Page 112 - The Prophet-statesman a Drama of Daniel

Hebrew, who had, more than half a millennium previously, inculcated them with the
tradition of Messiah’s approaching advent; “A light to lighten the Gentiles and the
glory of thy people Israel.”

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After ten years of misrule and decay under Neriglissar, Nabunaid attained to fifty
years of age. According to the behest of Nebuchadnezzar, Neriglissar should have
abdicated the throne in favor of the real heir-apparent, the son-in-law of the late king-
emperor.

Even before the decade had expired, it had become increasingly obvious that
Neriglissar had no intention of abdicating. He was plainly preparing to start a dynasty
of his own and was grooming his own son to succeed him. Had his rule been good and

just, and had he enjoyed reasonable popularity in the empire, he could have doubtless
succeeded in his intention. But since the contrary was true, there was a rumbling of
discontent among the populace and ill-concealed opposition among the aristocrats and
ruling classes (except those in his immediate following) as they saw that Neriglissar

was intending not only to retain the throne himself but to perpetuate his regime after
him. Less vocal about the matter than others was General Nabunaid, commander of
the armies, and the appointed heir to the throne. There was a distinct chilling in the
relation between himself and the incumbent king, but no open break.

Neriglissar feared a coup by the army to put Nabunaid on the throne, but his spies
could not find that Nabunaid was initiating any such move or countenancing any
agitation to this end.

“Why are you so passive, as to be thus easily robbed of your crown-and-throne
rights, my husband?” inquired the Princess Hanniel, who had inherited much of the
fire of her royal father.

“For one reason, I do not think my qualifications and abilities lie along the lines
of statesmanship or of civil administration. Certainly Neriglissar has not done well,
but I am not sure that I can do better. I am a soldier, first, last and always and am not

versed in the subtleties of the court. I would vastly prefer to be far afield at the head of
my armies, expanding the borders of the empire and quelling rebellions, than to be
burdened with the multitudinous problems of civil government and with appeasing a
discontented and avaricious officialdom, ” Nabunaid replied.
“But are you not guilty of a certain dereliction of duty to my late husband, the

founder of the empire, to sit idly by and allow the dynasty of his seed to be set aside
from the succession for the corrupt progeny of an uncouth commoner such as