After Daniel exposed the fraud of the idol Bel and destroyed his altar, the Babylonian princes demanded a rematch. According to the Chronicles of Jerahmeel, a 12th-century Hebrew chronicle translated by Moses Gaster in 1899, they pointed to a living creature that no one could dismiss as mere stone and clay: the sacred dragon of Babylon, a massive serpent that dwelt in a cave and devoured sacrifices placed at its mouth.
Darius challenged Daniel directly. "Canst thou lift up thy thoughts also against this great and mighty serpent god? This is mighty and strong, and who would dare rise up against it to do it evil?" The princes were thrilled, certain that this time Daniel would finally be destroyed.
Daniel's reply was cool and confident. "It is but a beast, and can be subdued by the hand of man. If my lord the king will permit me, I shall slay it without either sword or stick or any warlike instrument." He asked only that the king protect him from the princes' vengeance.
Daniel's weapon was brilliantly simple. He fashioned iron instruments shaped like wool combs, joined them back to back with the sharp points facing outward in a circle. He coated this lethal device in layers of fat, grease, pitch, and brimstone until the spikes were completely hidden. Then he shaped the whole thing to look like a normal offering and cast it into the dragon's mouth.
The dragon swallowed it greedily. But as the fat melted inside the creature's belly, the iron prongs pierced its entrails. The dragon died the next day. Three days later, when the Babylonians came to make their daily offering, they found only a swollen, decaying corpse and a horrible stench. They plotted to kill both Daniel and the king, but when Darius learned of the conspiracy, he ordered the ringleaders put to the sword.
LXXIII. (1) The dragon felt the smell of the ashes and
of the sacrifice, and he rejoiced to go out and see the offer-
ing, and it opened its mouth, according to custom, and they
cast it therein. After swallowing it, it raised itself on high,
and turned to enter the cave again, when the princes said to
the king, ' Is Daniel also able to destroy this god, which is
a living god, just as he destroyed Bel and his priests and
his altar, thus putting an end to his worship ? Why does
he not strive with this god, for, if he does, then we shall be
avenged for the destruction of Bel and his temple.
(2) Then said the king to Daniel, ' Hearken to me, pray,
and give ear to what I say. Canst thou lift up thy thoughts
also against this great and mighty serpent god, and subdue
him as thou didst Bel, in which there was no life ? This,
however, is mighty and strong, and who would dare rise
up against it to do it evil ? But Daniel replied, ' Let not
the king err also in this, for it is but a beast, and can be
subdued by the hand of man. It hath no spirit, and now,
222 [LXXiii. 3
if my lord the king will permit me to go against this
dragon, I shall slay it without either sword or stick or
any warlike instrument, for it is but a reptile that crawls
upon the earth, and the Lord set the fear of man in every
beast, insect, and reptile, for in the image of God did He
make man. I shall therefore destroy it just as I destroyed
one of the graven images, but do not give power unto thy
princes to do me evil.' ' Go thou and do what thou canst,'
replied the king. The princes were, however, greatly re-
joiced when the king told Daniel to strive with the dragon,
for they said, ' Now will Daniel surely perish, for it is
impossible for him to make a stand against the dragon.'
(3) Daniel then went from the king, and making iron
instruments like wool combs, he joined them together
back to back, with the points outward, forming a circle
of hard and sharp points. This he rolled in all manner
of poisonous fat and grease and other fatty substances,
and beneath it he placed pitch and brimstone, until the
points of the brass and the other piercing metals were
concealed. Then, making it in the shape of an oblation,
Daniel cast it into the dragon's mouth. The dragon
hastily and greedily swallowed it, and seemed to enjoy it.
Eut when it entered its mouth, and passed on to the
entrails of its belly, the fat melted from off the iron
prongs, so the sharp spikes pierced its entrails, and gave
it such agony that it died on the morrow.
(4) It came to pass, three days after its death, that the
Chaldeans and Babylonians came, as was their daily
custom, to propitiate the dragon with an oblation, but it
was not visible; only a horrible stench issued from the
•cave. When they searched the cave they found that their
god was slain, swollen up, and decaying. They became very
grieved and full of wrath against Daniel, and they said,
* Behold what is this Daniel has done to the two gods ! for
he has destroyed Bel and smitten the dragon. Now if
the king deliver him into ©ur hands, he shall surely be
slain; and if not, it must be made known to the king that
he also shall surely not live.' When it reached the ears
of the king that the people had made a conspiracy against
him, a command was issued to smite the leaders and
princes, as well as those that rose up against Daniel,
with the edge of the sword.
