false doors, consumed all that was set before Bel and drank up the wine. And Daniel said, \"Behold your seals, whether they remain, O priests; and you, O king, see if anything inconsistent has occurred.\" And they found that the seal was as it was, and they removed the seal. And opening the doors, they saw that all that had been set out was consumed, and the tables empty; and the king rejoiced, and said to Daniel, \"Great is Bel, and there is no deceit in him.\" And Daniel laughed heartily and said to the king, \"Come, see the deceit of the priests.\" And Daniel said, \"O king, whose footprints are these?\" And the king said, \"Of men and women and children.\" And he went to the house where the priests were dwelling, and found the food of Bel and the wine.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ψευδοθυρίδων","severity":"info","text":"The term ψευδοθυρίδων (literally 'false doors') refers to secret or hidden entrances used by the priests to access the shrine undetected. This detail exposes the mechanism of the deception.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"σποδῷ","severity":"info","text":"σποδῷ (ash) is used as a forensic tool: Daniel has the temple floor covered with ash to preserve footprints, a motif that reveals the priests' entry and consumption of the offerings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage is structured as a test-and-revelation sequence: sealing, overnight consumption, inspection, and exposure. The king's joy at the empty tables is immediately undercut by Daniel's laughter and the footprint evidence.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The use of multiple seals (king's ring and priests' rings) reflects Persian and Hellenistic administrative practice for securing temple treasuries and storerooms, lending verisimilitude to the narrative.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The motif of ash to detect intruders appears in other ancient narratives (e.g., Herodotus 2.121, the story of Rhampsinitus), suggesting a common folkloric trope of clever detection.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"κατασῆσαι","severity":"caution","text":"The verb κατασῆσαι (to cover with ash) is a hapax legomenon in the Septuagint; its exact meaning is inferred from context. Some manuscripts read κατασπείσαι (to sprinkle), but the sense of spreading ash is secure.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τῶν ἐκτὸς αὐτοῦ' (none of those outside) could mean 'none of those outside his own circle' or 'none of those outside the temple'; the translation adopts the latter as more natural.","The number and identity of the 'illustrious priests' whose rings are used for sealing are not specified; they may be the same as the priests of Bel or a separate group."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":17,"ref":"p17","source":"καὶ ἐπέδειξε\n Δανιὴλ τῷ βασιλεῖ τὰ ψευδοθύρια, δι᾿ ὧν εἰσπορευόμενοι οἱ ἱερεῖς\n ἐδαπάνων τὰ παρατιθέμενα τῷ Βήλ. καὶ ἐξήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ὁ βασιλεὺς\n ἐκ τοῦ Βηλίου, καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς τῷ Δανιὴλ· καὶ τὴν\n δαπάνην τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν ἔδωκε τῷ Δανιὴλ, τὸν δὲ Βὴλ κατέστρεψε. Καὶ ἣν δράκων ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ τόπῳ, καὶ ἐσέβοντο οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Δανιὴλ Μὴ καὶ τοῦτον ἐρεῖς ὅτι χαλκοῦς\n ἐστιν; ἰδοὺ ζῇ καὶ ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει, προσκύνησον αὐτῷ. καὶ εἶπεν\n Δανιὴλ Βασιλεῦ, δός μοι τὴν ἐξουσίαν, καὶ ἀνελῶ τὸν δράκοντα ἄνευ\n σιδήρου καὶ ῤάβδου. καὶ συνεχώρησεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ εἶπεν\n αὐτῷ Δέδοταί σοι. καὶ λαβὼν ὁ Δανιὴλ πίσσης μνᾶς τριάκοντα\n καὶ στέαρ καὶ τρίχας ἥψησεν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ ἐποίησεν μάζαν, καὶ\n ἐνέβαλεν εἰς τὸ στόμα τοῦ δράκοντος· καὶ φαγὼν διερράγη. καὶ\n ἔδειξεν αὐτὸν τῷ βασιλεῖ λέγων Οὐ ταῦτα σέβεσθε, βασιλεῦ; καὶ\n συνήχθησαν οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς χώρας πάντες ἐπὶ τὸν Δανιὴλ καὶ εἶπαν\n Ἰουδαῖος γέγονεν ὁ βασιλεύς· τὸν Βὴλ κατέστρεψε καὶ τὸν δράκοντα\n ἀπέκτεινε. καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ βασιλεὺς ὅτι ἐπισυνήχθη ὁ ὄχλος\n τῆς χώρας ἐπʼ αὐτόν, ἐκάλεσε τοὺς συμβιωτὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν Δίδωμι\n τὸν Δανιὴλ εἰς ἀπώλειαν. –32 ἧν δὲ λάκκος ἐν ᾧ ἐτρέφοντο\n λέοντες ἑπτά, οἷς παρεδίδοντο οἱ ἐπίβουλοι τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ ἐχορηγεῖτο\n αὐτοῖς καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν τῶν ἐπιθανατίων σώματα δύο. καὶ ἐνεβάλοσαν τὸν Δανιὴλ οἱ ὄχλοι εἰς ἐκεῖνον τὸν λάκκον, ἴνα\n καταβρωθῇ καὶ μηδέ ταφῆς τύχῃ. καὶ ἣν ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ Δανιὴλ\n ἡμέρας ἔξ.","english":"And Daniel showed the king the false doors through which the priests entered and consumed the offerings set before Bel. And the king led them out from the temple of Bel and handed them over to Daniel; and the expenditure for Bel he gave to Daniel, and he destroyed Bel. Now there was a dragon in that same place, and the Babylonians worshipped it. And the king said to Daniel, \"Will you not also say that this one is made of bronze? Behold, it lives and eats and drinks; worship it.\" And Daniel said, \"O king, give me authority, and I will kill the dragon without iron or rod.\" And the king granted it and said to him, \"It is given to you.\" And Daniel took thirty minas of pitch, and fat, and hair, boiled them together, and made a cake, and cast it into the mouth of the dragon; and having eaten, it burst. And he showed it to the king, saying, \"Do you not worship these things, O king?\" And all the people from the land gathered against Daniel and said, \"The king has become a Jew; he has destroyed Bel and killed the dragon.\" And when the king saw that the multitude of the land had assembled against him, he called his companions and said, \"I give Daniel over to destruction.\" Now there was a pit in which seven lions were kept, to which those who plotted against the king were delivered, and each day two bodies of those condemned to death were supplied to them. And the multitudes cast Daniel into that pit, so that he might be devoured and not even receive burial. And Daniel was in the pit for six days.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ψευδοθύρια","severity":"info","text":"ψευδοθύρια (pseudothyria) means 'false doors' or 'secret doors,' a term not in classical Greek but used here to describe hidden entrances used by the priests to deceive the worshippers.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"δράκων","severity":"info","text":"The dragon (δράκων) is a living serpent worshipped by the Babylonians, distinct from the idol Bel; this episode reflects a common Hellenistic motif of exposing pagan cults as fraudulent.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἣν δράκων","severity":"info","text":"The narrative shifts abruptly from the destruction of Bel to the introduction of the dragon with 'Now there was a dragon' (ἣν δράκων), marking a new episode within the same story.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"μάζαν","severity":"info","text":"Daniel's method of killing the dragon with a cake of pitch, fat, and hair parallels similar folkloric motifs in Near Eastern and Greek traditions where a beast is destroyed by a poisoned or indigestible substance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"Ἰουδαῖος γέγονεν ὁ βασιλεύς","severity":"info","text":"The crowd's accusation that 'the king has become a Jew' reflects early Jewish and Christian reception of this story as a polemic against idolatry, emphasizing the king's conversion to monotheism.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐπιθανατίων σώματα δύο","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'two bodies of those condemned to death' (ἐπιθανατίων σώματα δύο) is ambiguous: it may mean two corpses or two living prisoners; the Greek ἐπιθανατίων typically refers to those under sentence of death.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The number of lions is given as seven (λέοντες ἑπτά), but the text does not specify whether Daniel was cast in alone or with others; the phrase 'the multitudes cast Daniel' suggests a mob action.","The duration 'six days' (ἡμέρας ἔξ) is not explained; the narrative resumes in the next passage without detailing Daniel's survival."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":18,"ref":"p18","source":"καὶ ἐγένετο τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ καὶ ἣν Ἁμβακοὺμ ἔχων\n ἄρτους ἐντεθρυμμένους ἐν σκάφῃ ἐν ἑψήματι καὶ στάμνον οἴνου\n κεκερασμένου, καὶ ἐπορεύετο εἰς τὸ πεδίον πρὸς τοὺς θεριστάς. καὶ ἐλάλησεν ἄγγελος Κυρίου πρὸς Ἁμβακοὐμ λέγων Γάδε λέγει\n σοι Κύριος ὁ θεός Τὸ ἄριστον ὁ ἔχεις ἀπένεγκε Δανιὴλ εἰς τὸν λάκκον\n τῶν λεόντων ἐν Βαβυλῶνι. καὶ εἶπεν Ἁμβακούμ Κύριε ὁ θεός,\n οὐχ ἑώρακα τὴν Βαβυλῶνα, καὶ τὸν λάκκον οὐ γινώσκω ποῦ ἐστι. καὶ ἐπιλαβόμενος αὐτοῦ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου τοῦ Ἁμβακοὺμ τῆς κόμης\n αὐτοῦ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἔθηκεν αὐτὸν ἐπάνω τοῦ λάκκου τοῦ ἐν Βαβυλῶνι. καὶ εἶπεν Ἁμβακοὺμ πρὸς Δανιήλ Ἀναστὰς φάγε τὸ ἄριστον ὃ\n ἀπέστειλέ σοι Κύριος ὁ θεός. καὶ εἶπεν Δανιήλ Ἐμνήσθη γάρ\n μου Κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ μὴ ἐγκαταλείπων τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας αὐτόν. καὶ\n ἔφαγε Δανιήλ· ὁ δὲ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κατέστησε τὸν Ἁμβακοὺμ\n ὅθεν αὐτὸν ἔλαβε τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ. ὁ δὲ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἐμνήσθη τοῦ\n Δανιὴλ. ἐξῆλθε δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς μετὰ ταῦτα πενθῶν τὸν Δανιὴλ,\n καὶ ἐγκύψας εἰς τὸν λάκκον ὁρᾷ αὐτὸν καθήμενον. καὶ ἀναβοήσας\n εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς Μέγας ἐστὶ Κύριος ὁ θεός, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι πλὴν\n αὐτοῦ ἄλλος. καὶ ἐξήγαγεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν Δανιὴλ ἐκ τοῦ λάκκον. καὶ τοὺς αἰτίους τῆς ἀπωλείας αὐτοῦ ἐνέβαλεν εἰς τὸν λάκκον ἐνώπιον\n τοῦ Δανιήλ, καὶ κατεβρώθησαν.","english":"And it came to pass on the sixth day that Habakkum had bread crumbled into a bowl of stew and a jar of mixed wine, and he was going into the plain to the reapers. And an angel of the Lord spoke to Habakkum, saying, “Gade says to you the Lord God: The lunch which you have, carry it to Daniel in the lions’ den in Babylon.” And Habakkum said, “Lord God, I have not seen Babylon, and I do not know where the den is.” And the angel of the Lord, taking hold of Habakkum by the hair of his head, set him above the den in Babylon. And Habakkum said to Daniel, “Rise and eat the lunch which the Lord God has sent to you.” And Daniel said, “So the Lord God has remembered me, who does not abandon those who love him.” And Daniel ate; and the angel of the Lord set Habakkum back where he had taken him from on that same day. And the Lord God remembered Daniel. After these things the king went out mourning for Daniel, and peering into the den he saw him sitting. And crying out, the king said, “Great is the Lord God, and there is no other besides him.” And the king brought Daniel out of the den. And those responsible for his destruction he threw into the den before Daniel, and they were devoured.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἁμβακοὺμ","severity":"info","text":"The name Habakkum (Ἁμβακοὺμ) is the Greek form of the Hebrew prophet Habakkuk, here cast as a character in the narrative.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐμνήσθη γάρ μου Κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ μὴ ἐγκαταλείπων τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας αὐτόν","severity":"info","text":"Daniel's statement echoes Psalm 9:10 LXX (9:11 MT) and reflects a common biblical theme of divine remembrance of the faithful.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg058","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (translatio Graeca)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg058.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἄγγελος Κυρίου","severity":"info","text":"The angel of the Lord (ἄγγελος Κυρίου) is a standard Septuagint term for a divine messenger, often acting as an intermediary in miraculous events.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἁμβακοὺμ","severity":"info","text":"The transport of Habakkum by an angel parallels the story of Bel and the Dragon's earlier miraculous elements and also echoes the prophet Habakkuk's role in Daniel 14 in the Vulgate.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ ἐγένετο τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'on the sixth day' marks a temporal transition, likely counting from the start of Daniel's confinement in the lions' den, structuring the narrative's climax.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Μέγας ἐστὶ Κύριος ὁ θεός, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι πλὴν αὐτοῦ ἄλλος","severity":"info","text":"The king's exclamation echoes monotheistic confessions in the Septuagint (e.g., Exodus 20:3) and was cited by early Christian writers as a proof of pagan conversion.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The name 'Gade' (Γάδε) in the angel's message is obscure; it may be a transliteration of a Hebrew or Aramaic word, possibly a divine epithet or a corruption.","The phrase 'τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ' could refer to the sixth day of Daniel's imprisonment or a specific day of the week; the text does not clarify."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}