In the reign of Nebuchadnezzar's successor, Belshazzar, Daniel was
again called into service as a seer. One night, during a great feast,
a mysterious hand appeared to write some inscription on the wall, and
Daniel alone could interpret it. The message was ominous, but the
prophet spoke out boldly. "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN,"
ran the words, "Thou art weighed in the balances and art found
wanting." Daniel condemned the king for his iniquities, and declared
that his kingdom should be divided by the Medes and Persians. That
very night Belshazzar was slain, and Darius, the Median, took the
kingdom.

[Illustration: DANIEL. _Sistine Chapel, Rome._]

Under the new dynasty Daniel was given so much power that some of the
officials, jealous of his preferment, plotted against him. They
contrived to persuade King Darius to sign a decree that "whosoever
should ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of the
king himself, should be cast into the den of lions." The officials
were right in supposing that this would entrap Daniel into
law-breaking, for, faithful to his Hebrew training, he offered prayer
to God three times a day. He was therefore cast into the lions' den,
but no harm befell him, because, according to his own explanation, God
sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths.

Daniel continued to hold office even in the reign of the next king,
Cyrus the Persian. He lived to a great old age, but he was so young
when he first showed his prophetic gifts that it is natural to think
of him in his youth as Michelangelo has represented him. It would seem
that the artist had in mind Daniel's early years of education at
court. On his lap is a large open book supported on the back of a tiny