{"slug":"tlg0527.tlg059","id":"greek:tlg0527.tlg059","title":"Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","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":"2026-11-14T23:19:13Z","cost_usd":0.007429},"source":{"registry_id":"greek:tlg0527.tlg059","work_id":"tlg0527.tlg059","edition":"first1k","language":"","license":"CC BY-SA 4.0","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"},"stats":{"passages":16,"english_words":2844,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":89,"commentary_kinds":9,"derived_notes":4,"ambiguities":24,"work_notes":4,"external_links":3,"timeline":5},"summary":{"work":"tlg0527.tlg059","abstract":"Bel and the Dragon (Theodotionis versio) is a Greek deuterocanonical addition to the Book of Daniel, preserved in a few Septuagint manuscripts. It recounts two episodes: Daniel exposes the fraud of the priests of Bel, who secretly consume offerings meant for the idol, and later Daniel destroys a dragon worshipped by the Babylonians. The work survives only in Greek, with its original Semitic Vorlage lost. The Theodotionic recension, likely from the 2nd century CE, often replaced the older Septuagint text of Daniel in Byzantine manuscripts. The narrative is considered a folkloric tale emphasizing the power of the living God over man-made idols.","historical_context":"Bel and the Dragon was likely composed in the late 2nd century BCE, but the Theodotionic recension dates to the 2nd century CE. The work is part of the Septuagint tradition, which was the Greek translation of Jewish scriptures produced in Alexandria, Egypt, for the Hellenistic Jewish community. The narrative reflects a period of Jewish interaction with Hellenistic culture and Persian or Babylonian folklore. The story is set in the court of Cyrus the Persian, but anachronistically names the Median king Astyages, indicating a conflation of historical traditions. The text was transmitted through Christian manuscript traditions, where Theodotion's revision became standard for Daniel in Byzantine codices. It is considered deuterocanonical in Catholic and Orthodox traditions but is absent from the Hebrew Bible.","significance":"Bel and the Dragon is significant as a late Jewish narrative that critiques idolatry and affirms monotheism, using a folkloric test motif. It relates to the broader Daniel cycle and the Septuagint tradition, illustrating how Jewish stories were adapted in Greek-speaking communities. The Theodotionic version influenced Christian iconography and liturgy, and its survival in only a few manuscripts highlights the textual fluidity of the Septuagint.","timeline":[{"date":"late 2nd c. BCE","event":"Original composition of Bel and the Dragon, likely in Hebrew or Aramaic (Vorlage lost)."},{"date":"2nd c. CE","event":"Theodotion's Greek recension produced, revising the Old Greek text of Daniel."},{"date":"4th–5th c. CE","event":"Theodotion's version of Daniel, including Bel and the Dragon, becomes standard in Byzantine manuscripts."},{"date":"4th c. CE","event":"Codex Vaticanus and Codex Alexandrinus include Bel and the Dragon in the Septuagint."},{"date":"16th c.","event":"Council of Trent affirms deuterocanonical status of Bel and the Dragon for Catholic tradition."}],"relations":[{"work":"Book of Daniel (Theodotion)","relation":"Bel and the Dragon is an addition to this work in the Septuagint tradition.","key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"},{"work":"Septuagint","relation":"The work is preserved as part of the Septuagint corpus.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Susanna (Theodotion)","relation":"Another deuterocanonical addition to Daniel, often transmitted together with Bel and the Dragon.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"2 Maccabees","relation":"Shares phraseology contrasting the living creator with idols.","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 textual history."},{"key":"wikipedia:Theodotion","label":"Theodotion","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodotion","reason":"Context on the translator and his recension."},{"key":"wikipedia:Septuagint","label":"Septuagint","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Septuagint","reason":"Background on the Greek translation tradition."}],"cautions":["The original Semitic Vorlage is lost; the work survives only in Greek.","The date of original composition is uncertain; the late 2nd century BCE is traditional but not firmly established.","The Theodotionic recension likely dates to the 2nd century CE, but the exact date is unknown.","The Greek text may reflect later scribal harmonization with the Old Greek version; variants are not fully recorded.","The name Astyages is anachronistic, indicating possible conflation of historical traditions."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000451,"generated":"2026-11-14T23:19:12Z"},"checks":{"work":"tlg0527.tlg059","status":"warn","blocking":[],"warnings":[{"code":"short-output-warn","i":1,"words":7},{"code":"ratio-warn","i":3,"ratio":0.633},{"code":"ratio-warn","i":5,"ratio":0.086},{"code":"ratio-warn","i":10,"ratio":0.091}],"stats":{"passages":16,"translated":16,"commentary_passages":16,"commentary_units":89,"english_words":2844,"source_letters":13436,"commentary_kinds":9},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Theodotion's Greek version of Bel and the Dragon survives only in a few Septuagint manuscripts; the original Semitic Vorlage is lost.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The work is traditionally dated to the late 2nd century BCE, but the Theodotionic recension likely dates to the 2nd century CE.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Bel and the Dragon is considered deuterocanonical in Catholic and Orthodox traditions; it is not part of the Hebrew Bible.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The edition's Greek text may reflect later scribal harmonization with the Old Greek version; variants are not fully recorded here.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-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: 16 narrative."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: first1k — CC BY-SA 4.0"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":16},"term_index":[],"citations":{"ed:tlg0527.tlg059":{"label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ΒΗΛ ΚΑΙ ΔΡΑΚΩΝ κατα Θεοδοτιωνα","english":"Bel and the Dragon according to Theodotion","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ΒΗΛ ΚΑΙ ΔΡΑΚΩΝ","severity":"info","text":"The title marks the beginning of the narrative, which is a distinct addition to the book of Daniel in the Septuagint tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"Θεοδοτιωνα","severity":"info","text":"Theodotion is a second-century CE Jewish translator whose Greek version of Daniel, including this apocryphal story, was adopted by early Christian scribes.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"κατα Θεοδοτιωνα","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'according to Theodotion' indicates that this manuscript follows Theodotion's revision, which often replaced the older Septuagint text of Daniel in Byzantine manuscripts.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"ΒΗΛ ΚΑΙ ΔΡΑΚΩΝ","severity":"info","text":"Bel and the Dragon was transmitted as part of the Greek Daniel and later included in the Vulgate, but it is not in the Hebrew Bible and is considered deuterocanonical by some traditions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Coptic cues are not present in the Greek text; the structural classification 'narrative' is derived from the Coptic tradition, but the Greek itself is straightforward."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"check","severity":"info","code":"short-output-warn","text":"Automatic check: the English is short for the Coptic of this passage. Short passages are legitimate; this one is at the margin."}]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"κατα Θεοδοτιωνα \n ΚAI ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἀστυάγης προσετέθη πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτοῦ, B \n § καὶ παρέλαβεν Κῦρος ὁ Πέρσης τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἦν § Γ \n Δανιὴλ συνβιωτὴς τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἔνδοξος ὑπέρ πάντας τοὺς φίλους\n αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἣν εἴδωλον τοῖς Βαβυλωνίοις ᾦ ὄνομα Βήλ, καὶ\n ἐδαπανῶντο εἰς αὐτὸν ἑκάστης ἡμέρας σεμιδάλεως ἀρτάβαι δώδεκα\n καὶ πρόβατα τεσσεράκοντα καὶ οἴνου μετρηταὶ ἕξ. καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς\n ἐσέβετο αὐτόν, καὶ ἐπορεύετο καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν προσκυνεῖν αὐτῷ,\n Δανιὴλ δὲ προσεκύνει τῷ θεῷ αὐτοῦ· καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεύς ¶ Γ \n Διὰ τί οὐ προσκυνεῖς τῷ Βήλ; ὁ δὲ εἶπ εν Ὅτι οὐ σέβομαι εἴδωλα\n χειροποίητα, ἀλλὰ τὸν ζῶντα θεόν, τὸν κτίσαντα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ\n τὴν γῆν καὶ ἔχοντα πάσης σαρκὸς κυρίαν. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεύς\n Οὐ δοκεῖ σοι Βὴλ εἶναι ζῶν θεός; ἡ οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅσα ἐσθίει καὶ\n πίνει καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ; καὶ εἶπεν Δανιὴλ γελάσας Μὴ πλανῶ,\n βασιλεῦ· οὗτος γὰρ ἔσωθέν ἐστι πηλός, ἔξωθεν δὲ χαλκός, καὶ οὐ\n βέβρωκεν οὐδέποτε. καὶ θυμωθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκάλεσεν τοὺς ἱερεῖς\n αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἐὰν μὴ εἵπητέ μοι τίς ὁ κατέσθων τὴν\n δαπάνην ταύτην, ἀποθανεῖσθε· ἐὸν δὲ δείξητε ὅτι Βὴλ κατεσθίει\n αὐτά, ἀποθανεῖται Δανιὴλ, ὅτι ἐβλασφήμησεν εἰς τὸν Βήλ. καὶ\n εἶπεν Δανιὴλ τῷ βασιλεῖ Γινέσθω κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου. καὶ ἤσαν\n ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βὴλ ἑβδομήκοντα ἐκτὸς γυναικῶν καὶ τέκνων·","english":"And King Astyages was gathered to his fathers, and Cyrus the Persian took over his kingdom. And Daniel was a companion of the king and more honored than all his friends. And there was an idol for the Babylonians whose name was Bel, and for him were spent each day twelve artabae of fine flour, forty sheep, and six measures of wine. And the king worshipped him, and went every day to prostrate himself before him, but Daniel worshipped his own God. And the king said to him, \"Why do you not worship Bel?\" And he said, \"Because I do not revere idols made by hand, but the living God, who created the heaven and the earth and has lordship over all flesh.\" And the king said to him, \"Does it not seem to you that Bel is a living god? Do you not see how much he eats and drinks each day?\" And Daniel said, laughing, \"Do not be deceived, O king; for this one is clay inside and bronze outside, and he has never eaten.\" And the king, angered, called his priests and said to them, \"If you do not tell me who is consuming this expenditure, you will die; but if you show that Bel is consuming it, Daniel will die, because he has blasphemed against Bel.\" And Daniel said to the king, \"Let it be according to your word.\" And there were seventy priests of Bel, besides women and children.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Ἀστυάγης","severity":"info","text":"The name Astyages is anachronistic here: historically, the last Median king was Astyages (r. 585–550 BCE), but the narrative places Daniel under Cyrus the Persian, who overthrew the Median kingdom. This confusion reflects the legendary character of the Bel and the Dragon story.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"σεμιδάλεως ἀρτάβαι","severity":"info","text":"Artabae (ἀρτάβαι) is a Persian measure of capacity, here for fine flour (σεμίδαλις). The detail of twelve artabae, forty sheep, and six measures of wine daily underscores the lavish cultic expenditure, a motif in Hellenistic Jewish polemic against idolatry.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν κτίσαντα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν","severity":"info","text":"Daniel’s confession echoes LXX phraseology for God as creator of heaven and earth, e.g., Genesis 1:1 and 2 Maccabees 1:24. The formulation contrasts the living creator with the man-made idol Bel.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ θυμωθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκάλεσεν τοὺς ἱερεῖς","severity":"info","text":"The king’s anger and conditional threat (death for priests if they do not reveal the fraud, death for Daniel if Bel is shown to eat) sets up the narrative’s central test. This judicial challenge is a typical folkloric motif in contest stories.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βὴλ ἑβδομήκοντα","severity":"info","text":"The number seventy for Bel’s priests may be symbolic (cf. the seventy elders of the Sanhedrin or the Septuagint tradition). The detail “besides women and children” emphasizes the scale of the priestly establishment, heightening the exposure of their fraud.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ΚAI","severity":"caution","text":"The opening word ΚΑΙ (capitalized in the edition) is likely a scribal or editorial marker; the passage begins mid-narrative. The previous passage (not extant in this edition) presumably introduced Astyages’ death. The text as transmitted lacks a proper narrative opening.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The name Astyages is historically anachronistic; the text may conflate Median and Persian rulers.","The opening ΚΑΙ suggests the passage is a fragment, with the preceding context lost or omitted."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"καὶ ἦλθεν\n 1 in B Danielem sequitur Bel sine intervallo superscr ορασις ιβ΄ AQ AQΓ \n 2 συμβιωτης Bᵃ?ᵇQ) πας B* (παντας Bᵃᵇ) 3 αυτον] αυτο Q δωδεκα\n δεκα δυο A τεσσαρακοντα Bᵇ 4 om εκαστην A προσκυνειν] κυνειν\n sup ras Bᵃᵇ 5 κυρειαν Bᵃᵇ 6 Βηλ] pr ο Q 7 ουτος] αυτος\n A εσωθεν] + με AQ εστιν AQ* ουδεποτε] ουδε πεπωκεν πωποτε AQ\n 8 κατεσθιων AQ 9 δειξητε] αποδιξητε A (-δειξ. Qᵃ) Βηλ 1⁰] pr ο\n AQ om τω βασιλει Q* (hab Qᵐᵍ) 10 ιερεις] pr οι AQ εκτος] κω· ρεις A τεκνων] παιδιων A","english":"me was Bel, and they worshipped it. And the king said to Daniel, \"Why do you not worship Bel?\" And Daniel said, \"Because I do not worship idols made by hands, but the living God who created the heaven and the earth.\" And the king said, \"Does not Bel seem to you to be a living god? Do you not see how much he eats and drinks every day?\" And Daniel laughed and said, \"Do not be deceived, O king; this Bel is clay within and bronze without, and he has never eaten nor drunk anything.\" Then the king became angry and called his priests and said to them, \"If you do not show me who it is that eats the provisions, you will die.\" And the priests said, \"We will show you.\" And there were seventy priests, besides the women and children.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The king challenges Daniel to worship Bel, and Daniel refuses, asserting his worship of the living creator God.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"συμβιωτης","severity":"info","text":"The Greek term συμβιωτης (companion) in the apparatus describes Daniel's relationship with the king; the text is uncertain between B* παντας and Bᵃᵇ corrections.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Daniel's phrase 'living God who created the heaven and the earth' echoes LXX Genesis 1:1 and common Hellenistic Jewish anti-idol polemic.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The seventy priests plus women and children reflect a large temple staff typical of major Babylonian cults, though the number may be symbolic.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek apparatus shows variant readings for numerals (δωδεκα vs δεκα δυο) and the verb 'to worship' (προσκυνειν vs κυνειν), indicating textual instability.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is a dialogue unit within the narrative, moving from royal challenge to Daniel's theological rebuttal, setting up the miracle of the uneaten food.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact number of priests (seventy) and the inclusion of women and children may be a textual addition or symbolic; the Greek apparatus does not resolve the variant readings for numerals."],"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":"ὁ βασιλεὺς μετὰ Δανιὴλ εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Βήλ. καὶ εἶπαν οἰ ἱε- B \n ρεῖς τοῦ Βήλ Ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς ἀποτρέχομεν ἔξω, σὺ δέ, βασιλεῦ, παράθες\n τὰ βρώματα καὶ τὸν οἶνον κεράσας θές, καὶ ἀπόκλεισον τὴν θύραν\n καὶ σφράγισον τῷ δακτυλίῳ σου. καὶ ἐλθὼν πρωὶ ἐὰν μὴ εὕρῃς\n πάντα βεβρωμένα ὑπὸ τοῦ Βήλ, ἀποθανούμεθα, ἡ Δανιὴλ ὁ ψευδόμένος\n καθʼ ἡμῶν. αὐτοὶ δὲ κατεφρόνουν, ὅτι πεποιήκεισαν ὑπὸ\n τὴν τράπεζαν κεκρυμμένην εἴσοδον, καὶ δι᾿ αὐτῆς εἰσεπορεύοντο\n διόλου καὶ ἀνήλουν αὐτά. καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἐξήλθοσαν ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ\n ὁ βασιλεὺς παρέθηκεν τὰ βρώματα τῷ Βήλ· καὶ ἐπέταξεν Δανιὴλ\n τοῖς παιδαρίοις αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤνεγκαν τέφραν, καὶ κατέσησαν ὅλον τὸν\n ναὸν ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως μόνου· καὶ ἐξελθόντες ἔκλεισαν τὴν θὑραν\n καὶ ἐσφραγίσαντο ἐν τῷ δακτυλίῳ τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ ἀπῆλθον. οἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς ἦλθον τὴν νύκτα κατὰ τὸ ἔθος αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες\n καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν, καὶ κατέφαγον πάντα καὶ ἐξέπιον. καὶ ὤρθρίσεν\n ὁ βασιλεὺς πρωί, καὶ Δανιὴλ μετʼ αὐτοῦ. καὶ εἶπεν Σῷοι\n αἱ σφραγῖδες, Δανιὴλ; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν Σῷοι, βασιλεῦ. καὶ ἐγένετο\n ἄμα τῷ ἀνοῖξαι τὰς θύρας, ἐπιβλέψας ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ τὴν τράπεζαν\n ἐβόησεν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ Μέγας εἶ, Βήλ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν παρὰ σοὶ δόλος\n οὐδὲ εἰς. καὶ ἐγέλασεν Δανιὴλ, καὶ ἐκράτησεν τὸν βασιλέα τοῦ\n μὴ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτὸν ἔσω, καὶ εἶπ εν Ἴδε δὴ τὸ ἔδαφος καὶ γνῶθι\n τίνος τὰ ἴχνη ταῦτα. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς Ὁρῶ τὰ ἴχνη ἀνδρῶν\n καὶ § γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων.","english":"The king went with Daniel into the house of Bel. And the priests of Bel said, \"Behold, we go out; do you, O king, set out the food and mix the wine and place it, and lock the door and seal it with your signet ring. And coming in the morning, if you do not find everything eaten by Bel, we will die, or Daniel who lies against us.\" But they were contemptuous, because they had made a hidden entrance under the table, and through it they went in continually and consumed them. And it happened that when they had gone out, the king set out the food for Bel; and Daniel ordered his servants, and they brought ashes, and sifted them over the whole temple in the presence of the king alone; and going out, they closed the door and sealed it with the king's signet ring, and departed. And the priests came by night according to their custom, and their wives and children, and they ate everything and drank it up. And the king rose early in the morning, and Daniel with him. And he said, \"Are the seals intact, Daniel?\" And he said, \"They are intact, O king.\" And it happened that when they opened the doors, the king, looking at the table, cried out with a loud voice, \"Great are you, Bel, and there is no deceit in you at all.\" And Daniel laughed, and held the king back from entering inside, and said, \"Look now at the floor and see whose footprints these are.\" And the king said, \"I see the footprints of men and women and children.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Βήλ","severity":"info","text":"Bel (Βήλ) is the Hellenized form of the Akkadian deity Bēl, a title meaning 'lord' applied to the god Marduk, chief god of Babylon. The narrative satirizes pagan cultic practice.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἐξήλθοσαν ἐκεῖνοι","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'And it happened that when they had gone out' marks a narrative pivot from the priests' scheme to Daniel's counter-scheme, structuring the episode as a contest of deception.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"κατέσησαν","severity":"info","text":"The verb κατέσησαν (from κατασάω) means 'sifted' or 'strewed' — Daniel has ashes spread over the temple floor to preserve footprints, a key forensic detail.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἴχνη ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων","severity":"info","text":"The exposure of footprints as evidence of human, not divine, agency echoes the prophetic critique of idolatry found in e.g. Isaiah 44:9–20, though no direct citation is made.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"Βήλ","severity":"info","text":"Theodotion's version of Bel and the Dragon was transmitted as part of the Septuagint Daniel and later included in the Vulgate as Daniel 14. It was used by early Christian apologists to mock pagan cults.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text at § (paragraph break) is uncertain; the English draft treats it as a section marker, but the Greek has a blank space. The reading 'men and women and children' is clear."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"καὶ ὀργισθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς τότε § Δ \n συνέλαβεν τοὺς ἱερεῖς καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν, καὶ\n ἔδειξαν αὐτῷ τὰς κρυπτὰς θύρας δι ὅν εἰσεπορεύοντο καὶ ἐδαπάνων\n τὰ ἐπὶ τῇ τραπέζῃ. καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτοὺς ὁ βασιλεύς, καὶ\n ἔδωκεν τὸν Βήλ ἔκδοτον τῷ Δανιὴλ· καὶ κατέστρεψεν αὐτὸν καὶ τὸ\n ἱερὸν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἦν δράκων μέγας, καὶ ἐσέβοντο αὐτὸν οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι. 10 εις τον οικον] επ οικ. Q* (εις τ. οικ. Qᵐᵍ) 11 ειπαν] ειπον A AQΔ \n βασιλευς B* ( λευ Bᵃᵇ) τω δακτυλιω] τω δακτυλω A εν τω δακτυλιω Q\n 12 ψευδομενος] ψ ευσαμενος AQ 13 om δε A κατεφρονουν] κατεφθονουν\n A ανηλουν] ανηλεισκον Q* (- λισκ. Qᵃ ανηλουν Qᵐᵍ) 14 εξηλθοσαν]\n εξηλθον A κατεσησαν] κατεσεισαν A om μονου Q εσφραγισαν A εν τω\n δακτ. om εν A 15 ηλθον] + εις Q* εισηλθον εις Qᵐᵍ ᵛⁱᵈ εξεπιον] επιον Q\n 16 πρωι] pr το AQ 17 ειπεν 1⁰] + ο βασιλευς AQ σωοι 1⁰| σωαι A\n 19 εγελασεν Δανιηλ και] γελασας Δαν. A om και ειπεν A om τινος Q* (hab\n Qᵐᵍ) 21 ο βασιλευς τοτε] τοτε ο βασιλευς Δ συνελαβετο AQ\n 22 ο βασιλευς αυτους Δ εκδοτον] εγδομα Δ το ιερον] τον ναον Q 23 με-\n γας] + εν τω τοπω AQ* + εν αυτω τω τοπω Qmᵍ","english":"Then the king became angry, seized the priests and their wives and children, and they showed him the hidden doors through which they entered and consumed the things on the table. And the king killed them, and gave Bel over to Daniel; and Daniel destroyed him and his temple. And there was a great serpent, and the Babylonians worshipped it.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἔδωκεν τὸν Βήλ ἔκδοτον τῷ Δανιὴλ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'gave Bel over to Daniel' indicates that the idol was handed over for destruction, not merely surrendered as property. The verb ἐκδίδωμι with ἔκδοτον implies a formal transfer of control.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἔκδοτον","severity":"info","text":"ἔκδοτον is a verbal adjective meaning 'given up' or 'surrendered'. In this context, it denotes the handing over of the idol Bel to Daniel for disposal, a legal or administrative act.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Καὶ ἦν δράκων μέγας","severity":"info","text":"This sentence introduces a new narrative episode with the formula 'And there was a great serpent', marking a transition from the Bel episode to the dragon episode. The καί is resumptive, typical of Septuagint narrative style.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"δράκων μέγας","severity":"info","text":"The apparatus shows variant readings for this passage: A and Q* add 'ἐν τῷ τόπῳ' after 'μέγας', while Qmᵍ has 'ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ τόπῳ'. These additions localize the serpent, possibly clarifying the setting.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"δράκων","severity":"info","text":"The 'great serpent' (δράκων μέγας) reflects a common ancient Near Eastern motif of a dragon or snake worshipped as a deity, often associated with Babylonian religion. This narrative element parallels other Hellenistic Jewish polemics against idolatry.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text does not specify whether the hidden doors were discovered by the king or voluntarily shown by the priests; the phrase 'they showed him' (ἔδειξαν) implies the priests revealed them under duress."],"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":6,"ref":"p6","source":"καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Δανιὴλ Οὐ δύνασαι εἰπεῖν ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν B \n οὗτος θεὸς ζῶν· καὶ προσκύνησον αὐτῷ. καὶ εἶπεν Δανιὴλ Κυρίῳ\n τῷ θεῷ μου προσκυνήσω, ὅτι· οὗτός ἐστιν θεὸς ζῶν· οὺ δέ, βασιλεῦ,\n δός μοι ἐξουσίαν, καὶ ἀποκτενῶ τὸν δράκοντα ἄνευ μαχαίρας καὶ\n ῥάβδου. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς Δίδωμί σοι. καὶ ἔλαβεν Δανιὴλ\n πίσσαν καὶ στῆρ καὶ τρίχας, καὶ ἥψησεν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ ἐποίησεν\n μάζας, καὶ ἔδωκεν εἰς τὸ στόμα τοῦ δράκοντος· καὶ φαγὼν διερράγη\n ὁ δράκων. καὶ εἶπεν Ἵδετε τὰ σεβάσματα ὑμῶν. καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς\n ἤκουσαν οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι, ἠγανάκτησαν καὶ συνεστράφησαν ἐπὶ τὸν\n βασιλέα καὶ εἶπαν Ἰουδαῖος γέγονεν ὁ βασιλεύς· τὸν Βὴλ κατέσπασεν\n καὶ τὸν δράκοντα ἀπέκτεινεν, καὶ τοὺς ἱερεῖς κατέσφαξεν. καὶ\n εἶπαν ἐλθόντες πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ΙΙαράδος ἡμῖν τὸν Δανιὴλ· εἰ δὲ\n μή, ἀποκτενοῦμέν σε καὶ τὸν οἶκόν σου. καὶ ἴδεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ὅτι\n ἐπείγουσιν αὐτὸν σφόδρα, καὶ ἀναγκασθεὶς παρέδωκεν αὐτοῖς τὸν\n Δανιὴλ. οἱ δὲ ἔβαλον αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν λάκκον τῶν λεόντων, καὶ ἦν\n ἐκεῖ ἡμέρας ἔξ. ἦσαν δὲ ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ ἑπτὰ λέοντες, καὶ ἐδίδετο\n αὐτοῖς τὴν ἡμέραν δύο σώματα καὶ δύο πρόβατα· τότε δὲ\n οὐκ ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς, ἵνα καταφάγωσιν τὸν Δανιὴλ. καὶ ἦν Ἁμβακοὺμ\n ὁ προφήτης ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ, καὶ αὐτὸς ἥψησεν ἕψεμα καὶ ἐνέθρυψεν\n ἄρτους εἰς σκάφην, καὶ ἐπορεύετο εἰς τὸ πεδίον ἀπενέγκαι\n τοῖς θερισταῖς. καὶ εἶπεν ἅγγελος Κυρίου τῷ Ἁμβακούμ Ἀπένεγκε\n τὸ ἄριστον ὁ ἔχεις εἰς Βαβυλῶνα τῷ Δανιὴλ εἰς τὸν λάκκον\n τῶν λεόντων. καὶ εἶπεν Ἁμβακούμ Κύριε, Βαβυλῶνα οὐχ ἑώρακα,\n καὶ τὸν λάκκον οὐ γινώσκω.","english":"And the king said to Daniel, \"You cannot say that this is not a living god; worship him.\" And Daniel said, \"I will worship the Lord my God, for He is a living god. But you, O king, give me authority, and I will kill the serpent without a sword or a staff.\" And the king said, \"I give it to you.\" And Daniel took pitch, fat, and hair, and boiled them together and made cakes, and put them into the mouth of the serpent; and having eaten, the serpent burst open. And he said, \"Behold your objects of worship.\" And when the Babylonians heard, they were indignant and gathered against the king and said, \"The king has become a Jew; he has destroyed Bel and killed the serpent and slaughtered the priests.\" And they came to the king and said, \"Hand over Daniel to us; otherwise, we will kill you and your household.\" And the king saw that they pressed him greatly, and being compelled, he handed Daniel over to them. And they cast him into the lions' den, and he was there for six days. Now there were seven lions in the den, and each day two bodies and two sheep were given to them; but then nothing was given to them, so that they might devour Daniel. And the prophet Habakkum was in Judea, and he had cooked a stew and crumbled bread into a bowl, and was going to the field to bring it to the reapers. And an angel of the Lord said to Habakkum, \"Bring the lunch that you have to Babylon, to Daniel in the lions' den.\" And Habakkum said, \"Lord, I have not seen Babylon, and I do not know the den.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ μου προσκυνήσω","severity":"info","text":"Daniel refuses to worship the serpent, affirming exclusive worship of his own God. This echoes the theme of divine sovereignty found throughout Daniel.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"πίσσαν καὶ στῆρ καὶ τρίχας","severity":"info","text":"The ingredients for the lethal cakes—pitch, fat, and hair—are unusual and may reflect a folkloric or magical motif. The Greek terms are specific and not paralleled elsewhere in the Septuagint.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἁμβακοὺμ ὁ προφήτης","severity":"info","text":"The prophet Habakkuk (Ἁμβακοὺμ) is introduced here as a contemporary of Daniel, though the historical Habakkuk lived over a century earlier. This anachronism is typical of legendary expansions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"λάκκον τῶν λεόντων","severity":"info","text":"The lions' den episode parallels the canonical Daniel 6, but here the den contains seven lions and the rescue involves Habakkuk, not divine protection alone. This is a distinctive expansion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ εἶπεν ... καὶ εἶπεν","severity":"info","text":"The passage is structured by a series of direct speeches and responses, typical of narrative dialogue in the Septuagint additions. The rapid exchange heightens dramatic tension.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἥψησεν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'boiled them together' is ambiguous: it may mean the ingredients were cooked into a single mass, but the exact process for making the cakes is unclear. The text does not specify proportions or method.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The precise method of preparing the cakes (pitch, fat, hair) is not described in detail; the text assumes a known technique.","The location of Habakkuk in 'Judea' while Daniel is in Babylon creates a geographical and chronological inconsistency not resolved in the narrative."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":7,"ref":"p7","source":"καὶ ἐπελάβετο ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου\n τῆς κορυφῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ βαστάσας τῆς κόμης τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ\n ἔθηκεν αὐτὸν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα ἐπάνω τοῦ λάκκου, ἐν τῷ ῥοίζῳ τοῦ \n 24 ο βασιλευς ειπεν Δ Δανιηλ] μη και τουτον ερεις οτι χαλκους εστιν AQΔ \n ιδου ζη και εσθιει και πινει (πειν. Ba πιν. Bᵇ) BᵃᵇᵐᵍAQ- μη εις (sic ut vid)\n ... χαλκ. εστιν ιδου... και πεινει Δ 25 ουτος] αυτος Λvⁱᵈ εστι Qa\n 26 μαχαιρης A 27 στηρ] στεαρ Q om φαγων QᵛⁱᵈΔ διεραγη Δ\n ιδετε] ιδου δη A 28 ηγανακτησαν] + λιαν (λειᾶ Bᵃ λιᾶ Bᵇ) Bᵐᵍ A\n (- λειαν) QΔ ειπον AQ κατεσπασεν] κατεστρεψεν A κατεσφαξεν] σφαξεν\n sup ras Aᵃ? (κατετρεψ. A*ᵛⁱᵈ) 30 ειδεν Q 31 εβαλον]\n ενεβαλο A om των λεοντων Afort 32 εδιδοτο BᵃᵇΔᵛiᵈ om δυο\n σωματα και Δfort καταφαγωσι Qα 33 Αμβακουμ ο προφητης ην Q ην\n Αμβακουκ προφητης Δ αυτος] ουτος A ηψησεν] ηψ εν Δ επορευετο] επο-\n ρευθη A απενεγκοι] απενεγκειν Qresc απενιγκε (sic) Δ 34 τω Αμβ.]\n προς Αμβ. AQ 35 Αμβακουμ] Δανιηλ A (Αμβ. Aᵐam rec mg) εορακα\n Q λακκον] + των λεοντων Q γινωσκω] + που εστιν A 36 om Κυριου A\n κορυφης] χειρος A βαστασας] στα sup ras B?\nκατα Θεοδοτιωνα \n ΚAI ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἀστυάγης προσετέθη πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτοῦ, B \n § καὶ παρέλαβεν Κῦρος ὁ Πέρσης τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἦν § Γ \n Δανιὴλ συνβιωτὴς τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἔνδοξος ὑπέρ πάντας τοὺς φίλους\n αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἣν εἴδωλον τοῖς Βαβυλωνίοις ᾦ ὄνομα Βήλ, καὶ\n ἐδαπανῶντο εἰς αὐτὸν ἑκάστης ἡμέρας σεμιδάλεως ἀρτάβαι δώδεκα\n καὶ πρόβατα τεσσεράκοντα καὶ οἴνου μετρηταὶ ἕξ.","english":"And the angel of the Lord seized him by the crown of his head, and lifting him by the hair of his head, set him down in Babylon above the den, in the rushing sound. And King Astyages was gathered to his fathers, and Cyrus the Persian took over his kingdom. And Daniel was a companion of the king and more honored than all his friends. And there was an idol for the Babylonians whose name was Bel, and twelve artabae of fine flour, forty sheep, and six metretae of wine were spent on him each day.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ ἐπελάβετο ... ἔθηκεν αὐτὸν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα ἐπάνω τοῦ λάκκου","severity":"info","text":"The passage begins with a miraculous transport by an angel, then shifts abruptly to a narrative of King Astyages' death and Cyrus' succession, marking a transition between episodes.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἄγγελος Κυρίου","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'angel of the Lord' (ἄγγελος Κυρίου) is a standard Septuagintal rendering for a divine messenger, here acting to relocate Daniel physically.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀστυάγης","severity":"info","text":"Astyages was the last king of the Median Empire (c. 585–550 BCE), historically overthrown by Cyrus the Great of Persia. The text conflates Median and Babylonian settings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Βήλ","severity":"info","text":"Bel (Βήλ) is the Greek form of the Akkadian Bēl ('lord'), a title for the god Marduk, chief deity of Babylon. The idol and its daily offerings parody pagan cultic practice.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐν τῷ ῥοίζῳ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'in the rushing sound' (ἐν τῷ ῥοίζῳ) is ambiguous: it may describe the wind of the angel's flight or a whirlwind effect. The Greek is elliptical.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"κατα Θεοδοτιωνα","severity":"info","text":"The subscription 'according to Theodotion' (κατα Θεοδοτιωνα) indicates this passage derives from Theodotion's Greek version, which often supplements the Old Greek text of Daniel.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἐν τῷ ῥοίζῳ' may refer to the sound of the angel's movement or a specific whirlwind; the exact sense is unclear.","The transition from the angelic transport to the historical notice about Astyages and Cyrus is abrupt, possibly indicating a lacuna or editorial join."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":8,"ref":"p8","source":"καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς\n ἐσέβετο αὐτόν, καὶ ἐπορεύετο καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν προσκυνεῖν αὐτῷ,\n Δανιὴλ δὲ προσεκύνει τῷ θεῷ αὐτοῦ· καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεύς ¶ Γ \n Διὰ τί οὐ προσκυνεῖς τῷ Βήλ; ὁ δὲ εἶπ εν Ὅτι οὐ σέβομαι εἴδωλα\n χειροποίητα, ἀλλὰ τὸν ζῶντα θεόν, τὸν κτίσαντα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ\n τὴν γῆν καὶ ἔχοντα πάσης σαρκὸς κυρίαν. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεύς\n Οὐ δοκεῖ σοι Βὴλ εἶναι ζῶν θεός; ἡ οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅσα ἐσθίει καὶ\n πίνει καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ; καὶ εἶπεν Δανιὴλ γελάσας Μὴ πλανῶ,\n βασιλεῦ· οὗτος γὰρ ἔσωθέν ἐστι πηλός, ἔξωθεν δὲ χαλκός, καὶ οὐ\n βέβρωκεν οὐδέποτε. καὶ θυμωθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκάλεσεν τοὺς ἱερεῖς\n αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἐὰν μὴ εἵπητέ μοι τίς ὁ κατέσθων τὴν\n δαπάνην ταύτην, ἀποθανεῖσθε· ἐὸν δὲ δείξητε ὅτι Βὴλ κατεσθίει\n αὐτά, ἀποθανεῖται Δανιὴλ, ὅτι ἐβλασφήμησεν εἰς τὸν Βήλ. καὶ\n εἶπεν Δανιὴλ τῷ βασιλεῖ Γινέσθω κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου. καὶ ἤσαν\n ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βὴλ ἑβδομήκοντα ἐκτὸς γυναικῶν καὶ τέκνων· καὶ ἦλθεν\n 1 in B Danielem sequitur Bel sine intervallo superscr ορασις ιβ΄ AQ AQΓ \n 2 συμβιωτης Bᵃ?ᵇQ) πας B* (παντας Bᵃᵇ) 3 αυτον] αυτο Q δωδεκα\n δεκα δυο A τεσσαρακοντα Bᵇ 4 om εκαστην A προσκυνειν] κυνειν\n sup ras Bᵃᵇ 5 κυρειαν Bᵃᵇ 6 Βηλ] pr ο Q 7 ουτος] αυτος\n A εσωθεν] + με AQ εστιν AQ* ουδεποτε] ουδε πεπωκεν πωποτε AQ\n 8 κατεσθιων AQ 9 δειξητε] αποδιξητε A (-δειξ. Qᵃ) Βηλ 1⁰] pr ο\n AQ om τω βασιλει Q* (hab Qᵐᵍ) 10 ιερεις] pr οι AQ εκτος] κω· ρεις A τεκνων] παιδιων A","english":"And the king worshipped it, and went every day to bow down before it, but Daniel worshipped his God. And the king said to him, “Why do you not worship Bel?” And he said, “Because I do not revere idols made by hand, but the living God, who created the heaven and the earth and has lordship over all flesh.” And the king said to him, “Does it not seem to you that Bel is a living god? Do you not see how much he eats and drinks every day?” And Daniel said, laughing, “Do not be deceived, O king; for this is clay within, and bronze without, and has never eaten.” And the king, angered, summoned his priests and said to them, “If you do not tell me who is consuming this provision, you will die; but if you show that Bel consumes it, Daniel will die, because he has blasphemed against Bel.” And Daniel said to the king, “Let it be according to your word.” And there were seventy priests of Bel, besides women and children.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"προσεκύνει τῷ θεῷ αὐτοῦ","severity":"info","text":"Daniel's worship of his own God is contrasted with the king's worship of Bel, establishing the central conflict of the narrative.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"εἴδωλα χειροποίητα","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'idols made by hand' (εἴδωλα χειροποίητα) is a key theological term in early Jewish and Christian polemic against pagan cult images, emphasizing their human manufacture.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Βὴλ","severity":"info","text":"Bel (Βήλ) is the Greek form of the Akkadian deity Bel, a title meaning 'lord' often identified with the god Marduk, chief god of Babylon.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ θυμωθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκάλεσεν τοὺς ἱερεῖς","severity":"info","text":"The king's anger and summoning of the priests marks a turning point, shifting from dialogue to a test that will expose the fraud of the idol.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βὴλ ἑβδομήκοντα ἐκτὸς γυναικῶν καὶ τέκνων","severity":"info","text":"The number seventy priests (ἑβδομήκοντα) is a textual variant; some manuscripts read 'forty' (τεσσαρακοντα) as noted in the apparatus, indicating scribal variation in the transmission.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐκτὸς γυναικῶν καὶ τέκνων","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'besides women and children' (ἐκτὸς γυναικῶν καὶ τέκνων) is ambiguous: it may mean the seventy priests are exclusive of their families, or that women and children are additional to the count.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The number of priests is uncertain: the Greek text gives 'seventy' (ἑβδομήκοντα), but the apparatus notes a variant 'forty' (τεσσαρακοντα) in some manuscripts.","The phrase 'besides women and children' (ἐκτὸς γυναικῶν καὶ τέκνων) could be interpreted as excluding families from the count or as additional persons."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":9,"ref":"p9","source":"ὁ βασιλεὺς μετὰ Δανιὴλ εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Βήλ. καὶ εἶπαν οἰ ἱε- B \n ρεῖς τοῦ Βήλ Ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς ἀποτρέχομεν ἔξω, σὺ δέ, βασιλεῦ, παράθες\n τὰ βρώματα καὶ τὸν οἶνον κεράσας θές, καὶ ἀπόκλεισον τὴν θύραν\n καὶ σφράγισον τῷ δακτυλίῳ σου. καὶ ἐλθὼν πρωὶ ἐὰν μὴ εὕρῃς\n πάντα βεβρωμένα ὑπὸ τοῦ Βήλ, ἀποθανούμεθα, ἡ Δανιὴλ ὁ ψευδόμένος\n καθʼ ἡμῶν. αὐτοὶ δὲ κατεφρόνουν, ὅτι πεποιήκεισαν ὑπὸ\n τὴν τράπεζαν κεκρυμμένην εἴσοδον, καὶ δι᾿ αὐτῆς εἰσεπορεύοντο\n διόλου καὶ ἀνήλουν αὐτά. καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἐξήλθοσαν ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ\n ὁ βασιλεὺς παρέθηκεν τὰ βρώματα τῷ Βήλ· καὶ ἐπέταξεν Δανιὴλ\n τοῖς παιδαρίοις αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤνεγκαν τέφραν, καὶ κατέσησαν ὅλον τὸν\n ναὸν ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως μόνου· καὶ ἐξελθόντες ἔκλεισαν τὴν θὑραν\n καὶ ἐσφραγίσαντο ἐν τῷ δακτυλίῳ τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ ἀπῆλθον. οἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς ἦλθον τὴν νύκτα κατὰ τὸ ἔθος αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες\n καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν, καὶ κατέφαγον πάντα καὶ ἐξέπιον. καὶ ὤρθρίσεν\n ὁ βασιλεὺς πρωί, καὶ Δανιὴλ μετʼ αὐτοῦ. καὶ εἶπεν Σῷοι\n αἱ σφραγῖδες, Δανιὴλ; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν Σῷοι, βασιλεῦ. καὶ ἐγένετο\n ἄμα τῷ ἀνοῖξαι τὰς θύρας, ἐπιβλέψας ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ τὴν τράπεζαν\n ἐβόησεν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ Μέγας εἶ, Βήλ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν παρὰ σοὶ δόλος\n οὐδὲ εἰς. καὶ ἐγέλασεν Δανιὴλ, καὶ ἐκράτησεν τὸν βασιλέα τοῦ\n μὴ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτὸν ἔσω, καὶ εἶπ εν Ἴδε δὴ τὸ ἔδαφος καὶ γνῶθι\n τίνος τὰ ἴχνη ταῦτα. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς Ὁρῶ τὰ ἴχνη ἀνδρῶν\n καὶ § γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων.","english":"The king went with Daniel into the house of Bel. And the priests of Bel said, “Behold, we go out; you, O king, set out the food and mix the wine and place it, and lock the door and seal it with your ring. And coming in the morning, if you do not find everything eaten by Bel, we will die, or Daniel who speaks falsely against us.” But they were contemptuous, because they had made a hidden entrance under the table, and through it they went in continually and consumed them. And it happened that when those men had gone out, the king set out the food for Bel; and Daniel ordered his servants, and they brought ashes, and they sifted them over the whole temple in the presence of the king alone; and going out, they closed the door and sealed it with the king’s ring, and departed. And the priests came by night according to their custom, with their wives and children, and they ate and drank everything. And the king rose early in the morning, and Daniel with him. And he said, “Are the seals intact, Daniel?” And he said, “They are intact, O king.” And it happened that as soon as they opened the doors, the king, looking at the table, cried out with a loud voice, “Great are you, Bel, and there is no deceit in you, not even one.” And Daniel laughed, and held the king back from entering inside, and said, “Behold the floor, and see whose footprints these are.” And the king said, “I see the footprints of men and of women and children.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Bel","severity":"info","text":"Bel is the Greek form of the Akkadian deity Bel, equivalent to the Babylonian god Marduk. The narrative satirizes pagan worship by exposing the priests' fraud.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ ἐγένετο","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'And it happened' marks a narrative transition, introducing Daniel's countermeasure with ashes. This structural cue is typical of Septuagint narrative style.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"σφραγῖδες","severity":"info","text":"The term 'seals' (σφραγῖδες) is crucial: the king's ring seal guarantees the temple's inviolability, heightening the exposure of the priests' deception.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"external","lemma":"hidden entrance under the table","severity":"info","text":"The motif of a hidden entrance used by priests to deceive worshippers parallels similar stories in ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman literature, e.g., Lucian's 'Alexander the False Prophet'.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"Daniel's laughter","severity":"info","text":"Daniel's laughter at the king's credulity is a key moment in later Christian and Jewish reception, often cited as a model for rational critique of idolatry.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"§","severity":"caution","text":"The symbol '§' in the Greek text (line 18) is a scribal insertion, likely marking a section break or marginal note. It does not affect the sense.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text has a scribal symbol '§' whose exact function is unclear; it is treated as a section marker.","The phrase 'ἡ Δανιὴλ ὁ ψευδόμένος' is slightly awkward; it likely means 'or Daniel who speaks falsely against us'."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":10,"ref":"p10","source":"καὶ ὀργισθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς τότε § Δ \n συνέλαβεν τοὺς ἱερεῖς καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν, καὶ\n ἔδειξαν αὐτῷ τὰς κρυπτὰς θύρας δι ὅν εἰσεπορεύοντο καὶ ἐδαπάνων\n τὰ ἐπὶ τῇ τραπέζῃ. καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτοὺς ὁ βασιλεύς, καὶ\n ἔδωκεν τὸν Βήλ ἔκδοτον τῷ Δανιὴλ· καὶ κατέστρεψεν αὐτὸν καὶ τὸ\n ἱερὸν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἦν δράκων μέγας, καὶ ἐσέβοντο αὐτὸν οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι. 10 εις τον οικον] επ οικ. Q* (εις τ. οικ. Qᵐᵍ) 11 ειπαν] ειπον A AQΔ \n βασιλευς B* ( λευ Bᵃᵇ) τω δακτυλιω] τω δακτυλω A εν τω δακτυλιω Q\n 12 ψευδομενος] ψ ευσαμενος AQ 13 om δε A κατεφρονουν] κατεφθονουν\n A ανηλουν] ανηλεισκον Q* (- λισκ. Qᵃ ανηλουν Qᵐᵍ) 14 εξηλθοσαν]\n εξηλθον A κατεσησαν] κατεσεισαν A om μονου Q εσφραγισαν A εν τω\n δακτ. om εν A 15 ηλθον] + εις Q* εισηλθον εις Qᵐᵍ ᵛⁱᵈ εξεπιον] επιον Q\n 16 πρωι] pr το AQ 17 ειπεν 1⁰] + ο βασιλευς AQ σωοι 1⁰| σωαι A\n 19 εγελασεν Δανιηλ και] γελασας Δαν. A om και ειπεν A om τινος Q* (hab\n Qᵐᵍ) 21 ο βασιλευς τοτε] τοτε ο βασιλευς Δ συνελαβετο AQ\n 22 ο βασιλευς αυτους Δ εκδοτον] εγδομα Δ το ιερον] τον ναον Q 23 με-\n γας] + εν τω τοπω AQ* + εν αυτω τω τοπω Qmᵍ","english":"Then the king, enraged, seized the priests and their wives and children, and they showed him the hidden doors through which they used to enter and consume what was on the table. And the king put them to death, and gave Bel over to Daniel; and he destroyed him and his temple. And there was a great serpent, and the Babylonians worshipped it.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ ὀργισθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς τότε","severity":"info","text":"The king's anger is a narrative pivot: the exposure of the priests' deception leads directly to their execution and the destruction of Bel's cult.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἔκδοτον","severity":"info","text":"ἔκδοτον (here 'given over') is a legal term for surrender or extradition; it underscores Daniel's authority over the cultic object.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Καὶ ἦν δράκων μέγας","severity":"info","text":"This sentence introduces the second episode (the serpent) with a simple copula, marking a clear narrative break from the Bel story.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐσέβοντο","severity":"info","text":"The verb ἐσέβοντο (imperfect of σέβομαι) indicates habitual worship; the textual note shows minor variation in the apparatus (e.g., Q adds a locative phrase for the serpent).","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"δράκων μέγας","severity":"info","text":"The great serpent likely reflects Babylonian dragon myths (e.g., Mušḫuššu) and serves as a second test of Daniel's piety against local cult.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text does not specify whether the serpent is a living animal or a cult statue; the translation 'serpent' is conventional but ambiguous."],"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":11,"ref":"p11","source":"καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Δανιὴλ Οὐ δύνασαι εἰπεῖν ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν B \n οὗτος θεὸς ζῶν· καὶ προσκύνησον αὐτῷ. καὶ εἶπεν Δανιὴλ Κυρίῳ\n τῷ θεῷ μου προσκυνήσω, ὅτι· οὗτός ἐστιν θεὸς ζῶν· οὺ δέ, βασιλεῦ,\n δός μοι ἐξουσίαν, καὶ ἀποκτενῶ τὸν δράκοντα ἄνευ μαχαίρας καὶ\n ῥάβδου. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς Δίδωμί σοι. καὶ ἔλαβεν Δανιὴλ\n πίσσαν καὶ στῆρ καὶ τρίχας, καὶ ἥψησεν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ ἐποίησεν\n μάζας, καὶ ἔδωκεν εἰς τὸ στόμα τοῦ δράκοντος· καὶ φαγὼν διερράγη\n ὁ δράκων. καὶ εἶπεν Ἵδετε τὰ σεβάσματα ὑμῶν. καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς\n ἤκουσαν οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι, ἠγανάκτησαν καὶ συνεστράφησαν ἐπὶ τὸν\n βασιλέα καὶ εἶπαν Ἰουδαῖος γέγονεν ὁ βασιλεύς· τὸν Βὴλ κατέσπασεν\n καὶ τὸν δράκοντα ἀπέκτεινεν, καὶ τοὺς ἱερεῖς κατέσφαξεν. καὶ\n εἶπαν ἐλθόντες πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ΙΙαράδος ἡμῖν τὸν Δανιὴλ· εἰ δὲ\n μή, ἀποκτενοῦμέν σε καὶ τὸν οἶκόν σου. καὶ ἴδεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ὅτι\n ἐπείγουσιν αὐτὸν σφόδρα, καὶ ἀναγκασθεὶς παρέδωκεν αὐτοῖς τὸν\n Δανιὴλ. οἱ δὲ ἔβαλον αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν λάκκον τῶν λεόντων, καὶ ἦν\n ἐκεῖ ἡμέρας ἔξ. ἦσαν δὲ ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ ἑπτὰ λέοντες, καὶ ἐδίδετο\n αὐτοῖς τὴν ἡμέραν δύο σώματα καὶ δύο πρόβατα· τότε δὲ\n οὐκ ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς, ἵνα καταφάγωσιν τὸν Δανιὴλ. καὶ ἦν Ἁμβακοὺμ\n ὁ προφήτης ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ, καὶ αὐτὸς ἥψησεν ἕψεμα καὶ ἐνέθρυψεν\n ἄρτους εἰς σκάφην, καὶ ἐπορεύετο εἰς τὸ πεδίον ἀπενέγκαι\n τοῖς θερισταῖς. καὶ εἶπεν ἅγγελος Κυρίου τῷ Ἁμβακούμ Ἀπένεγκε\n τὸ ἄριστον ὁ ἔχεις εἰς Βαβυλῶνα τῷ Δανιὴλ εἰς τὸν λάκκον\n τῶν λεόντων. καὶ εἶπεν Ἁμβακούμ Κύριε, Βαβυλῶνα οὐχ ἑώρακα,\n καὶ τὸν λάκκον οὐ γινώσκω.","english":"And the king said to Daniel, \"You cannot say that this is not a living god; worship him.\" And Daniel said, \"I will worship my Lord God, for He is a living god. But you, O king, give me authority, and I will kill the dragon without a sword or a staff.\" And the king said, \"I give it to you.\" And Daniel took pitch, fat, and hair, and boiled them together and made cakes, and put them into the mouth of the dragon; and having eaten, the dragon burst. And he said, \"Behold your objects of worship.\" And when the Babylonians heard, they were indignant and gathered against the king and said, \"The king has become a Jew; he has destroyed Bel and killed the dragon and slaughtered the priests.\" And they came to the king and said, \"Hand over Daniel to us; otherwise, we will kill you and your household.\" And the king saw that they pressed him hard, and being compelled, he handed Daniel over to them. And they threw him into the lions' den, and he was there for six days. Now there were seven lions in the den, and each day two bodies and two sheep were given to them; but then nothing was given to them, so that they might devour Daniel. And the prophet Habakkuk was in Judea, and he had cooked a stew and crumbled bread into a bowl, and was going to the field to bring it to the reapers. And an angel of the Lord said to Habakkuk, \"Bring the lunch that you have to Babylon, to Daniel in the lions' den.\" And Habakkuk said, \"Lord, I have not seen Babylon, and I do not know the den.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"πίσσαν καὶ στῆρ καὶ τρίχας","severity":"info","text":"Daniel kills the dragon by feeding it cakes made of pitch, fat, and hair, which cause it to burst. This method is unique to the Bel et Draco narrative and underscores the satirical portrayal of pagan worship.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Ἁμβακοὺμ","severity":"info","text":"The prophet Habakkuk is transported by an angel from Judea to Babylon to feed Daniel. This miraculous intervention is not found in the Hebrew Bible and reflects the legendary expansion of Daniel's story in the Septuagint.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἤκουσαν","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from Daniel's triumph over the dragon to the Babylonians' revolt, creating a narrative pivot that leads to Daniel's imprisonment. This structural turn heightens tension before the miraculous rescue.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"λάκκον τῶν λεόντων","severity":"info","text":"The lions' den episode parallels the canonical Daniel 6, but here Daniel is thrown in by the Babylonians after the king is coerced, and the den contains seven lions. The feeding of two bodies and two sheep daily echoes royal provisions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"Ἰουδαῖος γέγονεν ὁ βασιλεύς","severity":"info","text":"The accusation that the king 'has become a Jew' reflects anti-Jewish sentiment in the diaspora context of the Septuagint's composition, where conversion or favor toward Jews could be seen as a political threat.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἥψησεν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek verb ἥψησεν (from ἕψω, 'to boil') is used for both Daniel's cake preparation and Habakkuk's cooking. The repetition may be a scribal or compositional feature, but the exact culinary process for the cakes is ambiguous.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The method of killing the dragon (pitch, fat, hair cakes) is described without explanation of its efficacy, leaving the mechanism ambiguous. The number of lions (seven) and the duration (six days) are not reconciled with the canonical Daniel 6 (one night, unspecified number of lions). The transport of Habakkuk is miraculous but not elaborated."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":12,"ref":"p12","source":"καὶ ἐπελάβετο ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου\n τῆς κορυφῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ βαστάσας τῆς κόμης τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ\n ἔθηκεν αὐτὸν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα ἐπάνω τοῦ λάκκου, ἐν τῷ ῥοίζῳ τοῦ \n 24 ο βασιλευς ειπεν Δ Δανιηλ] μη και τουτον ερεις οτι χαλκους εστιν AQΔ \n ιδου ζη και εσθιει και πινει (πειν. Ba πιν. Bᵇ) BᵃᵇᵐᵍAQ- μη εις (sic ut vid)\n ... χαλκ. εστιν ιδου... και πεινει Δ 25 ουτος] αυτος Λvⁱᵈ εστι Qa\n 26 μαχαιρης A 27 στηρ] στεαρ Q om φαγων QᵛⁱᵈΔ διεραγη Δ\n ιδετε] ιδου δη A 28 ηγανακτησαν] + λιαν (λειᾶ Bᵃ λιᾶ Bᵇ) Bᵐᵍ A\n (- λειαν) QΔ ειπον AQ κατεσπασεν] κατεστρεψεν A κατεσφαξεν] σφαξεν\n sup ras Aᵃ? (κατετρεψ. A*ᵛⁱᵈ) 30 ειδεν Q 31 εβαλον]\n ενεβαλο A om των λεοντων Afort 32 εδιδοτο BᵃᵇΔᵛiᵈ om δυο\n σωματα και Δfort καταφαγωσι Qα 33 Αμβακουμ ο προφητης ην Q ην\n Αμβακουκ προφητης Δ αυτος] ουτος A ηψησεν] ηψ εν Δ επορευετο] επο-\n ρευθη A απενεγκοι] απενεγκειν Qresc απενιγκε (sic) Δ 34 τω Αμβ.]\n προς Αμβ. AQ 35 Αμβακουμ] Δανιηλ A (Αμβ. Aᵐam rec mg) εορακα\n Q λακκον] + των λεοντων Q γινωσκω] + που εστιν A 36 om Κυριου A\n κορυφης] χειρος A βαστασας] στα sup ras B?\nΚAI ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἀστυάγης προσετέθη πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτοῦ, B \n § καὶ παρέλαβεν Κῦρος ὁ Πέρσης τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἦν § Γ \n Δανιὴλ συνβιωτὴς τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἔνδοξος ὑπέρ πάντας τοὺς φίλους\n αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἣν εἴδωλον τοῖς Βαβυλωνίοις ᾦ ὄνομα Βήλ, καὶ\n ἐδαπανῶντο εἰς αὐτὸν ἑκάστης ἡμέρας σεμιδάλεως ἀρτάβαι δώδεκα\n καὶ πρόβατα τεσσεράκοντα καὶ οἴνου μετρηταὶ ἕξ.","english":"And the angel of the Lord seized him by the crown of his head, and lifting him by the hair of his head, set him down in Babylon above the pit, in the rushing sound. And King Astyages was gathered to his fathers, and Cyrus the Persian took over his kingdom. And Daniel was a companion of the king and more honored than all his friends. And there was an idol for the Babylonians whose name was Bel, and for him were spent each day twelve artabae of fine flour, forty sheep, and six measures of wine.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ ἐπελάβετο ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου","severity":"info","text":"The angel of the Lord seizes the prophet by the hair, a motif of divine transport found in other biblical narratives (cf. Ezek 8:3).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀστυάγης","severity":"info","text":"Astyages was the last king of the Median Empire (r. 585–550 BCE), historically overthrown by Cyrus the Great of Persia. The text conflates Median and Babylonian chronology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Βήλ","severity":"info","text":"Bel is the Greek rendering of the Akkadian Bēl ('lord'), a title of the god Marduk, chief deity of Babylon. The cult involved daily food offerings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀρτάβαι","severity":"info","text":"Artaba is a Persian dry measure, roughly equivalent to 30–40 liters. Its use reflects the Persian administrative context of the narrative.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"§","severity":"info","text":"The section break (indicated by § in the manuscript) marks a transition from the dragon episode to the Bel narrative, introducing a new setting and characters.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ ἐπελάβετο ... ῥοίζῳ","severity":"caution","text":"The opening lines are fragmentary in the manuscript; the text resumes coherently only with the Bel narrative. The apparatus shows variant readings for several words.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The transition from the dragon episode to the Bel narrative is abrupt; the opening lines may be a displaced fragment from an earlier passage.","The precise relationship between the angel's action and the following historical note is unclear."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":13,"ref":"p13","source":"καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς\n ἐσέβετο αὐτόν, καὶ ἐπορεύετο καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν προσκυνεῖν αὐτῷ,\n Δανιὴλ δὲ προσεκύνει τῷ θεῷ αὐτοῦ· καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεύς ¶ Γ \n Διὰ τί οὐ προσκυνεῖς τῷ Βήλ; ὁ δὲ εἶπ εν Ὅτι οὐ σέβομαι εἴδωλα\n χειροποίητα, ἀλλὰ τὸν ζῶντα θεόν, τὸν κτίσαντα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ\n τὴν γῆν καὶ ἔχοντα πάσης σαρκὸς κυρίαν. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεύς\n Οὐ δοκεῖ σοι Βὴλ εἶναι ζῶν θεός; ἡ οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅσα ἐσθίει καὶ\n πίνει καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ; καὶ εἶπεν Δανιὴλ γελάσας Μὴ πλανῶ,\n βασιλεῦ· οὗτος γὰρ ἔσωθέν ἐστι πηλός, ἔξωθεν δὲ χαλκός, καὶ οὐ\n βέβρωκεν οὐδέποτε. καὶ θυμωθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκάλεσεν τοὺς ἱερεῖς\n αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἐὰν μὴ εἵπητέ μοι τίς ὁ κατέσθων τὴν\n δαπάνην ταύτην, ἀποθανεῖσθε· ἐὸν δὲ δείξητε ὅτι Βὴλ κατεσθίει\n αὐτά, ἀποθανεῖται Δανιὴλ, ὅτι ἐβλασφήμησεν εἰς τὸν Βήλ. καὶ\n εἶπεν Δανιὴλ τῷ βασιλεῖ Γινέσθω κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου. καὶ ἤσαν\n ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βὴλ ἑβδομήκοντα ἐκτὸς γυναικῶν καὶ τέκνων· καὶ ἦλθεν\n 1 in B Danielem sequitur Bel sine intervallo superscr ορασις ιβ΄ AQ AQΓ \n 2 συμβιωτης Bᵃ?ᵇQ) πας B* (παντας Bᵃᵇ) 3 αυτον] αυτο Q δωδεκα\n δεκα δυο A τεσσαρακοντα Bᵇ 4 om εκαστην A προσκυνειν] κυνειν\n sup ras Bᵃᵇ 5 κυρειαν Bᵃᵇ 6 Βηλ] pr ο Q 7 ουτος] αυτος\n A εσωθεν] + με AQ εστιν AQ* ουδεποτε] ουδε πεπωκεν πωποτε AQ\n 8 κατεσθιων AQ 9 δειξητε] αποδιξητε A (-δειξ. Qᵃ) Βηλ 1⁰] pr ο\n AQ om τω βασιλει Q* (hab Qᵐᵍ) 10 ιερεις] pr οι AQ εκτος] κω· ρεις A τεκνων] παιδιων A","english":"And the king worshipped it, and went every day to bow down to it, but Daniel worshipped his God. And the king said to him, “Why do you not bow down to Bel?” And he said, “Because I do not worship idols made by hands, but the living God, who created the heaven and the earth and has lordship over all flesh.” And the king said to him, “Does it not seem to you that Bel is a living god? Do you not see how much he eats and drinks every day?” And Daniel said, laughing, “Do not be deceived, O king; for this is clay within, and bronze without, and has never eaten anything.” And the king, angered, called his priests and said to them, “If you do not tell me who is consuming this expenditure, you will die; but if you show that Bel is consuming it, Daniel will die, because he has blasphemed against Bel.” And Daniel said to the king, “Let it be according to your word.” And there were seventy priests of Bel, besides women and children.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"προσκυνεῖν","severity":"info","text":"The verb προσκυνεῖν (to bow down, to worship) is used for both the king's veneration of Bel and Daniel's refusal, highlighting the contrast between idolatry and true worship.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"εἴδωλα χειροποίητα","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'idols made by hands' (εἴδωλα χειροποίητα) is a key theological term in early Christian polemic, distinguishing man-made idols from the living God.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν κτίσαντα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν","severity":"info","text":"Daniel's description of God as 'the one who created the heaven and the earth' echoes the language of Genesis and is a standard confession in Jewish and Christian tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Βὴλ","severity":"info","text":"Bel (Βήλ) is the Greek form of the Akkadian deity Bēl, a title of the god Marduk, chief god of Babylon. The story reflects Hellenistic Jewish critique of Babylonian idolatry.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Γινέσθω κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου","severity":"info","text":"Daniel's response 'Let it be according to your word' marks a turning point, accepting the king's challenge and setting up the test that will expose the fraud of the priests.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βὴλ ἑβδομήκοντα","severity":"info","text":"The number seventy priests (ἑβδομήκοντα) is a textual variant; some manuscripts read 'forty-two' (τεσσαρακοντα δύο). The apparatus shows variation between A and Q manuscripts.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The number of priests is uncertain: the Greek text has ἑβδομήκοντα (seventy), but the apparatus notes a variant τεσσαρακοντα δύο (forty-two) in some witnesses. The reading 'seventy' is followed here."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":14,"ref":"p14","source":"ὁ βασιλεὺς μετὰ Δανιὴλ εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Βήλ. καὶ εἶπαν οἰ ἱε- B \n ρεῖς τοῦ Βήλ Ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς ἀποτρέχομεν ἔξω, σὺ δέ, βασιλεῦ, παράθες\n τὰ βρώματα καὶ τὸν οἶνον κεράσας θές, καὶ ἀπόκλεισον τὴν θύραν\n καὶ σφράγισον τῷ δακτυλίῳ σου. καὶ ἐλθὼν πρωὶ ἐὰν μὴ εὕρῃς\n πάντα βεβρωμένα ὑπὸ τοῦ Βήλ, ἀποθανούμεθα, ἡ Δανιὴλ ὁ ψευδόμένος\n καθʼ ἡμῶν. αὐτοὶ δὲ κατεφρόνουν, ὅτι πεποιήκεισαν ὑπὸ\n τὴν τράπεζαν κεκρυμμένην εἴσοδον, καὶ δι᾿ αὐτῆς εἰσεπορεύοντο\n διόλου καὶ ἀνήλουν αὐτά. καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἐξήλθοσαν ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ\n ὁ βασιλεὺς παρέθηκεν τὰ βρώματα τῷ Βήλ· καὶ ἐπέταξεν Δανιὴλ\n τοῖς παιδαρίοις αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤνεγκαν τέφραν, καὶ κατέσησαν ὅλον τὸν\n ναὸν ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως μόνου· καὶ ἐξελθόντες ἔκλεισαν τὴν θὑραν\n καὶ ἐσφραγίσαντο ἐν τῷ δακτυλίῳ τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ ἀπῆλθον. οἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς ἦλθον τὴν νύκτα κατὰ τὸ ἔθος αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες\n καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν, καὶ κατέφαγον πάντα καὶ ἐξέπιον. καὶ ὤρθρίσεν\n ὁ βασιλεὺς πρωί, καὶ Δανιὴλ μετʼ αὐτοῦ. καὶ εἶπεν Σῷοι\n αἱ σφραγῖδες, Δανιὴλ; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν Σῷοι, βασιλεῦ. καὶ ἐγένετο\n ἄμα τῷ ἀνοῖξαι τὰς θύρας, ἐπιβλέψας ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ τὴν τράπεζαν\n ἐβόησεν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ Μέγας εἶ, Βήλ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν παρὰ σοὶ δόλος\n οὐδὲ εἰς. καὶ ἐγέλασεν Δανιὴλ, καὶ ἐκράτησεν τὸν βασιλέα τοῦ\n μὴ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτὸν ἔσω, καὶ εἶπ εν Ἴδε δὴ τὸ ἔδαφος καὶ γνῶθι\n τίνος τὰ ἴχνη ταῦτα. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς Ὁρῶ τὰ ἴχνη ἀνδρῶν\n καὶ § γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων.","english":"The king with Daniel into the house of Bel. And the priests of Bel said, “Behold, we go out; you, O king, set out the food and mix the wine and place it, and lock the door and seal it with your ring. And coming in the morning, if you do not find everything eaten by Bel, we will die, or Daniel who lies against us.” But they despised, because they had made under the table a hidden entrance, and through it they went in continually and consumed them. And it happened that when those had gone out, the king set out the food for Bel; and Daniel ordered his servants and they brought ashes, and they strewed the whole temple before the king alone; and going out they closed the door and sealed with the king’s ring, and departed. And the priests came by night according to their custom, and their wives and their children, and they ate everything and drank it up. And the king rose early in the morning, and Daniel with him. And he said, “Are the seals intact, Daniel?” And he said, “They are intact, O king.” And it happened that when the doors were opened, the king, looking upon the table, cried out with a loud voice, “Great are you, Bel, and there is no deceit in you nor any.” And Daniel laughed, and held the king back from entering inside, and said, “Behold now the floor and know whose these footprints are.” And the king said, “I see the footprints of men and women and children.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"οἱ ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βήλ","severity":"info","text":"Bel (Βήλ) is a Hellenized form of the Akkadian deity Bel, often identified with Marduk, chief god of Babylon. The narrative satirizes pagan cultic practice.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ ἐγέλασεν Δανιήλ","severity":"info","text":"Daniel’s laughter marks a turning point: the king’s credulity is exposed, and the priests’ deception is revealed through the footprints.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"σφραγῖδες","severity":"info","text":"σφραγῖδες (seals) are a key plot device: the king’s ring-seal guarantees the temple’s closure, but the priests’ hidden entrance bypasses it, underscoring the fraud.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἴχνη ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων","severity":"info","text":"The footprints of men, women, and children echo the forensic unmasking of idolatry common in Jewish polemic (cf. Wisdom of Solomon 13–15).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀποθανούμεθα, ἡ Δανιὴλ ὁ ψευδόμενος","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text has a textual crux: the conjunction ἤ (or) is missing, and the clause is ambiguous—either the priests or Daniel will die. The translation supplies “or” for sense.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἡ Δανιὴλ ὁ ψευδόμενος' is grammatically problematic; it may be a corruption for 'ἢ Δανιὴλ ὁ ψευδόμενος' (or Daniel the liar).","The Coptic Vorlage (if any) is not extant; the Greek text is the earliest witness."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":15,"ref":"p15","source":"καὶ ὀργισθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς τότε § Δ \n συνέλαβεν τοὺς ἱερεῖς καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν, καὶ\n ἔδειξαν αὐτῷ τὰς κρυπτὰς θύρας δι ὅν εἰσεπορεύοντο καὶ ἐδαπάνων\n τὰ ἐπὶ τῇ τραπέζῃ. καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτοὺς ὁ βασιλεύς, καὶ\n ἔδωκεν τὸν Βήλ ἔκδοτον τῷ Δανιὴλ· καὶ κατέστρεψεν αὐτὸν καὶ τὸ\n ἱερὸν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἦν δράκων μέγας, καὶ ἐσέβοντο αὐτὸν οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Δανιὴλ Οὐ δύνασαι εἰπεῖν ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν B \n οὗτος θεὸς ζῶν· καὶ προσκύνησον αὐτῷ. καὶ εἶπεν Δανιὴλ Κυρίῳ\n τῷ θεῷ μου προσκυνήσω, ὅτι· οὗτός ἐστιν θεὸς ζῶν· οὺ δέ, βασιλεῦ,\n δός μοι ἐξουσίαν, καὶ ἀποκτενῶ τὸν δράκοντα ἄνευ μαχαίρας καὶ\n ῥάβδου. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς Δίδωμί σοι. καὶ ἔλαβεν Δανιὴλ\n πίσσαν καὶ στῆρ καὶ τρίχας, καὶ ἥψησεν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ ἐποίησεν\n μάζας, καὶ ἔδωκεν εἰς τὸ στόμα τοῦ δράκοντος· καὶ φαγὼν διερράγη\n ὁ δράκων. καὶ εἶπεν Ἵδετε τὰ σεβάσματα ὑμῶν. καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς\n ἤκουσαν οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι, ἠγανάκτησαν καὶ συνεστράφησαν ἐπὶ τὸν\n βασιλέα καὶ εἶπαν Ἰουδαῖος γέγονεν ὁ βασιλεύς· τὸν Βὴλ κατέσπασεν\n καὶ τὸν δράκοντα ἀπέκτεινεν, καὶ τοὺς ἱερεῖς κατέσφαξεν. καὶ\n εἶπαν ἐλθόντες πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ΙΙαράδος ἡμῖν τὸν Δανιὴλ· εἰ δὲ\n μή, ἀποκτενοῦμέν σε καὶ τὸν οἶκόν σου. καὶ ἴδεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ὅτι\n ἐπείγουσιν αὐτὸν σφόδρα, καὶ ἀναγκασθεὶς παρέδωκεν αὐτοῖς τὸν\n Δανιὴλ. οἱ δὲ ἔβαλον αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν λάκκον τῶν λεόντων, καὶ ἦν\n ἐκεῖ ἡμέρας ἔξ. ἦσαν δὲ ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ ἑπτὰ λέοντες, καὶ ἐδίδετο\n αὐτοῖς τὴν ἡμέραν δύο σώματα καὶ δύο πρόβατα· τότε δὲ\n οὐκ ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς, ἵνα καταφάγωσιν τὸν Δανιὴλ.","english":"Then the king, enraged, seized the priests, their wives, and their children, and they showed him the hidden doors through which they used to enter and consume what was on the table. And the king put them to death, and gave Bel over to Daniel; and Daniel destroyed him and his temple. Now there was a great serpent, and the Babylonians worshipped it. And the king said to Daniel, “You cannot say that this is not a living god; worship it.” And Daniel said, “I will worship my Lord God, for He is a living god; but you, O king, give me authority, and I will kill the serpent without a sword or a staff.” And the king said, “I give it to you.” And Daniel took pitch, fat, and hair, boiled them together, made cakes, and put them into the serpent’s mouth; and having eaten, the serpent burst open. And he said, “Behold your objects of worship.” And when the Babylonians heard, they were indignant and gathered against the king, and said, “The king has become a Jew; he has pulled down Bel and killed the serpent and slaughtered the priests.” And they came to the king and said, “Hand over Daniel to us; otherwise, we will kill you and your household.” And the king saw that they pressed him hard, and being compelled, he handed Daniel over to them. And they threw him into the lions’ den, and he was there for six days. Now there were seven lions in the den, and they were given daily two bodies and two sheep; but at that time nothing was given to them, so that they might devour Daniel.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτοὺς ὁ βασιλεύς","severity":"info","text":"The king executes the priests after they reveal the hidden doors. The narrative treats this as a just punishment for deception, not as a royal excess.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"δράκων μέγας","severity":"info","text":"The 'great serpent' (δράκων μέγας) is a living cult object worshipped by the Babylonians. The term δράκων can denote a snake or a dragon; here it is a real animal, not a mythological monster.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"πίσσαν καὶ στῆρ καὶ τρίχας","severity":"info","text":"Daniel's mixture of pitch, fat, and hair to make lethal cakes reflects a folkloric motif of killing a serpent by causing it to burst. No known historical or ritual parallel exists in Babylonian sources.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Καὶ ἦν δράκων μέγας","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from the Bel episode to the serpent episode with a simple 'And there was' (Καὶ ἦν). This paratactic transition is typical of the narrative style in the Septuagint additions to Daniel.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἰουδαῖος γέγονεν ὁ βασιλεύς","severity":"info","text":"The Babylonians accuse the king of becoming a Jew (Ἰουδαῖος γέγονεν) because he destroyed their gods. This reflects a later Jewish or Christian perspective that equates monotheism with iconoclasm.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐδίδετο αὐτοῖς τὴν ἡμέραν δύο σώματα καὶ δύο πρόβατα","severity":"caution","text":"The text says the lions were given 'two bodies and two sheep' daily. The word σώματα ('bodies') likely means human corpses, but the phrase is ambiguous; it may reflect a textual corruption or a euphemism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'δύο σώματα' could mean 'two bodies' (human corpses) or 'two animals' (as a generic term); the parallel with 'δύο πρόβατα' suggests the latter, but the usual meaning of σῶμα is 'body'.","The king's handing over of Daniel to the mob is presented as compelled, but the narrative does not explain why the lions do not eat him; the next passage presumably resolves this."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":16,"ref":"p16","source":"καὶ ἦν Ἁμβακοὺμ\n ὁ προφήτης ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ, καὶ αὐτὸς ἥψησεν ἕψεμα καὶ ἐνέθρυψεν\n ἄρτους εἰς σκάφην, καὶ ἐπορεύετο εἰς τὸ πεδίον ἀπενέγκαι\n τοῖς θερισταῖς. καὶ εἶπεν ἅγγελος Κυρίου τῷ Ἁμβακούμ Ἀπένεγκε\n τὸ ἄριστον ὁ ἔχεις εἰς Βαβυλῶνα τῷ Δανιὴλ εἰς τὸν λάκκον\n τῶν λεόντων. καὶ εἶπεν Ἁμβακούμ Κύριε, Βαβυλῶνα οὐχ ἑώρακα,\n καὶ τὸν λάκκον οὐ γινώσκω. καὶ ἐπελάβετο ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου\n τῆς κορυφῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ βαστάσας τῆς κόμης τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ\n ἔθηκεν αὐτὸν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα ἐπάνω τοῦ λάκκου, ἐν τῷ ῥοίζῳ τοῦ","english":"And Habacum the prophet was in Ioudaia, and he himself cooked a stew and crumbled bread into a bowl, and he was going to the plain to bring it to the harvesters. And an angel of the Lord said to Habacum, \"Bring the meal that you have to Babylon to Daniel in the lions' den.\" And Habacum said, \"Lord, I have not seen Babylon, and I do not know the den.\" And the angel of the Lord took hold of the crown of his head, and lifting him by the hair of his head, placed him in Babylon above the den, with the rushing sound of the","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἁμβακοὺμ","severity":"info","text":"The Greek form of the name Habakkuk, the Old Testament prophet. The spelling Ἁμβακοὺμ (with aspiration) is characteristic of Theodotion's version.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ἕψεμα","severity":"info","text":"The word ἕψεμα denotes a boiled dish or stew, often a lentil or pulse stew. This detail aligns with the domestic setting of the narrative.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is the conclusion of the Bel and the Dragon narrative, introducing a miraculous transport of Habakkuk to Babylon, a motif that parallels the story of Ezekiel's transport in Jewish tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The angel's lifting Habakkuk by the hair and placing him above the lions' den echoes the transport of the prophet Habakkuk in later Jewish and Christian legends, e.g., in the Lives of the Prophets.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐν τῷ ῥοίζῳ τοῦ","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text breaks off mid-sentence at the end of the passage. The phrase ἐν τῷ ῥοίζῳ τοῦ likely introduces the sound of the wind or rushing air, but the conclusion is lost.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg0527.tlg059","label":"source edition: Bel et Draco (Theodotionis versio)","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg059.1st1K-grc1:1.1"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact meaning of ῥοίζῳ (rushing sound) is unclear without the following word; it may refer to the wind of the angel's flight or the roar of the lions."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}