Rage and despair threw the believers into the world of visions and dreams.

The first apocalypse, "The Book of Daniel," appeared.

It was like a revival of prophecy, but under a very different form from the ancient one, and with a much larger idea of the destinies of the world.

The Book of Daniel gave, in a manner, the last expression to the Messianic hopes.

The Messiah was no longer a king, after the manner of David and Solomon, a theocratic and Mosaic Cyrus; he was a "Son of man" appearing in the clouds[1]--a supernatural being, invested with human form, charged to rule the world, and to preside over the golden age.
Perhaps the _Sosiosh_ of Persia, the great prophet who was to come, charged with preparing the reign of Ormuzd, gave some features to this new ideal.[2] The unknown author of the Book of Daniel had, in any case, a decisive influence on the religious event which was about to transform the world.