18c¢0. } 
to join with the four-and-twenty bithops 
in giving glory to him that fat on the 
throne. The other tribes always mar- 
fhalled (Numbers x. 14-28) under thele. 
V. The book written within naturally 
means the new liturgy, or Chriftian form 
of prayer, which, in honour of the Lamb, 
or Chrift, was to be publicly eftablithed 
by Caflius. 
VI. Ambition would be well. repre- 
fented by a’ rider drawing a bow and aim- 
ing at a crown—ambition directed to the 
fovereignty of Perfia is fo typified (1 and 
2) with peculiar pyopriety,.as the national 
coin, the Dartes, (Suidas, Acpssxog) had on 
the reverle the effigy of an areher.with a, 
bow anda crown. War (3 and4), Fa- 
“mine (5 and 6), and Peftilence (7. and 8), | 
are fucceffively perfonified: the meaning 
of the allegory is, that ambition, attend- 
ed by war, * famine, and peftilence, was 
aiming atthe throne of Perfia. ‘The fpi- 
rits of martyrs, who had fuftered under the 
idolatrous’ princes, are defcribed (9, 10, 
and 11), as calling on their fellow-fecta- 
ries to take part with the invader. he 
Jews and Chrittians were as yet not wholly 
hoftile and diftin® feds. The agitation 
of an invaded empire is fvikingly (12— 
17) painted. 
VII. Mefiengers, or angels, of the ap- 
proachine power are reprefented as dif- 
criminating between the idolaters and the 
monotheifts, as fparing and rewarding the, 
latter, who in return receive the conque- 
sor wiih enthufiafm, and who were to be 
fealed on the forehead, that is, to weara 
white badge, or cockade. 
VIIL. From the time of Darius I, who 
found it neceflary fo to reward the feven 
confpirators who raifed him to the throne, 
the conttitution of Perfia had confifted of 
an Emperor, a Metropolitan Council, or 
Senate, of fewen, and a number of nabobs 
or provincial governors, varying from 120 
to 127, who were probably named by this 
council. Hence in the Zend-aveita the 
parallel defcription of the celeftial hierar- 
cny. The throne of Ormuz is therein 
furrounded with /even (uperior angels, and 
with one hundred and twenty interior fe- 
‘ouers, or f{pirits. It was natural to em- 
ploy the mythology of the Perfian religion, 
which fo exactly correfponded with the civil 
conftiiution, as emblematic of the politi- 
cal governors. ‘The trumpets of the {e- 
ven angels, then, ftand for the meafures of 
r 

-* Magnum numerum amifit (A. Caffius) 
gui partim fame cne&ti partim morbs extinéti 
funt. Dien Caffius, p. 807. 
MONTHLY MAG, NO, 66, 
On ihe Apacalypfe. 
refiftance taken by the Perfian Senate of 
feven. One orders religious humiliations, 
which are followed by an inclement at- 
mofphere; another removes by fea the 
threatened wealth of Babylon; a third is 
fulpeCed of poifoning the waters, and a 
fourth of difaftrous intrigues. | 
A. To the fifth angel is a(cribed fuperior 
eficiency: he was probably Minier of the 
war-department, and fent ca vairy (7—10) 
againft Caffius, which laid wafte the land, 
like locufts, and kept the field five months, 
Apollyon may be a tranflation of the Per- 
flan commander’s name. The fixth anoel 
was probably Minifter of Police at Baby- 
lon, who gave orders to loofe the waters 
of the four (v. 14) fluices connected with 
the Euphrates, in order to flood the ditches 
for the defence of -the town. The drefs 
and armour of the cavalry is given (17-— 
19), particularly in Wakeficld’s tranfla- 
tion, with great .ccUracy. 
X. One would think this interpofingr 
angel brought in his difpatches from court 
{ome written propofals of peace er truce 
(3 and 9), in order to obtain a delay, 
while the merchants were removine their 
S 
property by fea; and that Caffius bitterly 
repented of {wallowing his fugared words. 
; be ar te 
XT. The whole expedition of the fon of 
Freliodorus may have-filled, from the time 
of its being refolved on, a period GView oy) 
of forty-twe months, which is not oppoled 
by hiftory. The two clive-trees or lamps 
may allude to fome two Jewith or Chrif- 
tian priefts refident at Babylon, who were 
fecret friends te Caffius, and obtained, on 
the capture of the town, great confequence 
(v. 5);-but who afterwards were flain as 
traitors (v.-8), by Vologefus, their ori- 
ginal fovereign. About one tenth of the 
city (v. 13) was ruined by, the attack. 
Unreftrigted liberty of worfhip (v. 19) was 
given on its capture to the friendly fec~ 
taries. ; 
XI. By the woman clad wih the fun 
muft be underftood the new eattern empire 
which Caflius intended to found; and by 
the dragon (v. 3), the Parthian empires 
The dragon, as is known from Lucian’s 
letter to Philo on hiftory-writine, was 
the figure ufed for aftandard by the Par- 
tmians. The two wings of the great eacle 
{v. 14), indicate’ Roman legions under 
the command of Caflius. After the ap- 
proach of Vologefus a perfecution (v.41 re 
of the fuppofed adherents of Caffius was 
ery natural. 
_ ATI. Vologsefus may have brought re= 
lief by fea (v. 1), to the befiesed metro- 
polis: by the feven heads mut be meant 
his council of feven, and by the ten horis 
G 
3 the 
