John Trapp on Daniel 8:9

Ver. 9. And out of one of them] Out of the poſterity of Seleucus King of Syria.

Came forth a little horn] This was Antiochus ſirnamed Epiphanes, Illuſtrious: Polybius called him Epimanes, the mad man. He is here called a little horn, becauſe he was vile and baſe from the very firſt to the laſt of him. Indeed he was born a Prince, but without a Kingdom: a meer Nullatenenſis, till he became an V;ſurper. He was ſent for an hoſtage to Rome by his father Antiochus Magnus, whom the Romans had [illegible: 1 letter]ndgeld into a treaty: taking away from him the beſt part of his Kingdom. After his fathers death, he ſtole away from Rome and ſeized upon the Kingdom of Syria, caſting out of it his nephew Demetrius who was the right heir. Afterwards, he got into his hands alſo the Kingdom of Egypt, under colour of Protectour to his young nephew Pt[illegible: 1 letter]lomy Philometor. And being therehence diſcharged by the Romans, and made to anſwer Parebo, I will be gone, he went thence in a rage, and like a mad man recked his teem, as we ſay, upon the poor Jews, playing the devil amongſt them.

Toward the South] i. e. Egypt.

And toward the Eaſt] Perſia, which he alſo conquered.

And toward the pleaſant land] i. e. Judaea, called here Decus, Capreolus, the delectable and deſireable Country, by reaſon of its great prerogatives. So Ezek. 20.6. Pſal. 48.2. See there.